Christian Davenport

Christian Davenport is an internationally recognized author and professor of political science at the University of Michigan. He has published books and articles in a variety of areas including security, politics, civil conflict and research methods. He is the author of several books including The Peaceful Choice: Civilian Deterrence of Civil War (Oxford University Press, 2006), State Repression and the Domestic Democratic Peace (Cambridge University Press, 2007), and The Impact of Inequality: How to Make Sick Societies Healthier (Routledge, 2018).

Christian Davenport initially studied computer science, but switched to political science during his undergraduate studies. He holds degrees from Brown University and Stanford University, and went on to earn a Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

One of Davenport’s main areas of research is civil conflict. He conducted research on civil wars in many countries, including Somalia, Syria, and Rwanda. The central argument of his book The Peaceful Choice is that civilian-led deterrence of civil war is a viable alternative to military action. He argues that when society-led civilian deterrence is combined with international support, it can be more effective than military deterrence. In The Impact of Inequality, Davenport studies the long-lasting effects of inequality on societies, and argues that reducing inequality can lead to healthier societies.

Davenport has conducted research on a broad array of political topics, including the impact of massacres on civil wars, ethnic strife and conflict, coups and counter-coups, and the long-term effects of civil war. In addition to his research, Davenport has taught courses at Stanford, MIT, and the University of Michigan, and has held various Fellowships and Visiting positions at Harvard, Stanford, and the United Nations.

Davenport has contributed to both public and academic debates on civil war. For example, in 2007, he was invited to give a TEDx talk on the importance of understanding and preventing civil wars, and the talk was subsequently published in The New York Times. In 2018, he was a keynote speaker at the D.C. Annual Security Conference on the Prevention of Civil War and the Promotion of Human Rights.

Despite his wide-ranging academic pursuits, Davenport still finds time to write books intended for the general audience. His recent book, Arms and Influence, analyzes the dynamics of international politics and offers ways to limit global warfare.

Christian Davenport’s impressive body of scholarly work, combined with his interest in helping the public understand the issues of civil war and conflict, makes him a highly sought-after scholar and public speaker. In addition, his research and public engagements create an atmosphere of dialogue that is essential for conflict resolution and improved international relations.