Mariel Reiss is a research fellow at the Center for Conflict Studies at the Philipps-University of Marburg and leads the research project ""LGBTIQ+ Rights in Multilevel Governance Systems"". Her publications discuss the establishment processes and development of regional organizations and the roles of state and non-state actors in this regard. Her main focus lies with African regional organizations, in particular the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Phillips-University of Marburg and am M.A. in Political Science and Cultural Anthropology from the Gutenberg-University Mainz.
"""Rich in detail and through an engaging narrative that captures the past and present so well, Reiss’ forensic analysis of East African regional integration is a much-needed addition to studies on the political economy of regional integration. This is a great reference for those interested in comparative regionalism, norm diffusion and African agency in global politics."" Dr Toni Haastrup, University of Stirling, UK. ""Rich in detail and through an engaging narrative that captures the past and present so well, Reiss’ forensic analysis of East African regional integration is a much-needed addition to studies on the political economy of regional integration. This is a great reference for those interested in comparative regionalism, norm diffusion and African agency in global politics."" Dr Toni Haastrup, University of Stirling, UK. ""Mariel Reiss’ work is the result of inspired thinking and a prodigious amount of research. Her examination of how and when the institutional design of a regional organization can be diffused – or not – to other regional organizations helps elevate our understanding of the foundational underpinnings of the East African Community. Moreover, her approach serves as a blueprint toward a more nuanced understanding of broader patterns within African regional integration. This is a major contribution to Africa-centred scholarship in the field of regionalism."" Dr John Kotsopoulos, University of Pretoria, South Africa"