Biography
Dr. Brian Klaas focuses on global democracy, democratic transitions, political violence and volatility (particularly coups and civil wars), and rigged elections -- and the economic risks of all these challenges. Klaas is the author of the forthcoming book, "The Despot's Accomplice: How the West is Aiding & Abetting the Decline of Democracy," (Hurst & Co./Oxford University Press) due out October 13, 2016.
Dr. Klaas has extensive experience working in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and United States politics. He received his DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford (New College), an MPhil in Comparative Government from the University of Oxford (St. Antony's), and a Bachelor of Arts (Summa Cum Laude; Phi Beta Kappa) from Carleton College. Klaas speaks French and is proficient in Arabic in addition to his native English.
Dr. Klaas has recently been featured in The New York Times, the Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, the Financial Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Foreign Policy, Christian Science Monitor, Libération (France), L'Express (France), and The Globe & Mail (Canada). Klaas has appeared on a wide array of international media outlets too, including BBC News, CNN, NPR News, France 24, CBC News (Canada), Radio France Internationale, Al-Jazeera, ARD News (German national TV), Record TV (Brazilian national TV), Agence France Presse, and Sirius XM radio.
Research Interests
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Democratization
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Globalization
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Election rigging
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Political violence (coups d'état and civil wars)
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International election monitoring
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Country-specific expertise on Madagascar, Thailand, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Belarus, Zambia, and Libya
Publications
Selected Publications (full list available on brianpklaas.com)