James Ron, PhD, is an author and retired social scientist. A former academic, he spent four decades studying political violence and international affairs.
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James taught international relations, political science, and sociology at Johns Hopkins, McGill (Canada Research Chair), Carleton, and the University of Minnesota (endowed research chair). He held fellowships and visiting appointments at the Brookings Institution, Brown University’s Watson Institute, and CIDE in Mexico City.
His research in Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East combined interviews, public opinion surveys, and statistical analysis. His scholarly articles appeared in International Organization, International Security, Human Rights Quarterly, and World Development, among others.
James authored a book on political violence, Frontiers and Ghettos: State Violence in Serbia and Israel, with the University of California Press, and co-authored a volume on cross-national attitudes towards human rights with Oxford University Press, Taking Root: Public Opinion and Human Rights in the Global South.
He also published major reports for Human Rights Watch.
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James's commentary appeared in The Globe and Mail, Le Monde, The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, and other leading newspapers, bridging the gap between scholarship and public debate.
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James has stepped away from academia and consulting to write on issues of personal concern.
This site, jamesron.org, features his blog on research, data, and international issues. Please visit www.jamesron.net for his blog on personal themes.
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For more information on James Ron's scholarly work, please visit his PhilPeople, Semantic Scholar, Web of Science, ORCID, Google Scholar, Social Science Research Network, and ResearchGate profiles.
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Recent commentary by James Ron:
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As Israel Pushes for Annexation, Is There Hope for Palestinians? An over-the-horizon hope for a more egalitarian future, published online in the UK-based journal E-International Relations.
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Why Didn't I Teach about the Iraq War? Mea Culpa - Thoughts on my classroom avoidance of the most important US war since Vietnam. Published in Medium.
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One Day in Lebanon - Reflection on an event that inspired my interest in human rights-oriented social science. Published in Medium.
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International Recognition of Palestine and the Risk of a West Bank "Frontier" - A worst-case scenario, published in the UK-based journal, E-International Relations, warns what might happen if parts of the West Bank were to be pried from Israeli control without a robust international security force.
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Ending your Official Relationship with Israel Isn't So Easy - A reflection on the meaning of citizenship, belonging, and accountability in light of the Gaza war. Published on Medium.
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A Sad Prediction Born Out by Events - Thoughts on Gaza and its relation to my 2003 book. Published by the University of California Press Authors’ Blog.
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Faith Tradition, and Support for Deportation in the US - An essay on US public opinion and support for migrant deportation. Published by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies.