Michael Rubin

Assistant Professor

Political Science & Human Rights Institute

Michael’s research investigates causes, conduct, and consequences of civil wars and political violence, informing policy solutions to reduce the human suffering they generate. My book project and related research examine insurgent territorial control and governance in civil wars, highlighting the role that civilian communities play by influencing belligerents’ conduct. Other research explores the international politics shaping civil wars, in particular the implications of third-party states’ involvement. My research draws upon both global comparisons across conflicts as well as in-depth analysis of key cases, including: the communist insurgency in the Philippines, the 1948 War in Mandate Palestine, Syria’s civil war, and the anti-Apartheid resistance in South Africa. I conducted fieldwork in the Philippines (2014-2015) and South Africa (2024).