Projects and Data

Our (several of us working as a team) most recent project focuses on a comparative analysis of regions, seeking to identify regional dynamics that may increase or reduce conflicts within regions. The primary focus is on the presence or absence of regional hierarchical arrangements in the context of both possible regional pacifying conditions and regional fault lines that may exacerbate conflicts. Some of our work on this topic includes: an examination of recent literature focusing on definitions of regions and the use of region as the unit of analysis, two approaches to creating a theoretical framework for comparative regional analysis (here and here), and an ongoing effort to sort out the effects of rivalries and shocks on regional conflict (examplified in this presentation at the ISA Hong Kong conference, 2017).  We review efforts to conceptualize and measure regions at a conference hosted by the Institute for the Study of Strategic Regions (Charles University) here (December 2017). A chapter on shocks, regional rivalries, and conflict is here (Volgy et. al 2018)

We also examine conflict propensities across regions in the post-Cold War environment here.

DATA

The following data sets are available for use:

FIGO

  Codebook   Data

DIPCON 3.0

Codebook  Data

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We request that if you use these data, full attribution should be as follows:

FIGO  Volgy, Thomas J., Elizabeth Fausett, Keith A. Grant, and Stuart Rodgers. 2008. “Identifying Formal Intergovernmental Organizations.” Journal of Peace Research. 45(6): 849‐862.

DIPCON 3.0  Patrick Rhamey, Kirssa Cline, Nicholas Thorne, Jacob Cramer, Jennifer L. Miller, and Thomas J. Volgy (2013). “The Diplomatic Contacts Database,” Tucson: School of Government and Public Policy, University of Arizona (Version 3.0)

OCCASIONAL PAPERS

Grant et al. 2010. Status Matters..." International Studies Association Annual Conference (New Orleans, February).

Volgy et al. 2010. "Looking for New Powers: Which States are next?" Presented at the workshop Beyond American Hegemony (Dartmouth, October)

Volgy et al. 2011. "The Status Component of Major Power Status." Presented at Sociology Colloqium (October)

Volgy et al. 2011. "The Two Clubs: Major Global Powers and Status Considerations..." International Studies Association Annual Conference

Volgy et al. 2012. "Which States Are Next? Seeking Entrance to the Club of Major Powers."  IPSA conference (Madrid, July).

Corbetta/Rhamey/Volgy 2012. "Major Power Status Inconsistency and Political Relevance." Presented at Peace Science Society Annual Conference.

Rhamey/Slobodchikoff/Volgy 2013. "Order and Disorder Across Geopolitical Space." Presented at the annual EISA conference (Warsaw)

Volgy et at. 2013. "An Exploration into Status Attribution in International Politics." SGPP Series of Occasional Papers (#1)

Corbetta/Volgy/Rhamey. 2013. "Major Power Status and the Salience of Politically Relevant Dyads." ISA Annual Conference 

Volgy/Corbetta/Rhamey 2014. "Not All Major Powers Have the Same Status: An Alternative Conceptualization."

Volgy et al. 2014. "Conformance to Norms and Status Attribution by the Community of States." Delivered at the CEEISA Conference (Cluj, Romania)

Volgy et al. 2015. "Is A Region Like Pornography? Conceptual, Theoretical, and Empirical Issue in Regional Comparative Analysis." Presented at the European International Studies Association (September). 

Volgy and Rhamey 2014. "Reshaping Regional Order." Presented at the WISC conference (Frankfurt).

Rhamey/Thompson/Volgy 2015. "State Capacity, Democratization, and Public Policy." Presented at the Higher School of Economics (Moscow) Annual Conference.

Pardesi et al. 2016. "In Search of Super Asia." ISA annual conference (Baltimore)

Volgy 2017. "Rule By Referees? The Curious World of Academic Judgment." Prepared for the Sage Handbook

Rasler, Thompson, and Volgy. 2017. "Bad Neighborhoods in World Politics."

Volgy et al. 2017. "Rivalries in Comparative Regional Perspective." Presented at ISA Hong Kong (June).

Thompson/Volgy/Gordell 2017.  "Assessing Causal Linkages to the New Peace in post-Cold War International Politics."

Thompson and Volgy 2017. "Regional Subsystems Redux: The Concept Nearly a Half Century On." Presented at the Institute for the Study of Strategic Regions Charles University, Prague.

Volgy and Gordell 2018. "Translating Resources into Measures of State Strength." Presented at the workshop on State Capacity, Power and Influence in International Affairs: Concepts and Measures, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation, June

Volgy and Gordell 2018. "Rising Powers, Status Competition, and Global Governance: Conceptual Challenges in Need of Further Examination." 

Volgy and Gordell 2019 "Refining State Capacity and Its Salience..." Delivered at the International Studies Association Conference (Toronto)

Volgy, Gordell and Bezerra, 2019 "Critical Fault Lines in the Middle East."

Gordell, Volgy and Thompson, 2020 "Dimensions of State Strength: How Salient are Political Extraction and Quality of Governance Considerations?" Presented at annual ISA conference

Gordell, Kelly M. and Thomas J. Volgy, 2021 Political Shocks in International Politics: An Alternative Approach

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