Ryan M. Powers

Assistant Professor of International Affairs, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia

Curriculum Vitae

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ABOUT

Photo of Ryan PowersI am an assistant professor in the Department International Affairs at University of Georgia's School of Public and International Affairs.

Previously, I was a Post-doctoral Associate with the Leitner Program in International and Comparative Political Economy at the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University and I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2017.

I study the political economy of international cooperation and conflict, but I have used insights from these areas to make contributions to broader debates in international relations. Primarily, I use surveys and experiments to understand how the public and policy elites draw inferences about the intentions and behavior of other states.

My research is published in American Journal of Political Science, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, Perspectives on Politics, World Politics and other leading peer-reviewed journals. I have also published a number of pieces in Foreign Policy and on the Monkey Cage.

I have received support for my research from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Stanton Foundation.

I am a Faculty Fellow at the University of Georgia Center for International Trade and Security. In my time at Georgia, I have also been a Lilly Teaching Fellow and Teaching Academy Fellow. In 2022, I won the Department of International Affairs Award for Teaching Excellence and, in 2024, I won the School of Public and International Affairs Teaching Award. In 2023, I won the School of Public and International Affairs Research Award and was nominated for the University of Georgia Early Career Scholar Award

I am affiliated with the Global Research Institute at William & Mary as a Principal Investigator on the Teaching, Research and International Policy (TRIP) Project.

CURRICULUM VITAE

RESEARCH

Articles in Revision

  1. “International Relations Scholars, the Media, and the Dilemma of Consensus” (with Irene Entringer, Shauna Gillooly, Susan Peterson and Mike Tierney). Revised and resubmitted to Perspectives on Politics.

Working Papers

  1. “Identity and the Social Construction of Reputation in World Politics” (with Jonathan Renshon).
  2. “Foreign Attacks on Space-Based Assets and Public Support for Retaliation” (with Jackson Tilley).
  3. “Risky Business: Uncertainty, Trust, and Domestic Support for Global Engagement” (with Diana Mutz).
  4. “Expert Endorsements, Partisan Cues, and Public Support for International Cooperation” (with Daniel Maliniak, Eric Parajon, and Susan Peterson).

Published Articles

  1. “Can Rising Powers Reassure? Shifting Power, Foreign Economic Policy, and Perceptions of Revisionist Intent” (with Austin Strange). Conditionally accepted at Journal of Peace Research.
  2. “Is Context Pretext? Institutionalized Commitments and the Situational Politics of Foreign Economic Policy.” Published online ahead of print in Review of International Organizations.
  3. “Judicialization and Public Support for Compliance with International Commitments” (with Harlan Cohen). Published online ahead of print in International Studies Quarterly.
  4. “Great Expectations: The Democratic Advantage in Trade Attitudes.” 2023. World Politics, 75(2): 316–352 (with Jon Pevehouse and Freddy Chen).
  5. “International Status Concerns and Domestic Support for Political Leaders.” 2023. American Journal of Political Science, 67(3): 732–747 (with Jonathan Renshon).
  6. “Trade Politics at the Checkout Lane: Ethnocentrism and Consumer Preferences.” 2023. Political Science Research and Methods, 11(3): 605–612 (with Alexa Bankert and Geoff Sheagley).
  7. “The Cult of the Relevant: International Relations Scholars and Policy Engagement Beyond the Ivory Tower.” 2023. Perspectives on Politics, 21(4): 1270–1282 (with Cullen Hendrix, Julia Macdonald, Susan Peterson, and Michael Tierney).
  8. “Can Increasing Awareness of Gender Gaps in International Relations Help Close Them? Evidence from a Scholar Ranking Experiment.” 2023. International Studies Perspectives, 24(4): 420–440 (with Emily Jackson, Daniel Maliniak, Eric Parajon, Susan Peterson, and Michael Tierney).
  9. “The Myth of the Eclectic IR Scholar?.“ 2023. International Studies Perspectives, 24(3): 308–335 (with Helen Milner and Erik Voeten).
  10. “Does Social Science Inform Foreign Policy? Evidence from a Survey of U.S. National Security, Trade, and Development Officials” 2022. International Studies Quarterly, 66(1) (with Paul Avey, Michael Desch, Eric Parajon, Susan Peterson, Ryan Powers, Michael Tierney).
  11. “Epistemic Communities and Public Support for the Paris Agreement on Climate Change” 2021. Political Research Quarterly, 74(4): 866–881 (with Dan Maliniak and Eric Parajon).
  12. “Is International Relations a Global Discipline? Hegemony, Insularity, and Diversity in the Field. 2018. Security Studies, 27(3): 448-484 (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  13. “The Gender Citation Gap in International Relations.” 2013. International Organization, 67(4): 889-922 (with Daniel Maliniak and Barbara F. Walter). Media coverage: The Economist, Inside Higher Ed, Chronicle of Higher Education, and The Monkey Cage.
  14. “More Dollars than Sense: Refining Our Knowledge of Development Finance Using AidData.” 2011. World Development, 39: 1891-1906 (with Michael J. Tierney, Daniel L. Nielson, Darren G. Hawkins, J. Timmons Roberts, Michael G. Findley, Bradley Parks, Sven E. Wilson, and Rob Hicks).

Edited Volume

Bridging the Theory-Practice Divide in International Relations book cover
  1. Bridging the Theory-Practice Divide in International Relations. Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, Ryan Powers, and Michael J. Tierney, editors. Published in Spring 2020 by Georgetown University Press.
    • Contributors: Paul Avey, Dmitri Demekas, Mike Desch, Scott Edwards, Peter Feaver, Mike Findley, Jessica Green, Thomas Hale, John R. Harvey, Sarah Kreps, Marc Levy, Ed Mansfield, Sarah Mendelson, Amanda Murdie, Tom Pepinsky, Jon Pevehouse, Steven Radelet, Christina Schneider, David Steinberg, Jessica Weeks, Joseph Young, and Robert Zoellick.
    • Subject of a virtual book launch hosted by Bridging the Gap Project in October 2020.

Research in Progress

  1. “Burning Reputations” (with Michael Goldfien, Tyler Pratt, and Jonathan Renshon)
  2. “Hawks, Doves, and the Domestic Politics of Arms Control” (with Rachel Whitlark).
  3. “Democracy, Reputation, and International Cooperation: The Case of Dual-Use Trade” (with Justin Conrad and Jeff Berejikian).
  4. “Threats To Inference: Foreign Policy Elites and Errors in Causal Logic” (with Andrew Shaver)

OTHER WRITING

  1. “Poll: Will Russia Invade Ukraine?'' (with Irene Entringer Garcia Blanes, Susan Peterson, and Michael Tierney), Foreign Policy, January 31, 2022.
  2. “Poll: Biden Gets High Marks for Foreign Policy'' (with Irene Entringer Garcia Blanes, Susan Peterson, and Michael Tierney), Foreign Policy, Ma5 14, 2021.
  3. “Poll: How Biden and Trump Differ on Foreign Policy'' (with Irene Entringer Garcia Blanes, Alexandra Murphy, Susan Peterson, and Michael Tierney), Foreign Policy, October 22, 2020.
  4. “Trump, COVID-19, and the Future of International Order'' (with Helen Milner, Susan Peterson, Michael Tierney, and Erik Voeten), Foreign Policy, October 8, 2020.
  5. “Beyond IR's Ivory Tower” (with Cullen Hendrix, Julia MacDonald, Michael Tierney, and Susan Peterson),Foreign Policy, September 28, 2020.
  6. “Snap Poll: What Foreign-Policy Experts Make of Trump's Coronavirus Response,” May 8, 2020. Foreign Policy (with Eric Parajon, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  7. “There Really is an Expert Consensus: Multilateralism Still Matters,” January 18, 2019. Lawfare (with Eric Parajon, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney). Reprinted in The Troubled U.S.-NATO Relationship.
  8. “Snap Poll: What Experts Make of Trump's Foreign Policy,” December 7, 2018. Foreign Policy (with Eric Parajon, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  9. “Experts Don't Like Trump's Withdrawal from the Iran Deal or his Foreign Policy in General,” May 16, 2018. Guest post on The Monkey Cage.
  10. “A Reply to ‘Reducing Political Bias in Political Science Estimates,’” PS: Political Science & Politics (with Daniel Maliniak and Barbara Walter).
  11. “Snap Poll: Who Will Make the Best Foreign Policy President?” February 19, 2016. Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  12. “Snap Poll: Will China, Iran, and Russia Cooperate With the United States?” October 9, 2015. Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  13. “Do Americans think strategically when they think about trade?” July 15, 2015. Guest post on The Monkey Cage (with Jon C. W. Pevehouse).
  14. “Snap Poll: Is a Soccer Scandal More Scandalous If It Involves Putin?” June 22, 2015. Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  15. “Snap Poll: Is the Iran Deal Good for Your Country's National Security?” March 18, 2015. Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  16. “The Best International Relations Schools in the World.” February 3, 2015. Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  17. “Snap Poll: How Likely Is War With Russia in the Next 10 Years?” January 28, 2015. Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  18. “Is the Public Really Learning to Love Globalization?” June 11, 2014. Guest post on The Monkey Cage (with Daniel Maliniak).
  19. “Snap Poll: Does Obama Need to Put Troops in Ukraine to Prove America Is Tough?” June 2, 2014. Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  20. “Snap Poll: The View from the Ivory Tower.” March 7, 2014. Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak, Susan Peterson, and Michael J. Tierney).
  21. “Are There Neoconservative Wolves in the Realist Flock?” January 25, 2012. Guest post on Daniel Drezner's blog at Foreign Policy (with Daniel Maliniak and Michael J. Tierney).

TEACHING

University of Georgia

  • Graduate
    • INTL 8200: Experiments in International Relations (Spring 2023, Fall 2024).
    • INTL 8240: International Political Economy (Spring 2022, Spring 2024).
    • INTL 6200: Preseminar in International Relations (Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020 (2 sections), Spring 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024)
  • Undergraduate
    • INTL 4005: Experiments in International Affairs (Spring 2025)
    • INTL 4230: International Political Economy (Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2025).
    • INTL 3200: Introduction to International Relations (Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2023).

Yale University

  • PSLC 697: Domestic Politics and International Relations, Spring 2018.

University of Wisconsin–Madison

  • Lecturer, PS 359: Problems in American Foreign Policy, Summer 2016 and Summer 2017.
  • Teaching Assistant for Professor Andrew Kydd, PS 377: Nuclear Weapons and World Politics, Spring 2017.
  • Teaching Assistant for Mark Copelovitch, PS 371: International Political Economy, Summer 2012, Summer 2013, and Summer 2015.