Last Updated: 6 August 2014

Katrina Browne

Department of Government Phone: (541)-231-6083
214 White Hall Email: klb262@cornell.edu
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853


EDUCATION

Ph.D. Government, Cornell University, 2015 (Expected)
Fields: International Relations and Comparative Politics
Dissertation: The Borders of Territoriality
Exchange Scholar, Government Department, Harvard University, 2012-2013
B.A. Political Science, Wellesley College, 2009, summa cum laude

DISSERTATION ABSTRACT

Why do some territorial claims erupt in armed conflict while states are able to prevent others from
militarizing? Scholars have argued that territorialityor the propensity for people and societies to
occupy, develop emotional attachment to, and defend landexacerbates international political
crises. However, this research tradition treats territoriality as a universal characteristic. It therefore
cannot account for variation in how states manage territorial disputes. The dissertation argues that
institutions mediate the expression of territoriality, with some increasing the odds that a border
dispute will spark violence. A large-N study (1946-2008) examines how different regimes militarize
territorial claims. A historical case analysis looks at how asymmetric information about territorial
quality negatively affects interstate bargaining. The final paper theorizes that territoriality spuriously
correlates with territorial violence. Instead, loss aversion accounts for the bloodiest border clashes.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

The causes of interstate conflict
Territoriality and territorial claims
Comparative authoritarianism
International law and victimization of non-combatants
Cognitive psychology and behavioral economic explanations of bargaining

PROSPECTIVE COURSE OFFERINGS

Introduction to International Relations (Graduate and Undergraduate)
Introduction to Security Studies (Graduate and Undergraduate)
Causes of War and Peace
Territoriality and Group Conflict
Comparative Authoritarianism and Democratization




WORKING PAPERS

Wont You Be My Neighbor?: Militarized Disputes, Territoriality, and Autocratic Regime Type
Goldmines and Duds: Asymmetric Information and the Problem of Bargaining Over Territory
Borrowed Lands: Leasing as an Institutional Solution to Market Failure
Loss, Land, and Conflict: Loss Aversion and Territoriality
The War Crimes Paradox: The Effects of Criminalizing Behavior on Signaling Resolve in War
Symbolic Alliances: A Survey Experiment Testing the Effects of Alliances and Alignments on
Public Support for the Use of Force

AWARDS, HONORS, AND FELLOWSHIPS

2014-Present SAGE Dissertation Completion Fellowship, Cornell University
2011-2014 Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation
2013-2014, Judith Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies Fellow, Cornell University
2010-2012
2012-2013 Vida Dutton Scudder Fellowship, Wellesley College
2011 Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models (EITM) Certification Scholarship to
Attend ICPSR, EITM Institute and National Science Foundation
2009-2010 SAGE Graduate Fellowship, Cornell University
2009 Trustee Scholar Fellowship, Wellesley College
2009 Phi Beta Kappa
2008 Pi Sigma Alpha

GRANTS

2012, 2011 Reppy Institute Scott Travel Grant, Cornell University
2012 Summer Training Grant, Cornell University
2011 Walter LaFeber Grant for Collaborative Research (with Jessica Weeks), Cornell
University
2011 Graduate School Conference Travel Grant, Cornell University

CONFERENCES

2013 Bordering Autocrats: Militarized Disputes, Territoriality, and Autocratic Regime
Type, American Political Science Association Annual Meeting
2013 Bordering Autocrats: Militarized Disputes, Territoriality, and Autocratic Regime
Type, Research Workshop in International Relations, Harvard University
2013 Wont You Be My Neighbor?: Militarized Disputes, Territoriality, and Autocratic
Regime Type, International Studies Association Conference, San Francisco CA,
April 3-6, 2013
2012 Goldmines and Duds: A Market for Territory, Midwestern Political Science
Association Conference, Chicago IL, April 12-15, 2012
2011 The War Crimes Paradox, Journeys in World Politics Workshop, University of
Iowa, November 19, 2011
2011 The War Crimes Paradox: The Effects of Criminalizing Behavior on Signaling
Resolve in War, American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Seattle
WA, September 1-4, 2011


2011 The War Crimes Paradox: The Effects of Criminalizing Behavior on Signaling
Resolve in War, 3
rd
Annual Conference on Democracy and Governance, University
of Connecticut, March 25-26, 2011

TEACHING

Cornell University, Department of Government, Ithaca, NY
Teaching Assistant, GOVT 1817: Introduction to International Relations (for Professor
Peter Katzenstein)
Teaching Assistant, GOVT 1111: Introduction to American Politics (for Professor
Theodore Lowi)

DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE

2010-2011 Graduate Professionalization Colloquium Committee, Cornell University

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

2012 Essex Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis, University of Essex
Coursework: Selection and Strategic Models
2012 EITM Summer Institute, Princeton University
2011 ICPSR Summer Institute, University of Michigan
EITM Certified Coursework: Time Series; Categorical Data Analysis

LANGUAGES AND STATISTICAL PACKAGES

French (Excellent Reading and Writing, Conversational Speaking)
STATA, SPSS, and R

REFRENCES

Dissertation Chair
Dr. Christopher Way Dr. Jessica Weeks Dr. Thomas Pepinsky
Department of Government Department of Political Science Department of Government
Cornell University University of Wisconsin-Madison Cornell University
306 White Hall 412 North Hall 322 White Hall
(607)-255-8920 1050 Bascom Mall (607)-255-4915
crw12@cornell.edu jweeks@wisc.edu pepinsky@cornell.edu

Department Contact
Tina Slater
Graduate Field Assistant
Cornell University
212 White Hall
(607)-255-3567
tms2@cornell.edu