Dan Altman
@daltmanir.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Political Science at Georgia State University. Conquest, faits accomplis, deterrence, coercion failure, causes of war. Website: dan-altman.weebly.com
Reposted by Dan Altman
Ever wondered why some countries get recognition while others struggle to be seen?
My book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 is finally out in the world!
📘 academic.oup.com/book/61560
My book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 is finally out in the world!
📘 academic.oup.com/book/61560
The Making of International Status
Abstract. With great power rivalry on the rise again, many worry that struggles for status among states could lead to war. As a growing consensus indicates
academic.oup.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Ever wondered why some countries get recognition while others struggle to be seen?
My book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 is finally out in the world!
📘 academic.oup.com/book/61560
My book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 is finally out in the world!
📘 academic.oup.com/book/61560
Reposted by Dan Altman
Signs mounting that U.S. plans to bomb Venezuela, ostensibly with the goal of toppling the regime. Unfortunately the track record of this kind of campaign is uniformly poor. A short thread. 1/8
www.wsj.com/world/americ...
www.wsj.com/world/americ...
Pentagon Orders Aircraft Carrier to the Caribbean
The move would be a major escalation of the Trump administration’s military campaign to target drug smugglers and threaten governments in Latin America.
www.wsj.com
October 27, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Signs mounting that U.S. plans to bomb Venezuela, ostensibly with the goal of toppling the regime. Unfortunately the track record of this kind of campaign is uniformly poor. A short thread. 1/8
www.wsj.com/world/americ...
www.wsj.com/world/americ...
Check out this new Foreign Policy Analysis article and dataset from one of my PhD students academic.oup.com/fpa/article-...
Introducing the Human Intelligence Exposures (HEX) Dataset
Abstract. This paper introduces the Human Intelligence Exposure (HEX) dataset, designed to enhance our understanding of espionage and its exposure. HEX wil
academic.oup.com
July 22, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Check out this new Foreign Policy Analysis article and dataset from one of my PhD students academic.oup.com/fpa/article-...
Reposted by Dan Altman
For context on Israel-Iran, here's a list of cases where countries considered or used military force to stop nuclear proliferation in peacetime. It's from my new @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org book Influence Without Arms. Chapter 6 is devoted to explaining why preventive strikes happen.
June 17, 2025 at 1:59 PM
For context on Israel-Iran, here's a list of cases where countries considered or used military force to stop nuclear proliferation in peacetime. It's from my new @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org book Influence Without Arms. Chapter 6 is devoted to explaining why preventive strikes happen.
Reposted by Dan Altman
For the past two years, I’ve had the enormous privilege to serve on the @csis.org Bipartisan Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention, led by the incomparable duo of Jon Alterman & Jason Rezaian (@rezaian.bsky.social). Today, our report is live!
www.csis.org/analysis/com...
www.csis.org/analysis/com...
Combating State Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention
The CSIS Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention examines U.S. efforts to counter the detention of Americans abroad and proposes new policy tools to strengthen deterrence, improve internat...
www.csis.org
June 4, 2025 at 6:43 PM
For the past two years, I’ve had the enormous privilege to serve on the @csis.org Bipartisan Commission on Hostage Taking and Wrongful Detention, led by the incomparable duo of Jon Alterman & Jason Rezaian (@rezaian.bsky.social). Today, our report is live!
www.csis.org/analysis/com...
www.csis.org/analysis/com...
Grave situation in South Asia. The message to both sides should be: No Ground Advances. If that red line is not crossed, the chances are much better of avoiding a major war.
Escalatory dynamics kicking in hard - air bases being tit-for-tat hit with missiles. Reports of IAF ops in Pakistani airspace, Pak attacks on Indian missile storage. Like when the war games start spinning into very bad outcomes. Hopefully US, PRC, Saudis burning up the phones. Deeply alarming.
May 10, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Grave situation in South Asia. The message to both sides should be: No Ground Advances. If that red line is not crossed, the chances are much better of avoiding a major war.
Reposted by Dan Altman
Refreshed my list of national security and strategy fellowships and seminars. Most are tailored for new and mid-career individuals, though there are a few sprinkled in for old folks like me, as well.
I welcome any additions!
@milwritersguild.bsky.social
I welcome any additions!
@milwritersguild.bsky.social
Fellowships and Seminars
nathankfinney.com
March 22, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Refreshed my list of national security and strategy fellowships and seminars. Most are tailored for new and mid-career individuals, though there are a few sprinkled in for old folks like me, as well.
I welcome any additions!
@milwritersguild.bsky.social
I welcome any additions!
@milwritersguild.bsky.social
Enjoyed this conversation about territorial conquest and the Russia-Ukraine War
Out Now on CSSPR : A Conversation between Dr. @daltmanir.bsky.social and Ejaz Haider on the history and future of conquests and the territorial integrity norm.
youtu.be/F3m4aLZkDTU
youtu.be/F3m4aLZkDTU
InFocus With Ejaz Haider EP54: Is Conquest Obselete?
YouTube video by CSSPR
youtu.be
January 15, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Enjoyed this conversation about territorial conquest and the Russia-Ukraine War
Still time to make sure every map in the White House is a Peters Projection with Asia in the middle. Prevent a few headaches.
December 26, 2024 at 2:27 AM
Still time to make sure every map in the White House is a Peters Projection with Asia in the middle. Prevent a few headaches.
New in @foreignaffairs.bsky.social I argue that making Russia fear how it will fare in a long war is the key to avoiding one. www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/how-...
How to Convince Putin He Will Lose
The West must show that it can outlast Russia in Ukraine.
www.foreignaffairs.com
June 13, 2024 at 7:01 PM
New in @foreignaffairs.bsky.social I argue that making Russia fear how it will fare in a long war is the key to avoiding one. www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/how-...
In a new article, Kai Quek and I argue that states generally do not sink costs to signal resolve, and we identify the two signaling strategies they use instead: academic.oup.com/jogss/articl...
Do States Really Sink Costs to Signal Resolve?
Abstract. Sinking costs to signal resolve has become a vital part of how the field of international relations (IR) understands crisis bargaining. The logic
academic.oup.com
June 13, 2024 at 6:56 PM
In a new article, Kai Quek and I argue that states generally do not sink costs to signal resolve, and we identify the two signaling strategies they use instead: academic.oup.com/jogss/articl...
Amos Fox and I discuss faits accomplis and tripwires in this new episode of his Revolution in Military Affairs podcast
shows.acast.com/650105b75a8d...
shows.acast.com/650105b75a8d...
April 8, 2024 at 4:38 PM
Amos Fox and I discuss faits accomplis and tripwires in this new episode of his Revolution in Military Affairs podcast
shows.acast.com/650105b75a8d...
shows.acast.com/650105b75a8d...
Use this line from Axelrod the next time a reviewer raises concerns about generalizability: “The framework is broad enough to encompass not only people but also nations and bacteria.”
April 2, 2024 at 6:24 AM
Use this line from Axelrod the next time a reviewer raises concerns about generalizability: “The framework is broad enough to encompass not only people but also nations and bacteria.”
There is an important lesson about deterrence failure and coercive diplomacy here. After being attacked, options are NOT limited to retaliating or looking weak by declining to escalate. Instead... www.reuters.com/world/middle...
January 30, 2024 at 9:24 PM
There is an important lesson about deterrence failure and coercive diplomacy here. After being attacked, options are NOT limited to retaliating or looking weak by declining to escalate. Instead... www.reuters.com/world/middle...
It's amazing how much more attention IR developments get when they come with a catchy name: AUKUS, the Quad, BRICS, hypersonics...
December 4, 2023 at 7:17 PM
It's amazing how much more attention IR developments get when they come with a catchy name: AUKUS, the Quad, BRICS, hypersonics...
I assigned my undergrads to find and evaluate Trump quotes about nuclear weapons. I have never had more fun grading an assignment. Highly recommend it!
October 25, 2023 at 9:50 PM
I assigned my undergrads to find and evaluate Trump quotes about nuclear weapons. I have never had more fun grading an assignment. Highly recommend it!
Reposted by Dan Altman
Prediction fails
October 16, 2023 at 12:25 AM
Prediction fails
Topics we can leave out when discussing the war in Israel and Gaza:
1. Who is the US President
2. Whether the House has a speaker
3. Russia
4. China
5. Multipolarity
Some conflicts *aren't* about the major powers.
1. Who is the US President
2. Whether the House has a speaker
3. Russia
4. China
5. Multipolarity
Some conflicts *aren't* about the major powers.
October 9, 2023 at 5:23 PM
Topics we can leave out when discussing the war in Israel and Gaza:
1. Who is the US President
2. Whether the House has a speaker
3. Russia
4. China
5. Multipolarity
Some conflicts *aren't* about the major powers.
1. Who is the US President
2. Whether the House has a speaker
3. Russia
4. China
5. Multipolarity
Some conflicts *aren't* about the major powers.
Reposted by Dan Altman
Branislav Slantchev and I wrote an essay for The Economist on the war in Ukraine. Gated, but here's the link:
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...
September 21, 2023 at 5:28 PM
Branislav Slantchev and I wrote an essay for The Economist on the war in Ukraine. Gated, but here's the link:
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...
It was truly a great time.
September 20, 2023 at 5:50 PM
It was truly a great time.