Thorin Wright
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COOR 6730 Tempe, AZ 85287-3902
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Mail code: 3902Campus: Tempe
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Thorin Wright is an Associate Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. He also serve as ASU's Academic Lead for the Security & Defence PLuS initiative since January 2023. He previously served as SPGS' Associate Director for Graduate Studies from January 2020 through June of 2023. He received his doctorate in political science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2012. He received his bachelor's (2005) and master's (2007) degrees in political science at the University of North Texas.
His research mainly focuses on international relations and international conflict processes, with a major interest in the intersection of international conflict and domestic politics. He has published research on territorial conflict participation and state repression, on the linkage between international territorial competition and defensive alliance effectiveness, and the factors that contribute to the durability of peacekeeping operations. His research has been published in journals such as International Studies Quarterly, Political Research Quarterly, Journal of Conflict Resolution, and Journal of Peace Research. He was also awarded, along with his co-principal investigators, a multi-year grant from the National Science Foundation to collect data on sub-national variation in human rights practices. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on international relations, conflict, and human rights.
- Ph.D. Political Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2012
- M.S. Political Science, University of North Texas 2007
- B.A. Political Science, University of North Texas 2005
The role of issues and domestic politics in international conflict, international alliances, human rights and state repression, international peacekeeping, international human rights reporting.
2025. “The Catch 22 of Conflict and Women’s Candidacy: Evidence from Afghanistan” (with Victoria Stratton [student co-author] and Magda Hinojosa), forthcoming at Journal of Women, Politics, & Policy
2023. “International Conflict Involvement, State Repression, and the Escalation of Civil Conflict.” Political Research Quarterly, 76 (4): 2004-2017, (with Heather M. Kopp [student co-author] and Bryce W. Reeder)
2023. “Disease and Dissent: Investigating How Epidemics Contribute to Social Unrest,” Global Studies Quarterly, 3 (2) (with Rebecca Cordell and Reed M. Wood)
2022. “Disaggregating Repression: Identifying Physical Integrity Rights Allegations in Annual Country Human Rights Reports.” International Studies Quarterly, 66 (2), (with Rebecca Cordell, K. Chad Clay, Christopher J. Fariss, and Reed M. Wood)
2021. “Extant Commitment, Risk, and UN Peacekeeping Authorization” International Interactions, 47 (1): 135-160. (with Rebecca Cordell and Paul F. Diehl)
2020. “Changing Standards or Political Whim? Evaluating Changes in the Content of US State Department Human Rights Reports following Presidential Transitions.” Journal of Human Rights, 19 (1): 3–18. (with Rebecca Cordell, K. Chad Clay, Christopher J. Fariss, and Reed M. Wood)
2020. “Revisionist Conflict and State Repression.” International Area Studies Review, 23 (1): 49-72.
2018. “Refugees, Economic Capacity, and Host State Repression.” International Interactions, 44 (1): 132-155. (with Shweta Moorthy)
2016. “Responding to Catastrophe: Repression Dynamics following Rapid-onset Natural Disasters.” Journal of Conflict Resolution, 60 (8): 1446-1472 (with Reed Wood)
2016. “A Conditional Defense of the Dyadic Approach.” International Studies Quarterly, 60 (2): 363-368 (with Paul Diehl)
2016. “Unpacking Territorial Disputes: Domestic Political Influences and War.” Journal of Conflict Resolution, 60 (4): 645-669 (with Paul Diehl)
2014. “Territorial Revision and State Repression.” Journal of Peace Research. 51 (3): 375-87.
2014. “Disputed Territory, Defensive Alliances, and Conflict Initiation.” Conflict Management and Peace Science. 31 (2): 119-44. (with Toby Rider)
2012. “Staying the Course: Assessing the Durability of Peacekeeping Operations.” Conflict Management and Peace Science. 29 (2): 127-47. (with J. Michael Greig)
Awarded:
2025-2026. “Micro-Foundations of the US-Japan Security Relationship”, PI (with Cana Kim and Fabian Neuner). US-Japan Foundation. $29,999.
2024-2025. “Integrated Deterrence in the Age of AUKUS”, PI (with Sally Burt and Andrew Corbett). Security & Defence PLuS Seed and Bridge Grant Program. $45,000 ($15,000 in 2024, $30,000 in 2025).
2016-2022. National Science Foundation, "Sub-National Analysis of Repression Project." Co-PI. (with K. Chad Clay, Christopher J. Fariss, Reed M. Wood [Co-PIs], and Rebecca Cordell [Post-Doctoral Researcher]) October 2016-July 2022. $513,434 ($211,422 to ASU. Award #1626775)
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| INR 205 | Perspectives Int'l Relations |
| INR 205 | Perspectives Int'l Relations |
| POS 664 | War/Peace/Conflict Processes |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| POS 560 | International Relations |
| INR 205 | Perspectives Int'l Relations |
2025 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 494 | Special Topics |
| SGS 494 | Special Topics |
| IAL 592 | Research |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 560 | International Relations |
| INR 205 | Perspectives Int'l Relations |
| INR 205 | Perspectives Int'l Relations |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 664 | War/Peace/Conflict Processes |
| INR 205 | Perspectives Int'l Relations |
| INR 205 | Perspectives Int'l Relations |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 360 | World Politics |
| POS 360 | World Politics |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 560 | International Relations |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 584 | Internship |
| POS 595 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 494 | Special Topics |
| SGS 494 | Special Topics |
| POS 494 | Special Topics |
| SGS 494 | Special Topics |
| POS 592 | Research |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 595 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 599 | Thesis |
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 799 | Dissertation |
| POS 590 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 790 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 584 | Internship |
| POS 592 | Research |
| POS 598 | Special Topics |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 590 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 695 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 790 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 799 | Dissertation |
| POS 599 | Thesis |
| POS 592 | Research |
| POS 584 | Internship |
| POS 596 | Professionalization Workshop |
| GSC 512 | Global Trends |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 584 | Internship |
| POS 595 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 494 | Special Topics |
| SGS 494 | Special Topics |
| POS 494 | Special Topics |
| SGS 494 | Special Topics |
| POS 592 | Research |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 595 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 599 | Thesis |
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 799 | Dissertation |
| POS 590 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 790 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 584 | Internship |
| POS 592 | Research |
| SGS 340 | Violence Conflict Human Rights |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 590 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 695 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 790 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 799 | Dissertation |
| POS 599 | Thesis |
| POS 592 | Research |
| POS 584 | Internship |
| POS 596 | Professionalization Workshop |
| GSC 512 | Global Trends |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 584 | Internship |
| POS 595 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 595 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 599 | Thesis |
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 799 | Dissertation |
| POS 590 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 790 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 584 | Internship |
| POS 592 | Research |
| SGS 340 | Violence Conflict Human Rights |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| POS 590 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 695 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 790 | Reading and Conference |
| POS 792 | Research |
| POS 795 | Continuing Registration |
| POS 799 | Dissertation |
| POS 599 | Thesis |
| POS 598 | Special Topics |
| POS 592 | Research |
| POS 584 | Internship |