Dr Eugenio Cusumano is an assistant professor in International Relations and European Union studies at the University of Leiden. He obtained his PhD in 2012 from the European University Institute and was previously a Fulbright Scholar at the Korbel School of International Studies in Denver and a lecturer at the Baltic Defence College.

His research concentrates on the role of non-state actors in military operations and humanitarian crises both on land and at sea, with a focus on the increasing privatisation of military support. He has also conducted various studies on the latest developments in Italian foreign policy and security policies, such as the use of military personnel aboard vessels to combat piracy and the conduct of maritime law enforcement and search and rescue operations offshore Libya. His work has been published in leading international relations and security studies journals such as the Journal of Strategic Studies, International Relations, Armed Forces & Society, International Peacekeeping, and Marine Policy.