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Benjamin A.T. Graham

Associate Professor of International Relations
Benjamin A.T. Graham
Email benjamin.a.graham@usc.edu Office DMC 357B Office Phone (213) 740-2136

Center, Institute & Lab Affiliations

  • Law Enforcement Work Inquiry System (LEWIS), Research Director
  • Security and Political Economy (SPEC) Lab, Co-Founder and PI

Education

  • Ph.D. Political Science, University of California, San Diego, 2012
  • B.A. Government, Dartmouth College, 2004

  • Summary Statement of Research Interests

    To view an updated copy of my CV, click here

    I am one of three principal investigators in the Security and Political Economy
    (SPEC) Lab. In this role, I lead research projects in two main areas: (1) the political
    economy of international security and (2) foreign direct investment and political
    risk.

    I believe that a better understanding of the relationship between military power
    and international markets can inform foreign policy choices that foster both global
    peace and global prosperity. A particular focus of my current work is on the
    relationship between economic interdependence and peace.

    My work on foreign direct investment and political risk involves analyzing the
    relationship between multinational firms and national governments. This includes
    work on how firms use social ties to interact with governments and the role that
    first- and second-generation migrants play     in connecting multinational firms into
    valuable social networks in the migrants’ homelands.

    My work in SPEC has also included research on powersharing, unrecognized states,
    and pedagogy related to experiential learning and applied data science.

    I also serve as the research director of The LEWIS Registry, a nonprofit focused on
    improving police/community relations in the United States. Related to this role, I
    coordinate the Everyday Respect research team, which is a large interdisciplinary
    team of scholars who conduct research on communication between police officers
    and drivers during traffic stops.

  • Book

    Book Chapters

    • Graham, B. A., Johnston, N. P., Kingsley, A. F. (2016). A Unified Model of Political Risk. Advances in Strategic Management (Vol. 34) pp. 119-160. Ungated version here.

    Journal Article

    • Megan, B., Graham, B. A., Zvobgo, K. (2021). The Stewardship Model: An Inclusive Approach to Undergraduate Research. PS: Political Science and Politics. Vol. 54 (1), pp. 158-162. Ungated version here.
    • Cruz, C., Graham, B. A. (2021). Social Ties and the Political Participation of Firms. Review of International Organization. Ungated version here.
    • Zvobgo, K., Graham, B. A. (2020). The World Bank as an Enforcer of Human Rights. Journal of Human Rights. Vol. 19 (4), pp. 425-448. Ungated version here.
    • Markowitz, J., Mulesky, S., Graham, B. A., Fariss, C. J. (2020). Productive Pacifists: The Rise of Production-Oriented States and Decline of Profit-Motivated Conquest. International Studies Quarterly. Vol. 64 (3), pp. 558-572. Ungated version here.
    • Graham, B. A., Tucker, J. R. (2019). The International Political Economy Data Resource. Review of International Organizations. Vol. 14 (1), pp. 149-161. Ungated version here.
    • Nils-Christian, B., Cederman, L., Gates, S., Graham, B. A., Hug, S., Strøm, K., Wucherpfennig, J. (2019). Does Formal or Informal Powersharing Produce Peace?. American Journal of Political Science. Vol. 63 (1), pp. 84-100. Ungated version here.
    • Graham, B. A., Johnston, N. P., Kingsley, A. F. (2018). Even Constrained Governments Take: The Domestic Politics of Transfer and Expropriation Risks. Journal of Conflict Resolution. Vol. 62 (8), pp. 1784-1813. Ungated version here.
    • Buzard, K., Graham, B. A., Horne, B. (2017). Unrecognized States: A Theory of Self-Determination and Foreign Influence. Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization. Vol. 33 (3), pp. 578-611. Ungated version here.
    • Strøm, K. W., Gates, S., Graham, B. A., Strand, H. (2017). Inclusion, Dispersion, and Constraint: Powersharing in the World’s States, 1975–2010. British Journal of Political Science. Vol. 47 (1), pp. 165-185. Ungated version here.
    • Kingsley, A., Graham, B. A. (2017). The Capital Effects of Information Voids in Emerging Markets. Journal of International Business Studies. Vol. 48 (3), pp. 324-343. Ungated version here.
    • Graham, B. A., Fariss, C. J., Gartzke, E. (2017). The Barfight Theory of International Conflict: Regime Type, Coalition Size, and Victory. Political Science & Research Methods. Vol. 5 (4), pp. 613-639. Ungated version here.
    • Graham, B. A., Miller, M., Strøm, K. W. (2017). Safeguarding Democracy: Powersharing and Democratic Survival. American Political Science Review. Vol. 111 (4), pp. 686-704. Ungated version here.
    • Cesi, C., Gordoncillo, P. U., Graham, B. A., Madamba, J., Cabardo, J. (2016). Who’s Ready for ASEAN 2015? Firm Expectations and Preparations in the Philippines. Pacific Affairs. Vol. 89 (2), pp. 259-285. Ungated version here.
    • Gates, S., Graham, B. A., Lupu, Y., Strand, H., Strøm, K. W. (2016). Power Sharing, Protection, and Peace. Journal of Politics. Vol. 78 (2), pp. 512-26. Ungated version here.
    • Graham, B. A. (2014). Diaspora-Owned Firms and Social Responsibility. Review of International Political Economy. Vol. 21 (2), pp. 432-66. Ungated version here.
    • Bauer, M. E., Cruz, C., Graham, B. A. (2012). Democracies Only: When do IMF Agreements Serve as a Seal of Approval. Review of International Organizations. Vol. 7 (1), pp. 33-58. Ungated version here.
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