Michelle A. Benson is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the University at Buffalo. Her recent work focuses on the effects of the United Nations on civil war (including sexual violence and conflict outcomes).  Her earlier work focused on state to state ties and international conflict, trade and international conflict, intergovernmental organizations and international conflict, and the role of social capital in domestic conflict processes. Her work has been published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, the Journal of Peace Research, International Interactions, Social Science Quarterly, Conflict Management and Peace Science, Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, and the Journal of Political Science. 

• PhD, Political Science, Claremont Graduate University
• MA, International Political Economy, Claremot Graduate University
• Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies, International Security, the Université Pierre Mendès-France
• BA, University of California at Davis

The International status quo and conflict; trade and conflict; IGOs and conflict; determinants of ethnic conflict

• PSC 102 – Introduction to International Relations
• PSC 103 – Introduction to Comparative Politics
• PSC 326 – War and International Security
• PSC 330 – Problems in International Relations (International Trade and Cooperation)
• PSC 408 – Basic Statistics
• PSC 500 – Political Inquiry
• PSC 508 – Introduction to Statistics
• PSC 531 – Intermediate Statistics

• “Advancing the Frontier of Peacekeeping Research.”  (with Ismene Gizelis), forthcoming.  Journal of Conflict Resolution.
• “Cut Short? United Nations Peacekeeping and Civil War Duration to Negotiated Settlements” (with Jacob Kathman), forthcoming.  Journal of Conflict Resolution.
• “UN Bias and Force Commitments”  (with Jacob Kathman), 2014.  Journal of Politics. 76(2): 350-363.
• “The Dynamics of Ethnonationalist Contention.” (with Gregory D. Saxton). 2010. British Journal of
  Political Science. 40(2): 305-331.
• “Choosing Sides:  UN Resolutions and Non-Neutrality in International Conflicts.” (with Nil Satana). 2008. In Jacob Bercovitch and Scott Gartner, eds. International Conflict Mediation: New Approaches and Findings.  Routledge Press
• “Status Quo Preferences and Disputes Short of War.” 2007. International Interactions. 33(3): 271-288.
• “The Relevance of Politically Relevant Dyads in the Study of Interdependence and Dyadic Disputes.”  2005. Conflict Management and Peace Science 22(2): 113-133.
• “Dyadic Hostility and the Ties that Bind: State-to-State versus State-to-System Security and Economic Relationships.” 2004. Journal of Peace Research  41(6): 659-676.
• “Power Parity, Democracy, and the Severity of Internal Violence” (with Jacek Kugler). 1998. Journal of Conflict Resolution  42(2): 196-209.