Based on her own fieldwork in the Egyptian uprising, Sophie tries to understand why medical volunteers remain so vulnerable to attack during conflict. Violence against health workers, she argues, is not random but can function as a highly effective political tool to weaken civilian resolve.

Sophie Roborgh is a PhD candidate at Cambridge University, conducting research on violence against health workers and medical infrastructure in conflict. Previously she has worked at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, and at the Advisory Council of Science, Technology Policy, and Innovation.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx