Phil W. Reynolds
Education
-PhD, University of Hawaii, 2017, Department of Political Science. Dissertation: “Ouroboros: Identity Wars as a Reaction to the Transformative Mission of Liberalism.”
Committee: Jairus Grove (Chair); Kate Zhou; Peter Hoffenberg; Richard Chadwick; Nicole Grove
-MS, Naval Postgraduate School, 2012, Department of Defense Analysis. Thesis: “Modeling Conflict Between United States and China”
-BA, Saint Bonaventure University, 1997.
Research Interests Global Politics; Cybernomos; U.S.-China relations; Africa; power transition and power cycle theories; irregular and asymmetric conflicts; critical IR;
Employment
Faculty, College of Strategic Security Cooperation, September 2023-present
Lecturer (CSSC)
BPC 250 The Significant Security Cooperation Initiative (SSCI) Construct: Lecture on the DOD method for assessing and prioritizing security cooperation activities and required components.
BPC 110 Ethics of Security Cooperation: Seminar on values-based behavior and ethical reasoning behind group/state actions and decisions regarding security.
BPC 290 BPC in Africa: Seminar covering conflict data and the pillars of conflict in developing states.
BPC 310 Operational Analysis: Seminar on methods for developing security capabilities that improve or complement partner defense institutions.
BPC 350 Advanced SSCI Techniques: Seminar on political commitment, political risk, and sustainability and risks to execution.
BPC 355 Interagency Cooperation: Seminar on understanding of both relational learning and sharing across organizational boundaries.
CSSC 311 Comparative Strategic Cultures: Seminar on security culture, focusing on developing states.
Lecturer (UH-M)
POLS 305 Global Politics: Introduction to global politics emphasis on specific regions’ politics, economics and security.
POLS 308 Chinese Political Economy: An interdisciplinary review and analysis of the social, political and development issues in contemporary China.
POLS 390 Political Inquiry: Introduction to the logic of inquiry and the methodology of empirical research in political science.
POLS 315 International Relations: Survey of contemporary global politics and international relations through theory and historical understanding.
Books
2019, Ouroboros: Understanding the War Machine of Liberalism. Rowman Littlefield.
Book Chapters
Forthcoming “BPC: A Tangled Thicket.” In Defense Project Management, eds. Darli Vieira, Alencar Bravo and Geraldo Ferrer. Bentham.
Forthcoming “U.S. Support for African SOF through Section 333 Build and Equip Authority.” In African SOF, eds. Whitney Grespin and Fola Aina. Palgrave.
Current Research Project
Title “Security Cooperation Living History Project.” This research takes a grounded theory and narrative method approach to capture the lived experiences of SC professionals and the activities they have participated in.
Peer Reviewed Articles
2025, "Security Conditionality: Evidence and Effectiveness." Journal of Strategic Security. 18, no. 1 (2025):89-116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.18.1.2346
2021 "Clausewitz and the Partisan: Accounting for unlimited enmity in the twenty-first century" Journal of Military Studies. 10, no. 1 (2021):130–138. https://doi.org/10.2478/jms-2021-0008
2018 Long Wars: Demonstrating the Corrosive Effects of Irregular Wars on Dominant States, Social Sciences. 7, no. 1, (2018):43-54. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20180701.17
2015, “Psychology of Irregular War: Past Failures and Future Problems." Journal of Small Wars and Insurgencies. 25, no. 3 (2015):446-458. https://doi.org/10.1080/09592318.2013.866426
Book Reviews
2024, Right and Wronged in International Relations: Evolutionary Ethics, Moral Revolutions, and the Nature of Power Politics, by Brian C. Rathbun. Journal of Advanced Military Studies.
2024, Containing History: How Cold War History Explains US-Russia Relations, by Stephen P. Friot, Marine Corps History
2023, Old and New Battlespaces: Society, Military Power, and War, by Buddhika Jayamaha and Jahara Matisek. Air and Space Power Journal.
2016, Ontopower: War, Powers, and the State of Perception, by Brian Massumi. Strategic Studies Quarterly.
2015, A Theory of the Drone, by Grégoire Chamayou. Parameters.
Other Publications
2021 “Security Cooperation in The Gray Zone: How To Beat China Without A War.” The War Room.
2021 “The Strategic Offensive Against the CCP.” with Doowan Lee, The Cipher Brief.
2019 “Remote Warfare and the Problem with the Suleimani Hit.” Real Clear Defense,
2018 “Political Science 101: Prosperity Does Lead to Peace.” Foreign Policy News,
2019 “A Return to Foreign Aid Realpolitik: The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.” Foreign Policy News.
2018 “NATO Forgets All Politics Are Local.” Real Clear Defense.
2018 “Coercing North Korea.” Foreign Policy News.
2016 “What Happens if North Korea Collapses?” The Diplomat.
2016 “Is China Winning in the South China Sea?” The Diplomat.
2014 “The Durability of Ethnicity: Intra-state and Non-state Violence.” Small Wars Journal.
2013 "Persistent Conflict and Special Operations Forces.” Military Review. 2013.
2013 “Pivoting To the Pacific: BCT Staff Integration During Disaster Response.” Small Wars Journal.
2012 “Game Theory in Peer Evaluations.” Small Wars Journal. 2012.
2012 “What Comes Next: The Role of Irregular War in National Defense.” Military Review.
Conference Presentations
2024 “Conditionality in a Multiplex System.” ISA South.
2018 “Why They Fight: Identity Conflict and Splintering in Mindanao.” International Studies Association.
2016 “Power Problems: Asymmetry Effects on System Stability.” Special Operations Research Symposium.
2016 “The Durability of Ethnicity: Hypotheses on the Uppsala Conflict Data.” International Studies Association (ISA).
2016 “Offensive Realism: Costs and Benefits.” Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA).
2016 “The Year of Living Dangerously: U.S. Offshoring in Asia.” East West Center.
2015 “The End of Westphalia and the Future of Conflict.” International Security Studies Section (ISSS).
2015 “External Mobilization as Method: Costs and Benefits.” International Security Studies Section.
2015 “Psychology of Irregular War: Past Failures and Future Problems.” American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
2014 “The Tragedy of Irregular War.” Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, with co- author Doowan Lee.
Panel Chair
2024, ISA South Global, Movement: Arms, Funds, and People
2024, ISSS, The Challenge of Classification in Security Studies
Other
- Africa Regional Team Lead, DSCA, September 2022-September 2023
- Legislative and Budget Affairs, Department of Defense, September 2021-September 2022
- Monitoring & Evaluation, Department of Defense, September 2019-September 2021
- Security Cooperation Program Manager, United States Army, 2009-2018