Clayton Thyne is an Assistant Professor in Political Science.  He received his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 2007.  His dissertation examines how international actors affect the onset, duration and outcome of civil wars.  His work has been published in a number of venues, including the Journal of Conflict Resolution, International Studies Quarterly, and the Journal of Peace Research.  Dr. Thyne continues to study interstate conflicts, civil conflicts, and has secondary interests in coup d’états, international education policy, and democratization.

In his spare time, Clayton enjoys hiking in the scenic Kentucky wilderness, rooting for the ‘Cats, and (of course) attending all the horse races that time will allow.

How International Relations Affect Civil Conflict: Cheap Signals, Costly Consequences

Given the appalling consequences of civil wars, why are competing actors within a state unable to come to a settlement to avoid the costs of conflict? How might external parties impact their negotiations both before shots are fired and once the conflict is underway?  How International Relations Affect Civil Conflict draws on three main approaches—bargaining theory, signaling theory, and rational expectations... Read More