Dr Carly Beckerman

Associate Professor in International Relations and Co-Director of SPARC

What do you do?

I am an Associate Professor in International Relations, specialising in the nexus of political risk and decision-making. My research encompasses conflict, cooperation, foreign policy, and the impact of emerging technologies on IR. I formerly co-directed Durham University’s Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience, I'm a topic editor for the Journal of Cyber Security, and I've briefed NATO on Middle East political developments. My current work is focused on identifying and troubleshooting potential barriers to international cooperation in the sustainable development of space.

How are you involved in this area of science? 

My research is focused on modelling elite decision-making, how the range of possible options is determined and how national leaders select between them. It uses case studies and theory development to identify key variables in decision-making, notice patterns, highlight poor decision-making processes (for future correction) and forecast likely outcomes.

This is a vital component for understanding and de-escalating high stakes interactions such as brinksmanship and deterrence.

What do you love about this topic?

I started my career studying British and American policy in the Middle East and became acutely aware that data and scientific findings are not neutral. Decision-makers interpret expert advice in the context of perceived risk to their political or career needs, making framing and story-telling crucial to the persuasiveness of otherwise of objective measurements. This interpretation gap is fascinating and is particularly important as national leaders increasingly have to make decisions about threats and opportunities that they cannot see, including in cyberspace and outer space.

How does this work deliver real-world impact?

As a co-founder of Durham University's Space Research Centre (SPARC), I hope to contribute to the de-securitisation of space, the reduction of hyperbole related to technological arms races and a general opening up of space for everyone. There are profound opportunities for human development through the growth of space based technologies, and I hope that my research on decision-making will help to ensure space is seen as a domain of cooperation, mutually beneficial progress, and hope.