Kyle Beardsley, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies for the Department

Contact Info:

Teaching (Spring 2026):

• POLSCI 432S.01, MONEY AND POWER Synopsis

  Gross Hall 104, MW 04:40 PM-05:55 PM

• POLSCI 760S.01, CORE IN SEC, PEACE & CONFLICT Synopsis

  Gross Hall 111, F 08:30 AM-11:00 AM

Education:

Ph.D., University of California, San Diego, 2006

Specialties:

Security, Peace, & Conflict
International Relations

Research Interests:

Kyle Beardsley (Ph.D., UCSD, 2006) is Associate Professor of Political Science. His research interests include the political consequences and causes of third-party involvement in peace processes, the nature of intrastate rebellion, the motivations for and implications of gender balancing in post-conflict security forces, and the effects of nuclear-weapons proliferation on crisis behavior. His book, The Mediation Dilemma, explores how third-party conflict management frequently does well in securing short-term peace but also can contribute to greater instability in the long run, especially when the third parties rely on leverage. Prior to coming to Duke, Prof. Beardsley was on faculty at Emory University.

Curriculum Vitae

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

1. Lobell, SE; James, P; Silverstone, SA; Asal, V; Beardsley, K; Gonzalez, E; Ripsman, NM; Adhikari, S; Levy, SW; Sorci, G; Jahanbani, N; van Wijk, A, Dissecting the Dynamics of Near Crises, in Understanding Near Crises and Escalation in World Politics (June, 2025), pp. 46-56, Routledge [doi] .
2. Lobell, SE; James, P; Silverstone, SA; Asal, V; Beardsley, K; Gonzalez, E; Ripsman, NM; Adhikari, S; Levy, SW; Sorci, G; Jahanbani, N; van Wijk, A, Postures and Portents, in Understanding Near Crises and Escalation in World Politics (June, 2025), pp. 57-77, Routledge [doi] .
3. Lobell, SE; James, P; Silverstone, SA; Asal, V; Beardsley, K; Gonzalez, E; Ripsman, NM; Adhikari, S; Levy, SW; Sorci, G; Jahanbani, N; van Wijk, A, Near Crises and Escalation Processes, in Understanding Near Crises and Escalation in World Politics (June, 2025), pp. 21-45, Routledge [doi] .
4. Lobell, SE; James, P; Silverstone, SA; Asal, V; Beardsley, K; Gonzalez, E; Ripsman, NM; Adhikari, S; Levy, SW; Sorci, G; Jahanbani, N; van Wijk, A, What Have We Learned?, in Understanding Near Crises and Escalation in World Politics (June, 2025), pp. 121-126, Routledge [doi] .
5. Lobell, SE; James, P; Silverstone, SA; Asal, V; Beardsley, K; Gonzalez, E; Ripsman, NM; Adhikari, S; Levy, SW; Sorci, G; Jahanbani, N; van Wijk, A, Terrorist and Insurgent Organizations in Near Crises, in Understanding Near Crises and Escalation in World Politics (June, 2025), pp. 78-95, Routledge [doi] .