Selected Publications and Works in Progress
Peer-Reviewed Book
The Burden-Sharing Dilemma: Coercive Diplomacy in US Alliance Politics. Cornell University Press, Cornell Studies in Security Affairs series, November 15, 2023.
Defense burden-sharing is central to the functioning of military alliances. This book explores the conditions under which the United States encourages its allies to assume more responsibility for their own defense as well as the conditions under which these efforts succeed or fail. It argues that the United States tailors its attempts to encourage allied burden-sharing in recognition of the trade-off between control and cost-sharing. While more allied contributions allow the United States to reduce its own burdens, they also empower those allies to go their own way. Thus, the United States is strategic with its burden-sharing, seeking burden-sharing when the risk of losing control over allies is lower and strains on U.S. resources are higher. When the United States does seek additional burden-sharing from allies, its success depends on the salience of its threat to abandon those allies. The book illustrates the argument using four case studies drawn from U.S. alliances during the Cold War: West Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Iceland.
Praise for the book
Defense burden-sharing is central to the functioning of military alliances. This book explores the conditions under which the United States encourages its allies to assume more responsibility for their own defense as well as the conditions under which these efforts succeed or fail. It argues that the United States tailors its attempts to encourage allied burden-sharing in recognition of the trade-off between control and cost-sharing. While more allied contributions allow the United States to reduce its own burdens, they also empower those allies to go their own way. Thus, the United States is strategic with its burden-sharing, seeking burden-sharing when the risk of losing control over allies is lower and strains on U.S. resources are higher. When the United States does seek additional burden-sharing from allies, its success depends on the salience of its threat to abandon those allies. The book illustrates the argument using four case studies drawn from U.S. alliances during the Cold War: West Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Iceland.
Praise for the book
- "Brian Blankenship skillfully illustrates the dilemma that the United States faces in its pursuit of military burden-sharing with allies. By illuminating the tradeoff between control and cost-sharing, this book provides an important strategic perspective on debates over burden-sharing and broader alliance politics.” -- Tongfi Kim, Brussels School of Governance
- "In this persuasive and much-needed book, Blankenship highlights and explains variation in whether the United States brings burden-sharing pressure to bear on its allies and the extent to which those efforts succeed. The Burden-Sharing Dilemma is indispensable for understanding military alliances and American foreign policy." -- Alexander Lanoszka, University of Waterloo
- “An insightful study of the conditions under which US leaders seek increased support from allies and how allies respond. By focusing on bargaining among allies over time, Brian Blankenship helps us to understand the strengths and limits of the current US-led security order.” -- Brett Ashley Leeds, Rice University
- "This richly researched book explains US decisions to exert allied burden-sharing pressure and when allies will actually comply with such pressure. Those interested in alliance politics, the political economy of security, and US foreign policy will find much to learn here." -- Paul Poast, University of Chicago
- "Blankenship's framework offers new and compelling insights for anyone serious about understanding the dynamics of burden-sharing in U.S. alliance politics. In such ways and more, Blankenship's book promises to enliven and advance crucial debates in great-power statecraft and alliance politics." -- Joshua Byun, Boston College
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
"Oil Prices and International Conflict: Why Low Oil Revenue May Not Pacify Petrostates." International Interactions 50 (3): 478-505 (2024). [With Qaraman Hasan, Soran Mohtadi, Indra Overland, and Johannes Urpelainen.]
"Do Threats or Shaming Increase Public Support for Policy Concessions? Alliance Coercion and Burden-Sharing in NATO." International Studies Quarterly 68 (2): sqae015 (2024).
"The Market for Foreign Bases." [With Renanah M. Joyce.] Security Studies 33 (2): 194-223 (2024).
"Trivial Tripwires?: Military Capabilities and Alliance Reassurance." [With Erik Lin-Greenberg.] Security Studies 31 (1): 92-117 (2022). [Ungated]
"The Price of Protection: Explaining Success and Failure of U.S. Alliance Burden-Sharing Pressure." Security Studies 30 (5): 691-724 (2021). [Ungated]
"Deterrence and Restraint: Do Joint Military Exercises Escalate Conflict?" [With Raymond Kuo.] The Journal of Conflict Resolution 66 (1): 3-31 (2022).
"Promises under Pressure: Statements of Reassurance in U.S. Alliances." International Studies Quarterly 64 (4): 1017-1030 (2020).
"Purchasing Power: U.S. Overseas Defense Spending and Military Statecraft." [With Renanah M. Joyce] The Journal of Conflict Resolution 64 (2): 545-573 (2020).
Replication materials: Data Do-file
"Barking Up the Wrong Tree: How Political Alignment Shapes Electoral Backlash from Natural Disasters." [With Ryan Kennedy, Johannes Urpelainen, and Joonseok Yang.] Comparative Political Studies 54 (7): 1163-1196 (2020).
"When Do States Take the Bait? State Capacity and the Provocation Logic of Terrorism." The Journal of Conflict Resolution 62 (2): 381-409 (2018).
Replication materials: Data Do-file
"A Deceptive Estimate? The Politics of Irregular Troop Numbers in Vietnam." Journal of Intelligence History 12 (2): 93-112 (2013).
"Do Threats or Shaming Increase Public Support for Policy Concessions? Alliance Coercion and Burden-Sharing in NATO." International Studies Quarterly 68 (2): sqae015 (2024).
"The Market for Foreign Bases." [With Renanah M. Joyce.] Security Studies 33 (2): 194-223 (2024).
"Trivial Tripwires?: Military Capabilities and Alliance Reassurance." [With Erik Lin-Greenberg.] Security Studies 31 (1): 92-117 (2022). [Ungated]
- Correspondence: "Tripwires and Alliance Reassurance: An Exchange," Security Studies 31 (4): 750-756. [With Erik Lin-Greenberg, Oriana Mastro, James Goldgeier, and Lily Wojtowicz.]
"The Price of Protection: Explaining Success and Failure of U.S. Alliance Burden-Sharing Pressure." Security Studies 30 (5): 691-724 (2021). [Ungated]
"Deterrence and Restraint: Do Joint Military Exercises Escalate Conflict?" [With Raymond Kuo.] The Journal of Conflict Resolution 66 (1): 3-31 (2022).
"Promises under Pressure: Statements of Reassurance in U.S. Alliances." International Studies Quarterly 64 (4): 1017-1030 (2020).
"Purchasing Power: U.S. Overseas Defense Spending and Military Statecraft." [With Renanah M. Joyce] The Journal of Conflict Resolution 64 (2): 545-573 (2020).
Replication materials: Data Do-file
"Barking Up the Wrong Tree: How Political Alignment Shapes Electoral Backlash from Natural Disasters." [With Ryan Kennedy, Johannes Urpelainen, and Joonseok Yang.] Comparative Political Studies 54 (7): 1163-1196 (2020).
"When Do States Take the Bait? State Capacity and the Provocation Logic of Terrorism." The Journal of Conflict Resolution 62 (2): 381-409 (2018).
Replication materials: Data Do-file
"A Deceptive Estimate? The Politics of Irregular Troop Numbers in Vietnam." Journal of Intelligence History 12 (2): 93-112 (2013).
Works in Progress
Does Allied Burden-Sharing Shape US Public Support for War?
Is Alliance Credibility Interdependent? [With Joshua Alley.]
What Shapes Support for Defense Spending in Alliances? Evidence from an Elite Survey in NATO Countries.
Defense Burden-Sharing and Support for Nuclear Proliferation in NATO Countries.
Message Sent, Message Received? Sender-Receiver Gaps and Reassurance in NATO [With Erik Lin-Greenberg].
Does the US Public Support Foreign Bases? Evidence from a Survey Experiment [With Renanah M. Joyce].
Is Alliance Credibility Interdependent? [With Joshua Alley.]
What Shapes Support for Defense Spending in Alliances? Evidence from an Elite Survey in NATO Countries.
Defense Burden-Sharing and Support for Nuclear Proliferation in NATO Countries.
Message Sent, Message Received? Sender-Receiver Gaps and Reassurance in NATO [With Erik Lin-Greenberg].
Does the US Public Support Foreign Bases? Evidence from a Survey Experiment [With Renanah M. Joyce].
Other Publications
"The Burden-Sharing Dilemma in U.S. Alliances." Lawfare, June 16, 2024.
"Managing the Dilemmas of Alliance Burden-Sharing." The Washington Quarterly 47 (1): 41-61 (2024).
"Biden’s in Europe to reassure nervous allies. When does reassurance work?" Washington Post Monkey Cage, June 11, 2021.
"Biden wants to reassure allies that the U.S. is still interested in their security." Washington Post Monkey Cage, March 4, 2021.
"Access Denied? The Future of U.S. Basing in a Contested World." War on the Rocks, February 1, 2021. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"Does the Pentagon's Checkbook Diplomacy Actually Work?" Defense One, June 23, 2020. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"'Money as a Weapons System': The Promises and Pitfalls of Foreign Defense Contracting." Cato Institute, Policy Analysis No. 892, June 3, 2020. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"Rethinking Reassurance." Political Violence at a Glance, November 13, 2018. [With Erik Lin-Greenberg.]
"Control vs. Cost-Sharing: The Dilemma at the Heart of NATO." War on the Rocks, August 7, 2018.
"Can Obama Play the Trump Card With Allies?" War on the Rocks. August 15, 2016.
"The Risks of U.S. Allies Going Rogue." National Interest, January 22, 2016. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"Djibouti's First, But Will It Last?" Lawfare, January 3, 2016. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"Managing the Dilemmas of Alliance Burden-Sharing." The Washington Quarterly 47 (1): 41-61 (2024).
"Biden’s in Europe to reassure nervous allies. When does reassurance work?" Washington Post Monkey Cage, June 11, 2021.
"Biden wants to reassure allies that the U.S. is still interested in their security." Washington Post Monkey Cage, March 4, 2021.
"Access Denied? The Future of U.S. Basing in a Contested World." War on the Rocks, February 1, 2021. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"Does the Pentagon's Checkbook Diplomacy Actually Work?" Defense One, June 23, 2020. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"'Money as a Weapons System': The Promises and Pitfalls of Foreign Defense Contracting." Cato Institute, Policy Analysis No. 892, June 3, 2020. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"Rethinking Reassurance." Political Violence at a Glance, November 13, 2018. [With Erik Lin-Greenberg.]
"Control vs. Cost-Sharing: The Dilemma at the Heart of NATO." War on the Rocks, August 7, 2018.
"Can Obama Play the Trump Card With Allies?" War on the Rocks. August 15, 2016.
"The Risks of U.S. Allies Going Rogue." National Interest, January 22, 2016. [With Renanah Joyce.]
"Djibouti's First, But Will It Last?" Lawfare, January 3, 2016. [With Renanah Joyce.]