Research
My primary research interest lies in the problems of foreign policy. I am interested in the ways that foreign policy is made, how it is implemented, and what effects those policies have on the relationships between states. My main research is on the dynamics of major conventional arms transfers both at the micro (state) and macro (international system) levels. I am interested in the macro-level question of long-term policy implications of the transfer of coercive capabilities between states, but also the micro-level decision-making that leads to it. I am also interested in the security of individuals and groups within states, and ways that security can be restored in conflict situations.
Published Papers
Refereed Journal Articles
Willardson, Spencer L and Richard A.I. Johnson. 2022. "Arms Transfers and International Relations Theory: Situating Military Aircraft Sales in the Broader IR Context." Conflict Management and Peace Science 39(2): 191-213. Link
Johnson, Richard A.I. and Spencer L Willardson. 2018. “Human Rights and Democratic Arms Transfers: Rhetoric Versus Reality with Different Types of Major Weapon Systems,” International Studies Quarterly. Link
Willardson, Spencer L. 2016. “Detention as a Peacemaking Strategy: The 2007-08 Iraq Surge and US Detention.” Foreign Policy Analysis 12(3):275-294. Link
Solt, Frederick, Donkyu Kim, Kyu Young Lee, Spencer Willardson, and Seokdong Kim. 2014. Neoliberal Reform and Protest in Latin American Democracies: A Replication and Correction. Research and Politics, July-September 2014:1-13. Link
Willardson, Spencer L. 2013. Strategic Intelligence During COIN Operations: Relational Data and Understanding Latent Terror Networks. Defense and Security Analysis 29(1):42-53. Link
Non Peer-Reviewed Scholarship
Willardson, Spencer L. 2020. "Building a Parallel World Order: A Review of Post-Modern World." International Studies Review 22(3): 718-9. Link
Working Papers
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Arming Rebels – Enacting Roles in the International System
Small Powers in Tough Neighborhoods: Role Theory and Kazakhstan’s Multi-Vector Foreign Policy
Beyond Lethality: The Strategic Importance of Detainee Operations Planning