Benjamin J. Appel

Department of Political Science
Michigan State University
368 Farm Lane
East Lansing, MI 48824
EMPLOYMENTAssociate Professor, August 2017-present
Department of Political Science
Michigan State University
Assistant Professor, August 2012-2017
Department of Political Science
Michigan State University
Dickey Center Fellow, 2011-2012
John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding
Dartmouth College
EDUCATION
Ph.D., May 2012, University of Maryland, College Park
Department of Government and Politics
B.A., May 2001, Mercyhurst College
Major: History and Intelligence Studies
PUBLICATIONS“In the Shadow of the International Criminal Court: Does the ICC Deter Human Rights
Violations?” Journal of Conflict Resolution (2018) 62,1: 3-28.
“Third Party Actors and the Intentional Targeting of Civilians in War” with Alyssa Prorok British
Journal of Political Science (2018) 49,4: 1-22.
“Conflict Recurrence and Post-Conflict Justice: Addressing Motivations and Opportunities for
Sustainable Peace” with Cyanne Loyle International Studies Quarterly (2018) 61, 3: 690-703“Intergovernmental Organizations and Democratic Victory in International Crises”
Journal of Politics (2018) 80,1: 274-287“Compliance with International Humanitarian Law: Democratic Third Parties and Civilian Targetingin Interstate War” with Alyssa Prorok Journal of Conflict Resolution (2014) 58,4: 713-740.

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“Bringing Law to the Table: Legal Claims, Bargaining Leverage and the Settlement of Territorial
Disputes Since 1945” with Paul Huth and Sarah Croco American Journal of Political Science (2013) 57,1:90-103.
“Investing in the Truth: Economic Incentives for Post-Conflict Justice” with Cyanne Loyle
Journal of Peace Research (2012) 49,5: 685-699.
“Law and the Use of Force in World Politics: The Varied Effects of Law on the Exercise of Military
Power in Territorial Disputes” with Paul Huth and Sarah Croco. International Studies Quarterly (2012)56,1: 17-31“Does International Law Promote the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes? Evidence
from the Study of Territorial Conflicts since 1945” with Paul Huth and Sarah Croco. American
Political Science Review (2011) 105,2: 415-36*Mentioned in Wall Street Journal’s “Week in Ideas” column (May 14, 2011)“Domestic Political Unrest and The Diversionary Use of Force: The Case of Japan, 1890-1941” withPaul Huth and Natsuko Hayashi. International Studies Quarterly (2010) 54,4: 915-937
BOOK MANUSCRIPT – ACCEPTEDDisturbing Spells: State Repressive Campaigns and What Can Be Done To Stop This (with ChristianDavenport)
ARTICLES -- REVISE AND RESUBMIT
Stopping State Repression: An Examination of Spells (with Christian Davenport)
Not Too Distant: Understanding How Opportunity and Grievance Theories Jointly Determine theOnset of Civil War (with Alyssa Prorok and Caleb Lucas)
Domestic Sources of Compliance with International Law and Territorial Disputes (with Sarah Crocoand Paul Huth)
WORKS IN PROGRESSThe Impact of the Novel Coronavirus on State Repression
The Effectiveness of Sanctioning Foreign Terrorist Organizations (with Jakana Thomas)
Democratic Backsliding and Foreign Policy BehaviorInclusion, Polarization, and Democratic Backsliding (with Langston Thomas)
Climate Change and State Repression (with Nate Smith)Asking For Help: Why Leaders Consult the United Nations Security Council in International Crises
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The United Nations and International Crises
Understanding the Determinants of ICC Involvement (with Alyssa Prorok and Shahyrar Minhas)
AWARDS
Provost Undergraduate Research Initiative Program, College of Social Science, Michigan State
University, 2020
Provost Undergraduate Research Initiative Program, College of Social Science, Michigan State
University, 2015-2016
Notre Dame, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, 2012-2013 fellowship (declined)
USC, Center for International Studies, 2012-2013 fellowship (declined)
Don Piper Award for Best Graduate Student Paper, University of Maryland, Department ofGovernment and Politics, 2011
National Science Foundation: Time-Sharing Experiments for the Social Sciences (TESS),“International Law, Territorial Disputes, and Domestic Accountability” with Sarah Croco and Paul
Huth, 2009
Dissertation Research Grant, International Relations Subfield, University of Maryland, 2009-2010
Graduate Student Travel Grant, University of Maryland, ISA Annual Meeting, February 2010
Methods Training Grant, International Relations Subfield, University of Maryland, Summer 2007
SELECTED CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION“The United Nations Security Council and International Crises”- Rice University Workshop on International Law and Agreements, December 2016
“The ICC and Election Violence”-University of Nebraska Workshop on International Law and Human Rights, April 2016
“The United Nations Security Council and International Crises”-George Washington University Workshop on Conflict, February 2016
“Domestic Sources of Compliance with International Law and Territorial Disputes” with Sarah
Croco and Paul Huth
-University of Tennessee Workshop on Territorial Disputes, June 2015
“The Effectiveness of Sanctioning Foreign Terrorist Organizations” with Jakana Thomas
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-2016 Sie Cheou-Kang Center for International Security & Development Workshop,
University of Denver“Onset, Termination, and Recurrence of High-Repression spells” with Christian Davenport-Presented at 2015 University of Michigan Workshop on Contentious Politics“Does the ICC have an Africa Problem? Understanding the determinants of ICC Involvement”
with Alyssa Prorok-Presented at 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association“Onset, Termination, and Recurrence of High-Repression spells” with Christian Davenport-Presented at 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association“Killing to Survive The Impact of Human Rights Violation on Leadership Tenure” with ChristianDavenport-Presented at 2013 University of Michigan Workshop on Contentious Politics“International Law on the Use of Force and United Nations Security Support in InternationalCrises”-Presented at 2014 Workshop on Conflict“Post-Conflict Justice Institutions and the Reoccurrence of Civil Conflict” with Cyanne Loyle-Presented at 2013 University of Michigan Workshop on Contentious Politics“Not Too Distant: Understanding How Opportunity and Grievance Theories Jointly Determine theOnset of Civil War” with Alyssa Prorok-Presented at 2012 Workshop on Conflict“International Law on the Use of Force and United Nations Security Support in International
Crises”-Presented at 2012 Peace Science Society Conference“The Court of Worldwide Public Opinion: International Law on the Use of Force and InternationalCrises”-Presented at 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association“Post-Conflict Justice Institutions and the Reoccurrence of Civil Conflict” with Cyanne Loyle-Presented at 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association“A Theory of Reputation in Security Disputes: An Application to International Humanitarian Law
and the Intentional Targeting of Civilians in Interstate War” with Alyssa Prorok-Presented at 2011 International Studies Association Conference“Not Too Distant: Understanding How Opportunity and Grievance Theories Jointly Determine theOnset of Civil War” with Alyssa Prorok-Presented at 2011 International Studies Association Conference“Credible Commitments and the Escalation of Civil Conflicts” with Alyssa ProrokAppel, Updated JULY 20214-Presented at the 2010 Peace Science Society Conference“The Politics of Self-Defense: The Pacifying Role of International Law on the Use of Force inInternational Crises”-Presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association“Investing in the Truth: Economic Incentives for Post-Conflict Justice” with Cyanne Loyle-Presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association“Never Again: An Empirical Assessment of Genocide since 1955” with Christian Davenport-Presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association“Understanding When Trade Promotes Peace: Core-Periphery Dyads and the WTO”
-Presented at the 2008 Annual meeting of the American Political Science Association
TEACHING EXPERIENCEMichigan State University-Undergraduate: Introduction to World Politics, Social Science Approaches to the Law, International
Institutions and International law, Human Rights and State Repression, Conflict Processes, theUnited Nations-Graduate: International Institutions, International law, Human Rights and State Repression, andTransitional Justice and Post-conflict Justice Institutions
Dartmouth College-War Crimes and the Law of Armed Conflict
SERVICEMSU College Curriculum Committee (2017-present)
MSU Experiential Learning Sub-Committee 2018, 2020
Editorial Board Member, International Interactions, 2015-2018
Section Chair for the 2015 Conference of the Midwest Political Science Association
Section Chair for the 2018 Conference of the Southern Political Science Association
MSU Department of Political Science IR Field Committee 2012-present
MSU Department of Political Science IR Field Chair 2018-2019
MSU Workshop on Conflict, Co-organizer
MSU Department of Political Science Ad-hoc Committee on Climate and Governance (2014-2015)
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Reviewer for: American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics,
International Organization, Journal of Conflict Resolution, British Journal of Political Science, World Politics,Journal of Peace Research, International Interactions, Conflict Management and Peace Science, European Journal ofPolitical Science, Review of International Organizations, International Studies Quarterly, International Studies
Review, Foreign Policy Analysis International Studies Perspectives, International Journal of Transitional JusticeAppel, Updated JULY 20216