Sasha Erskine

Sasha Erskine was previously a Research Analyst in the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at RUSI, where her research focused on counter-proliferation finance and economic and financial sanctions.

Sasha's work on counter-proliferation finance examines the role of sanctions in countering nuclear activity in proliferating states, including North Korea, and seeks to understand how governments and financial institutions are central to this activity. Sasha additionally conducts research on the use of sanctions in foreign policy, focusing on sanctions strategy and partnerships in a post-Brexit period and examines how sanctions in the United Kingdom can be effectively designed going forward. This includes looking at the increasing use of thematic sanctions, particularly human rights, corruption and cyber sanctions in foreign policy.

Prior to joining RUSI in 2020, Sasha was an intern for the International Security Department at Chatham House, where she focused on non-proliferation and financial crime in international security, including counterterrorism finance. She holds an MSc in Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a BA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa.