Matthew Eddy

Dr. Matthew Eddy serves as an Assistant Professor of Sociology within the Division of Social Science at Minot State University, specializing in peace studies and demilitarization models. His work centers on Costa Rica's 65-year experiment without a military, examining its societal outcomes in health, happiness, and environmental sustainability.

Educational background:

• Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Oregon (2013)

Research interests include:

• Peace Studies and Cultures of Peace
• Demilitarization and Nonviolent Communication
• Costa Rican Political History
• International Diplomacy and Security Models
• Comparative Analysis of U.S. Militarism
• Environmental Policy and Happiness Indices

Dr. Eddy is writer, director, and lead producer of the documentary film "A Bold Peace: Costa Rica's Path of Demilitarization," funded by the Jubitz Family Foundation and IPRA Foundation. Produced in collaboration with Costa Rica's Amigos Para La Paz (Quaker peace organization), the film features interviews with Nobel laureate Oscar Arias, Arun Gandhi, and Mariano Figueres. It analyzes Costa Rica's abolition of its military in 1948, contrasting its universal healthcare, top global happiness rankings, and carbon neutrality commitments against U.S. military spending priorities. Fieldwork includes a survey of 300+ Costa Rican university students showing 91% opposition to military reinstatement.

His research demonstrates how demilitarization fosters social solidarity through policies like school-based nonviolent communication programs, while navigating challenges from U.S. drug war policies and economic globalization. Dr. Eddy's work aims to catalyze U.S. policy debates by positioning Costa Rica as a viable alternative security model grounded in international law and diplomacy.