David M. Mitchell

Associate Professor of International Relations and Political Science

Co-Chair

David M. MitchellPh.D. Syracuse
Curriculum Vitae

Coleman 261
570.577.3516
dmmitche@bucknell.edu

Professor Mitchell is both a member of the International Relations Program and the Department of Political Science. He teaches and conducts research in the following areas: Comparative Foreign Policy, United States Foreign Policy, Decision Making, Introduction to International Relations, International Relations Theory, and Globalization.

Professor Mitchell has published on the influence of international and domestic factors on individual decision making in the context of negotiations. He has also published on the implications of variations in presidential leadership style on the formulation of policy and the outcomes of the decision making process. This research finds that variations in choice of advisory structure and the degree of centralization exercised by the president impacts who is involved in the decision making process, the nature of deliberations, the ability of advisors to influence the process, and the way in which disagreements are resolved. The resulting process policy shapes the outcomes produced by the president and advisors.

His recent published work includes:

  • Making Foreign Policy: Presidential Management of the Foreign Policy Decision-Making Process(Ashgate Publishing 2005).
  • “Does Context Matter? Advisory Systems and the Management of the Foreign Policy Decision Making Process.” Forthcoming December 2010, Presidential Studies Quarterly.
  • “Anatomy of Failure: Bush’s Decision Making Process and the Iraq War.” With Tansa G. Massoud, ForeignPolicy Analysis. Volume 5, Issue 3. August 2009.
  • “Challenge, Crisis and Change in US Foreign Policy.” International Studies Review. Volume 11, Issue 1. March 2009.
  • “Determining Indian Foreign Policy: An Examination of Prime Ministerial Leadership Styles.” India Review. Vol. 6, Number 4. 2007.

Professor Mitchell is currently drawing on his research on US foreign policy in order to address a range of questions regarding foreign policy decision-making in India. He is particularly interested in identifying the leadership style of Indian prime ministers and how these differences have had implications for the conduct and direction of Indian foreign policy.

Prof. Mitchell has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Syracuse University.