Alexander B. Downes

Alexander B. Downes is a Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at The George Washington University, serving as Director of the Institute for Security and Conflict Studies within the Elliott School of International Affairs. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago.

His research focuses on international security with expertise in civilian victimization during war, foreign-imposed regime change, military effectiveness, coercion, nuclear weapons, and civil war. He has authored two influential books: Targeting Civilians in War (2008) and Catastrophic Success: Why Foreign-Imposed Regime Change Goes Wrong (2021).

Downes has received major recognition including the Joseph Lepgold Prize (2008), Emerging Scholar Award (2016), Michael E. Brown Research Prize (2022), and Harry Harding Teaching Prize (2020). His work has been funded by the Department of Defense Minerva Initiative, Carnegie Corporation, and others. He has held fellowships at Harvard's Belfer Center and Stanford's CISAC.

Teaching responsibilities include courses on international security, modern warfare theory, and coercion strategies. His research emphasizes policy-relevant analysis of global security challenges, combining historical case studies with contemporary strategic dilemmas.