Dr. Tir's specialty is international relations, with a focus on causes, consequences and management of armed conflicts. His research spans the topics of territorial disputes, environmental conflict, domestic and ethnic conflict, and rally around the flag/diversionary theory of war. Dr. Tir has been awarded grants to study how climate change impacts violence patterns in rural Kenya (NSF IBSS grant with John O’Loughlin and Terrance McCabe, $1 million) and how institutionalized international river cooperation can prevent the so-called water wars of the future (NSF/DOD Minerva grant with Douglas Stinnett, $236,000).
keywords
territorial conflict, diversionary theory of war, environmental security, international water politics, water scarcity, intergovernmental organizations, UN peacekeeping, rally around the flag, dehumanization, ethnic politics, ethnic conflict
Politics of Formalized River Cooperation.
Journal of Peace Research: an interdisciplinary and international quarterly of scholarly work in peace research.
623-640.
2009
PSCI 2223 - Introduction to International Relations
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
Introduces the field of international relations, with general survey of the theories, histories, and problems of historical and contemporary relations among state and nonstate actors.
PSCI 3123 - War, Peace, and Strategic Defense
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
Analyzes employment, or the threat of employing force, in securing American interests in the post-Cold War world. Gives special attention to utilities claimed for nuclear weapons, and alternatively, to weapons control and disarmament. Recommended prerequisite: PSCI 2223. Similar to PACS 3800.
PSCI 4243 - Modern Warfare: Terrorism, Ideology, Identity
Primary Instructor
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Summer 2018 / Summer 2019 / Summer 2020 / Summer 2021 / Summer 2022 / Summer 2023 / Summer 2024
Explores the evolution of warfare and origins of terrorism. Ideological and identity differences have come to the forefront of violent political conflicts while the emerging doctrine of warfare has placed civilians in the middle of modern conflicts. Tracks potential changes in the means of and reasons for fighting, roles of civilians and media, and rules of war. Recommended prerequisites: PSCI 2223 and PSCI 3193.
PSCI 7053 - War and Peace
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2023
Explores the conditions that promote conflict between countries, focusing on broad and systemic explanations of war and peace. Investigates classical as well as current behavioral approaches to understanding why countries fight.
PSCI 7183 - International Cooperation
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2021 / Fall 2022
Investigates the origins, forms and consequences of international cooperation. The course covers both theoretical material related to international cooperation and various related global issue areas; security, economy, environment and social welfare. For each issue area, the key theoretical debates, empirical findings, as well as central challenges and parameters that constrain international cooperation will be investigated.
PSCI 8903 - Graduate Research Topic
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023
Provides an opportunity for independent research in a topic of special interest. Arrangements are made to suit the needs of each particular student. Not a free option; must be approved by student's advisor and department chair. Does not count as a seminar. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.
