Dr. Adam Baird is a rare blend of academic depth and frontline experience, known for turning research into real-world change. Over the past 20+ years, he’s worked across Latin America and the Caribbean, shaping youth violence prevention programs, advising international agencies, and leading ground breaking studies on gangs and masculinities. His work with the UN, UNDP, and leading universities reflects not just his expertise but also the trust global institutions place in him. Adam brings clarity to complex problems, builds collaborative teams, and delivers solutions that resonate both in policy and in practice. If you're seeking someone who understands violence from the inside out and knows how to reduce it, he’s exactly who you want leading the charge.
the field of violence prevention, with a deep focus on gangs,
masculinities, and urban insecurity across Latin America and
the Caribbean. What sets Adam apart is his ability to connect
academic insight with on-the-ground impact, he doesn’t just
study violence, he works directly with communities,
governments, and global organizations to help reduce it. His
ground breaking ideas like chronic vulnerability and masculine
vulnerability have influenced both policy and practice, and his
research has helped shape youth intervention programs,
especially in places like Belize and Colombia. Whether
advising the UN, leading international research teams, or
mentoring young scholars, Adam brings empathy, cultural
sensitivity, and real-world knowledge to everything he does.
He’s the kind of expert who listens first, collaborates deeply, and turns complex
challenges into thoughtful, actionable change.
− Belize: Consultant, Project Designer, Ethnographer
− Colombia: Researcher, Professor, Youth Intervention Leader
− Costa Rica: Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator (University for Peace)
− Guatemala & El Salvador: Weapons & Ammunition Consultant (UNIDIR)
− Jamaica: Social Cohesion Strategy Designer (UNDP)
− Panama: Violence Reduction Consultant (UNDP)
− Trinidad & Tobago: Principal Investigator, Researcher
− UK: Research Fellow, Project Leader (Coventry University)
− USA: Visiting Scholar, Speaker, Consultant (UN, SSRC)
− Argentina, France, Ecuador, Sweden, Mexico, Netherlands, Switzerland: Speaker, Visiting Professor, Conference Contributor
• 2001–2003: Coordinator, Peace Brigades International, Colombia
• 2004–2011: Research roles across Colombia, Panama, and USA (UNDP, SSRC, Con-Vivamos)
• 2012–2014: Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator, University for Peace, Costa Rica
• 2015–2021: Research Fellow, Coventry University, UK
• 2011–Present: Associate/Consultant Expert, UNDP & UNIDIR in Latin America and the Caribbean
• 2021–Present: Researcher for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNIDIR
• Ongoing Roles: Visiting Fellow at LSE; Affiliate at the Overseas Development Institute
Books
• From South Central to Southside (Temple University Press, 2024)
• Violence, Masculinity and Community: An Ethnography of Gangs in Colombia (Routledge, 2024, forthcoming)
• Paz Paso a Paso (Co-edited, 2013)
Peer-reviewed Articles (selected)
• “Man a Kill a Man for Nutin” – Men and Masculinities (2021)
• From Vulnerability to Violence – Urban Crime (2020)
• Becoming the Baddest – Journal of Latin American Studies (2018)
• Dancing with Danger – Qualitative Research (2018)
• The Violent Gang and the Construction of Masculinity – Safer Communities (2012)
Book Chapters (selected)
• Gang Lives: Global Portraits from the Streets and Beyond (Bloomsbury, 2024)
• The Routledge Handbook of Masculinities, Conflict and Peacebuilding (2024)
• The Wiley Handbook of Gangs (2015)
• Violence at the Urban Margins (Oxford University Press, 2015)
UN and Policy Reports
• Línea Base de Gestión de Armas y Municiones (UNIDIR, Guatemala & El Salvador, 2022)
• Handbook to Profile Small Arms Ammunition (UNIDIR, 2020)
• Best Practices for Youth Engagement in the Caribbean (UNDP, 2013)
• South-Side Youth Success (UNDP, Belize, 2011)