Brenton Kenkel

Brenton Kenkel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Vanderbilt University, where he has been on the faculty since 2014 (previously as an Assistant Professor). His research focuses on the political economy of conflict, formal models of international relations, and the strategic dynamics of state power. He holds a PhD from the University of Rochester (2014) and has held visiting positions at Princeton University and the Wallis Institute of Political Economy.

Kenkel's work bridges theoretical and empirical analysis, often employing game-theoretic models and structural estimation. His research interests include crisis bargaining, diplomatic signaling, and the fiscal foundations of state capacity. He has published in top journals like the American Journal of Political Science, World Politics, and the Quarterly Journal of Political Science.

He has received grants from Vanderbilt University and the Wallis Institute, and his awards include the Graduate Student Poster Award (2011) and recognition for teaching excellence. Kenkel advises doctoral students in conflict studies, formal theory, and quantitative methods. He teaches courses on quantitative methods, formal models of international relations, and the political economy of war.