Autumn Lockwood Payton

Autumn Lockwood Payton is an adjunct professor at Alfred University, New York, and a former research fellow at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Ohio State University (2009), followed by postdoctoral fellowships at the European University Institute (Max Weber and Jean Monnet programs, 2010–2013). Her research focuses on small states' strategies in international negotiations, decision-making processes in international organizations, institutional design, political methodology, and human rights. She has contributed to projects such as the International Authority Database and Contested World Orders, funded by the Leibniz Association and WZB.

Her work examines how coalitions of small states achieve favorable outcomes in global governance, as seen in her analysis of the International Criminal Court's establishment. She has also studied influence dynamics in international politics and consensus procedures in institutional frameworks. Payton’s interdisciplinary approach bridges political theory, legal frameworks, and methodological rigor. She has held visiting roles at Alfred University and contributed to multiple collaborative research initiatives.