Austin Carson

Austin Carson is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago. His first book, Secret Wars: Covert Conflict in International Politics (Princeton UP 2018), analyzes puzzling secrecy patterns that arise when outside powers intervene in foreign wars. The book develops a theory based on conflict escalation dynamics, showing that states use covert intervention and conceal others’ covert activity to keep war limited. His second book project, in collaboration with Allison Carnegie (Columbia), analyzes the role of sensitive information and secrecy in international organizations. His work has been published or is forthcoming in International Organization, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Security Studies. He received his PhD from Ohio State in 2013.