Daniel H. Nexon (born April 7, 1973) is an American
political scientist
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
currently serving as a professor in the
School of Foreign Service
The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) is the school of international relations at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. It grants degrees at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Founded in 1919, SFS is the oldest continu ...
and the Department of Government at
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...
. His first book, ''The Struggle for Power in Early Modern Europe: Religious Conflict, Dynastic Empires, and International Change'', won the 2010 International Security Studies Section of the
International Studies Association
The International Studies Association (ISA) is a US-based professional association for scholars and practitioners in the field of International relations, international studies. Founded in 1959, ISA has been headquartered at the University of Con ...
Book Award. Nexon has received several prestigious fellowships and awards. In 2009 and 2010 Nexon received an International Affairs Fellowship from the
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank focused on Foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi ...
. He served his fellowship in the
Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is a headquarters-level staff of the United States Department of Defense. It is the principal civilian staff element of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out au ...
(Policy) in the Russia/Ukraine/Eurasia regional office. In 2012, the
Social Science Research Council
The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is a US-based, independent, international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research in the social sciences and related disciplines. Established in Manhattan in 1923, it maintains a headqua ...
recognized Nexon as an important "new voice" in international affairs.
He was the editor-in-chief of ''
International Studies Quarterly
''International Studies Quarterly'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal of international studies and an official journal of the International Studies Association. It was established in 1959 and is published by Oxford University Press. Ox ...
'' from 2014 to 2018.
Early life and education
Nexon grew up in
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
, and attended the
Georgetown Day School. While in high school, he participated in
policy debate
Policy debate is an American form of debate competition in which teams of two usually advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government. It is also referred to as cross-examinat ...
and was a nationally ranked competitor. His senior year, he and his debate partner,
Rebecca Tushnet
Rebecca Tushnet (born April 4, 1973) is an American legal scholar. She serves as the Frank Stanton Professor of First Amendment Law at Harvard Law School. Her scholarship focuses on copyright, trademark, First Amendment, and false advertising. ...
, reached the finals of the
Tournament of Champions. Nexon then attended
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
, where he briefly debated and also wrote for the ''
Harvard International Review
The ''Harvard International Review'' (''HIR'') is a quarterly international relations journal published by the Harvard International Relations Council at Harvard University. The ''HIR'' offers commentary on global developments in politics, ec ...
''. He graduated with a
B.A. in 1995.
Nexon began a
Ph.D. program in
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
at
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
in 1995. He received his
M.A. and
M.Phil. before graduating with a
Ph.D. in 2004. While in graduate school, he began collaborating on a series of papers with Patrick Jackson exploring the role of ideas in international politics. Their papers, part of a theoretical school described as
constructivism, have led them both to be placed on lists of
notable constructivists.
Academic career
Nexon is primarily known for two areas of his research. First, Nexon is one of the most preeminent experts on the relationship between religion and international politics. His first book, ''The Struggle for Power in Early Modern Europe: Religious Conflict, Dynastic Empires, and International Change'' explores the way the
Protestant Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...
"gave rise to crosscutting religious networks that underpinned the ability of early modern European rulers to divide and contain local resistance to their authority. In doing so, the Reformations produced a series of crises in the European order and crippled the
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
bid for hegemony."
Peter J. Katzenstein
Peter Joachim Katzenstein Fellow of the British Academy, FBA (born February 17, 1945) is a German-American political scientist. He is the Walter S. Carpenter, Jr. Professor of International Studies at Cornell University. Katzenstein has made inf ...
said that "
w recent books in international relations and history rival what Daniel Nexon has accomplished in this impressive piece of scholarship. The book's fresh conceptualizations opens new vistas on the past experiences, present conditions, and future trajectories of international relations."
Second, Nexon also engages in research designed to link together the study of international politics with important elements of western culture such as
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven Fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
. Nexon has been quoted in newspapers, magazines, and television for his collaborative studies on the intersection between the Harry Potter series and international affairs. In the 2007 ''
Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' story on woman of the year
J.K. Rowling, Nexon stated that "for people articulating concerns about globalization in their cultural setting. It's incredibly significant that Potter even enters these debates." Nexon co-edited a volume titled ''Harry Potter and International Relations'', published in 2006, that applies international relations theorizing to the world of Harry Potter and the politics of Harry Potter in general.
Nexon also founded and helps maintain ''The Duck of Minerva'', an academic international-relations weblog.
Books
*
*
Journal articles
* "Hegemonic-order theory: A field-theoretic account". (co-authored with Iver Neumann). ''
European Journal of International Relations'' (2017).
* "Paradigmatic Faults in International Relations Theory". (co-authored with
Patrick Thaddeus Jackson). ''
International Studies Quarterly
''International Studies Quarterly'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal of international studies and an official journal of the International Studies Association. It was established in 1959 and is published by Oxford University Press. Ox ...
'' 53.4 (2009)
* "The Balance of Power in the Balance". ''
World Politics'' 61.2 (April 2009), p 330 - 359.
* "What's This, Then? 'Romanes Eunt Domus'?". ''
International Studies Perspectives
''International Studies Perspectives'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Studies Association. The journal was established in 2000. The editor-in-chief is James M. Scot ...
'' 9.3 (2008)
* "What's at Stake in the American Empire Debate". (co-authored with Thomas Wright). ''
American Political Science Review
The ''American Political Science Review'' (''APSR'') is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering all areas of political science. It is an official journal of the American Political Science Association and is published on their behalf ...
'' 101.2 (2007)
* "Paradigm Lost? Structural Realism and Structural Functionalism". (co-authored with
Stacie E. Goddard). ''European Journal of International Relations'' 10.1 (2005)
* "Zeitgeist? Neo-idealism and International Political Change". ''
Review of International Political Economy
A review is an evaluation of a publication, product, service, or company or a critical take on current affairs in literature, politics or culture. In addition to a critical evaluation, the review's author may assign the work a rating to indi ...
'' 12.4 (2005)
* "Constructivist Realism or Realist-Constructivism?". (co-authored with Patrick Thaddeus Jackson). ''
International Studies Review
The ''International Studies Review'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Studies Association. Current editors-in-chief are Sumit Ganguly and Hussein Banai (Indiana Un ...
'' 2.6 (2004)
* "Which Historical Sociology?". ''
Review of International Studies'' 27.2 (2001)
"Whence Causal Mechanisms? A Comment on Legro" (co-authored with Patrick Thaddeus Jackson). ''Dialogue IO'' 1.1 (2001)
* "Relations before States: Substance, Process, and the Study of World Politics". (co-authored with Patrick Thaddeus Jackson). ''European Journal of International Relations'' 5.3 (1999)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nexon, Daniel
1973 births
Living people
Academics from Washington, D.C.
American international relations scholars
Harvard University alumni
Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni
Georgetown Day School alumni
Walsh School of Foreign Service faculty