Neil DeVotta is Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Wake Forest University, specialising in South Asian politics. With a focus on South Asian security, ethnicity, nationalism, and democratic transitions, DeVotta has authored the acclaimed book 'Blowback: Linguistic Nationalism, Institutional Decay, and Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka'. DeVotta’s expertise extends to co-authoring and editing works on Sri Lanka and India, with publications featured in prestigious journals such as Nations and Nationalism, Journal of Democracy, and Commonwealth and Comparative Politics. DeVotta’s research explores into the intricate connections between nationalist ideologies and communal violence in South Asia.