Clint Peinhardt

Clint Peinhardt is UT System Regents Distinguished Teacher Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Political Economy at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas), located within the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. Since joining the university in 2005, he has progressed from Assistant to Associate to full Professor, earning the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award in 2012 and induction into the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 2024.

Education

• Ph.D. in Political Science, University of Michigan (2004)
• M.A. in Politics of Development, Institute of Social Sciences (1996)
• B.A. in International Studies, Birmingham-Southern College (1993)

Research Interests

Peinhardt’s scholarship lies at the intersection of international political economy, international law, and multinational enterprise strategy. He investigates how sovereign governments and multinational corporations interact under conditions of political risk, focusing on bilateral investment treaties (BITs), investor-state arbitration, and international financial liberalization. Additional themes include public opinion and economic policymaking and the application of game-theoretic models to understand treaty design, dispute resolution, and investment flows.

Publication Trends

Across more than forty peer-reviewed works (2004–2025), Peinhardt’s publications reveal a consistent emphasis on institutional design and legal-economic interaction. Recent articles pivot toward contemporary geopolitical crises (e.g., Ukraine-Russia BIT), environmental provisions in trade agreements, and firm-level datasets that allow granular analysis of political risk insurance and FDI location choices.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• UT System Regents Distinguished Teacher Professor
• UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers Fellow (2024)
• Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, University of Texas System (2012)

Teaching, Advising & Service

Peinhardt teaches undergraduate and graduate courses such as International Political Economy, Game Theory for Political Scientists, and Politics in Business (MBA). He pioneered a student-authored open-access textbook, Open International Political Economy, updated annually by enrolled students. He has chaired or served on numerous university committees (e.g., Committee on Educational Policy, Graduate Council) and reviews for over twenty journals and funding agencies, including the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Labs & Teams

While no formal lab is named, Peinhardt mentors graduate researchers and collaborates extensively with co-authors across institutions, generating large-N datasets on investment treaties and firm-level political risk.