Dominic Tierney

Dominic Tierney is the Claude C. Smith '14 Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore College, where he serves as Division Chair for Social Sciences. A senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Tierney is a leading expert on U.S. foreign policy, public opinion in war, and international security.

• PhD in International Politics from Oxford University (2003)
• Postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard's Mershon Center and Olin Institute

His research focuses on:

• Psychological factors shaping war outcomes
• Sino-U.S. strategic competition
• Evolution of American military doctrine
• Proxy war dynamics and regime type analysis

Recent work trends include:

• 2024 studies on geopolitical fatalism and rivalry endgames
• 2023 analyses of Russian military adaptation and U.S. threat narratives
• 2021-2022 research on global order instability and Middle East strategy
• 2018-2019 investigations into negativity bias and historical analogies in conflict

Scientific recognition:

• International Studies Association award for best book (Failing to Win)
• Nominated for best book of the decade

Media presence:

• Regular commentary in Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, and TIME
• Featured expert on BBC, CNN, MSNBC, and NPR