Field:
International Relations

Dissertation Title:
Soft Interdependence: Rethinking the Sources of Interstate Conflict and Cooperation

Committee:
Matthew Baum (Chair), Deborah Larson (Chair), Richard Rosecrance, Marc Trachtenberg, Jeffrey Lewis, and Michael Brecher

Date of Completion:
May 2008 (expected)

Contact Information:
Philip B. K. Potter
UCLA Political Science Department
4289 Bunche Hall
Los Angeles, California 90095-1472
Phone: 323-828-0304
Fax: 310-825-0778

Curriculum Vitae:
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Past and Current Projects:
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Dissertation Summary:
My dissertation, Soft Interdependence: Rethinking the Sources of Interstate Conflict and Cooperation, addresses a long-standing puzzle: What types of relationships among states contribute most to international peace? Existing work has focused almost exclusively on the effects of trade; however, commerce is far from the only interaction between states, and, in many ways, it is not the most transformative. In response to this observation, I introduce and empirically test a theory of “soft interdependence.” I argue that interdependence on several dimensions – not just economic, but also political, diplomatic and cultural – can dissuade nations from war. By employing extensive archival research, an innovative natural experiment and cutting-edge empirical techniques such as social network analysis, I am able to demonstrate that the closeness, interconnectedness and familiarity generated by frequent interaction between societies discourages them from war, rather than the opportunity cost of potentially lost commerce. In fact, once one accounts for these other forms of interdependence, the influence of trade effectively disappears. Thus, I conclude that exclusive reliance on the blunt instruments of trade and sanctions can lead policymakers astray.

Research Interests:
Interdependence and Conflict, International Security, American Foreign Policy, Statistical Methods, Social Network Analysis

Teaching Interests:
I am a dedicated and enthusiastic instructor, able to teach a variety of courses ranging from surveys of “International Relations Theory,” “International Security,” “American Foreign Policy,” and “Political Data Analysis,” to more specialized courses for senior undergraduate or graduate students such as “Crisis, Conflict and War,” “The Presidency in American Foreign Policy,” and “Social Network Analysis in Political Science.” At UCLA, I have served as a teaching assistant for Deborah Larson and Scott James for courses on American foreign policy and the Presidency. In addition, I was a Teaching Fellow at the Center for American Politics and Public Policy in Washington, DC, where I assisted with a course on research methods and design.