Alex Braithwaite, PhD

2025 University Distinguished Professor Award

Alex Braithwaite is the Melody S. Robidoux Foundation Fund Chair and Director in the School of Government & Public Policy (SGPP) at the University of Arizona. Before arriving at the U of A in 2013, Braithwaite held faculty positions at University College London and Colorado State University. He received his Ph.D from Pennsylvania State University in 2006.

Professor Braithwaite’s teaching and mentoring activities are in the field of political science, with a focus on international relations. At the U of A, he has taught a wide range of classes, including, most frequently, POL202: Introduction to International Relations; POL419: Terrorism & Counterterrorism; POL388: Immigration & Refugee Policy; POL520A: How Terrorism Ends; and POL660: International Relations Proseminar. Dr. Braithwaite has mentored and supervised dozens of undergraduate students through independent studies, Honors thesis projects, and research assistant roles. He has served on the committees of 15 doctoral candidates at the U of A, and as primary advisor to six.

Professor Braithwaite’s research addresses three themes of international relations: (i) the causes and geography of violent and nonviolent political conflict - including terrorism, protests and riots, civil war, and international wars; (ii) the movement of forced migrants within and across international borders and the politics and policies that affect this movement; (iii) the causes and consequences of government uses of concentration camp systems. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Defense, the UK’s Engineering & Physical Science Research Council, the UK’s Economic & Social Science Research Council, the Nuffield Foundation, the British Academy, Apple Inc., and the Airey Neave Trust.

In addition to his current role as Director of his unit, he has previously served as Associate Director of SGPP, and Director of the Ph.D in SGPP. He considers time on his college’s strategic planning, budget stability taskforce, and Dean hiring committees, as well as on the W.A.Franke Honors College Advisory Board to have been the highlights of his service at the U of A. He is also currently an Associate Editor at the Journal of Peace Research and Chair of the Political Demography & Geography section of the International Studies Association. In 2018, Professor Braithwaite received the John E. Schwartz Award for Research, Teaching, Service, and Collegiality from his colleagues in SGPP.