Matthew Conklin will receive his PhD from the University of Chicago in August 2025. His research interests span international security, the domestic politics of U.S. foreign policy, grand strategy, and American political development. His dissertation, “The Local Legacies of War: Evidence from the American Way of War and Remembrance,” examines the domestic political effects of U.S. wars from WWII to the present. The dissertation theorizes that war’s effects on public opinion and legislative representation on foreign affairs depend on the type of conflict exposure and local political context. Drawing on historical public opinion data, congressional voting, and fieldwork with veteran groups, he argues that wars often leave uneven legacies, and these legacies matter for how the public thinks about the nation’s role in world affairs. Matthew’s other ongoing projects examine the role of think tanks in national security debates, public opinion on foreign policy, the politics of U.S. foreign information activities, among others. His co-authored work has been published in Security Studies.
At the Dickey Center, Matthew will work on converting his dissertation into a book manuscript, in addition to adapting chapters to standalone articles. Prior to beginning his doctoral studies, Matthew received a MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago’s Committee on International Relations. He received a BA in History and Economics from Wichita State University in his home state of Kansas.
