Understanding Today’s Asymmetric Conflicts
Understanding Today’s Asymmetric Conflicts
Speaker: Shapiro, J. (Princeton University)
Date: 6 June 2018
Speaker Session Preview
SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Dr. Jacob Shapiro (Princeton University) as a part of its SMA (General) Speaker Series. Dr. Shapiro first discussed his primary observations about asymmetric conflicts, highlighting that the things we previously thought would reduce casualties and alleviate conflict often did not (in fact, they often seemed to make things worse). He also emphasized that every village and valley is different. Dr. Shapiro supported these claims through graphs, which displayed broad trends and micro-data. He explained his model of asymmetric conflict, which involves three parties (government, civilian population, and rebels), and discussed an application of this model by creating a strategic game and illustrating the players’ unique perspectives. To conclude the session, Dr. Shapiro revealed the results derived from his work and explained the strategic implications and importance of his work.
Jacob N. Shapiro is Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and directs the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project, a multi-university consortium that compiles and analyzes micro-level conflict data and other information on politically motivated violence in countries around the world. He studies conflict, economic and political development, and security policy. He is author of The Terrorist’s Dilemma: Managing Violent Covert Organizations, co-author of Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict, and co-author of Foundations of the Islamic State: Management, Money, and Terror in Iraq. His research has been published in broad range of academic and policy journals as well as a number of edited volumes. He has conducted field research and large-scale policy evaluations in Afghanistan, Colombia, India, and Pakistan.
Shapiro received the 2016 Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, given to a scholar younger than 40 or within 10 years of earning a Ph.D. who has made the most significant contribution to the study of international relations. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Conflict Resolution, World Politics, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, a Faculty Fellow of the Association for Analytic Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS), a Research Fellow at the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP), and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). Ph.D. Political Science, M.A. Economics, Stanford University. B.A. Political Science, University of Michigan. Prior to graduate school Shapiro served in the United States Navy.
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