His research and teaching interests focus on international conflict, democratic peace and conflict behavior, and political behavior. His current research agenda explores how external threats (e.g. terrorism and disputed territory) change individual-level political attitudes to favor autocratic governance and belligerent foreign policies. He has published over 10 articles since 2012 in peer-reviewed journals like Comparative Political Studies, International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, Political Behavior, and Political Research Quarterly. More recent research is funded by the National Science Foundation and has even been highlighted in newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post.