Benjamin A.T. Graham

Benjamin A.T. Graham is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California (USC), affiliated with the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He holds multiple roles including Co-Founder and PI of the Security and Political Economy (SPEC) Lab, Coordinating Principal Investigator of the Everyday Respect research project, and Research Director of The LEWIS Registry. Graham earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego (2012) and a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College (2004).

His research focuses on two primary areas: the political economy of international security and foreign direct investment. He explores how economic interdependence influences global peace and prosperity, analyzing multinational firms' interactions with governments through social ties and diaspora networks. His work also examines powersharing mechanisms, unrecognized states, and pedagogical innovations in experiential learning.

Graham leads interdisciplinary projects like the Everyday Respect initiative, which uses AI to analyze police-community interactions via body-worn camera footage, aiming to enhance transparency and accountability. His recent publications address topics such as powersharing frameworks, police reform, and the World Bank’s role in human rights advocacy. Graham has contributed to open-source data tools like the SPEC Lab’s R curriculum for data visualization and co-authored influential texts like *Investing in the Homeland: Migration, Social Ties, and Foreign Firms* (2019).

He is affiliated with institutions including the Future Policing Institute and the Center for Public Safety and Justice. His research emphasizes bridging theoretical insights with practical applications in governance, technology, and global policy.