Barbara F. Walter
Associate Professor of Political Science
bfwalter@ucsd.edu
Phone: (858) 822-0775
Fax: (858) 534-3939
Office Hours:
By appointment only.
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093-0519
Office #1323
Education
Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1994 (political science)
M.A., University of Chicago, 1991 (political science)
B.A., Bucknell University, 1986 (political science and German)
Biography
CV
Walter is an authority on international security, with an emphasis on internal wars, bargaining and cooperation, and terrorism/counter-terrorism. Her current research and teaching interests include reputation building and war, the strategies of terrorism, and the behavioral foundations of rational behavior. Publications include: “The Strategies of Terrorism,” with Andrew Kydd, International Security, Summer 2006; “Building Reputation: Why Governments Fight Some Separatists But Not Others,” American Journal of Political Science, Spring 2006; “Information, Uncertainty and the Decision to Secede,” International Organization, Winter 2006; "Sabotaging the Peace: The Politics of Extremist Violence," with Andrew Kydd, International Organization, Spring 2002; Committing to Peace: The Successful Settlement of Civil Wars (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001); "The Critical Barrier to Civil War Settlement," International Organization, Summer 1997; "Designing Transitions from Violent Civil War," International Security, Summer 1999; and Civil Wars, Insecurity and Intervention (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999) co-edited with Jack Snyder. She has just completed a book manuscript on reputation building and war, and is continuing to work on a manuscript on strategies and counter-strategies of terrorism. Walter is on the editorial board of International Organization, and is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships, including awards from the National Science Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Guggenheim, and Smith Richardson Foundations.
Perspectives
Walter can provide commentary on outside military intervention in civil wars, civil war peace negotiations, post-war state building, and terrorism and counter-terrorism.
Expertise
Walter is an authority on international security, with emphasis on internal wars, and bargaining and cooperation.
Background Notes
Prior to joining IR/PS in 1996, Walter was a post-doctoral fellow at the Olin Institute for Strategic Studies at Harvard University and a post-doctoral fellow at the War and Peace Institute at Columbia University. Walter is a recipient of numerous grants and fellowships. These include awards from the National Science Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Smith Richardson Foundation.
Professional Activities
Board member, International Organization, 2005-2008
Advisory board, International Institute on Comparative and Area Studies, UCSD, 2006-2008
Reviewer: American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, International Organization, International Security, Journal of Conflict Resolution, World Politics, Comparative Politics, Journal of Peace Research, Journal of Theoretical Politics, Journal of Economic Literature, Political Science Quarterly.
Member: American Political Science Association, International Studies Association, Peace Sciences Association, Women in International Security.
Research Interests
Walter's current research interests include reputation building and war, the strategies of terrorism, and the behavioral foundations of international relations.
Research
Publications of Note
Committing to Peace: The Successful Settlement of Civil Wars. Princeton University Press, 2002. Named one of the best academic books of 2002, Choice Magazine.
Civil Wars, Insecurity, and Intervention. Columbia University Press, 1999, (co-edited with Jack Snyder).
“The Strategies of Terrorism.” International Security. (with Andrew Kydd) (summer 2006).
“Information, Uncertainty and the Decision to Secede.” International Organization. Vol. 60, no. 1 (winter 2006).
“Building Reputation: Why Government Fight Some Separatists But Not Others.” American Journal of Political Science. (spring 2006).
“Sabotaging the Peace: The Politics of Extremist Violence,” with Andrew Kydd. International Organization. Vol. 55, No. 2 (spring 2002).
“Designing Transitions from Civil War.” International Security. Vol. 24, No. 1 (summer 1999).
“The Critical Barrier to Civil War Settlement.” International Organization. Vol. 51, No. 3 (summer 1997).
Recent Working Papers
The Strategies of Terrorism. (with Andrew Kydd). Book project.
“Outbidding and the Overproduction of Terrorism,” (with Andrew Kydd). Research article.
“Explaining Cycles of Terrorist Violence: War of Attrition or Tit for Tat?” (with Andrew Kydd). Research article.
IRGN 401 Ethnic Conflict
Spring 2008
IRGN 490 Terrorism: Origins, Operations & Strategies
Spring 2008
International Politics and Security
Winter 2007
Course Description:
Development of analytic tools for understanding international relations with applications to contemporary problems such as the environment, nuclear proliferation, human rights, humanitarian interventions, and the roots of conflict and cooperation among countries.
Terrorism
Winter 2007
