David E. Cunningham

David E. Cunningham is a Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, and is an affiliate of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). His research focuses on civil war dynamics, conflict bargaining, international security, and conflict prevention, with a particular emphasis on mediation, peacekeeping, and non-state actors in conflict settings.

Dr. Cunningham’s academic contributions include the influential book *Barriers to Peace in Civil Wars* (Cambridge University Press, 2014) and numerous articles in top journals like the American Journal of Political Science and International Organization. His work integrates quantitative methods with conflict event data to analyze conflict escalation, resolution processes, and international intervention strategies.

His recent publications (2019–2013) highlight trends in UN preventive diplomacy, non-state actor behavior, and the role of veto players in peace processes. He maintains active research collaborations through PRIO and has developed datasets on non-state actors in civil wars. While no specific grants or awards are explicitly listed, his extensive publication record reflects sustained scholarly engagement with conflict studies.

In teaching, he instructs courses on quantitative methods and international conflict at the University of Maryland, balancing pedagogical leadership with research excellence.