Vipin Narang

VIPIN NARANG is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at MIT and member of MIT’s Security Studies Program. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Government, Harvard University in May 2010. His dissertation, “Posturing for Peace?: The Sources and Deterrence Consequences of Regional Power Nuclear Postures”, systematically explores the effect of nuclear postures in deterring conflict and develops a theory for their origins in regional nuclear powers. It was awarded Harvard’s Edward M. Chase prize. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in chemical engineering with highest distinction from Stanford University and an M. Phil with Distinction in international relations from Balliol College, Oxford University, where he studied on a Marshall Scholarship. He has been a fellow at the Olin Institute for Strategic Studies, Harvard University and a predoctoral fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University. His research interests include nuclear proliferation, South Asian security, and general security studies. His work has been published in several journals including International Security and International Organization.

Courses

• 17.426 Empirical Models in International Relations
• 17.473 Politics of Nuclear Proliferation

Selected Publications

• "Posturing for Peace? Pakistan's Nuclear Postures and South Asian Stability," International Security, vol. 34, no. 3 (Winter 2010), pp. 38-78.
• "Who are These Belligerent Democratizers? Reassessing the Impact of Democratization on War," International Organization, vol. 63, no. 2 (April 2009), pp. 357-379. With Rebecca M. Nelson.
• "Pride and Prejudice and Prithvis: Strategic Weapons Behavior in South Asia" in Scott D. Sagan, ed., Inside Nuclear South Asia (Stanford University Press, 2009), pp. 137-183.