About the Lab

Mission

The Pinckney Research Lab studies the political dynamics of civil resistance, democratization, and political violence. We are interested in the conditions under which nonviolent collective action emerges, when it succeeds and fails, and its long-term outcomes.

Our research is motivated by the conviction that rigorous, transparent social science can inform both academic theory and practitioner policy. We work closely with civil society organizations, democracy practitioners, and policymakers to ensure our work speaks to real-world challenges.

Principal investigator

Dr. Jonathan Pinckney is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Texas at Dallas. His research focuses on civil resistance, democratization, and peacebuilding. Before joining UT Dallas, he held research positions at the United States Institute of Peace and the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO).

Methods

Our methodological toolkit includes:

• Cross-national statistical analysis of mobilization and regime outcomes
• Original survey experimental research
• Comparative case studies
• LLM-based data collection, coding, and analysis

Funding

Past and current support comes from the Horizons Project, the US Department of State, the Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, the United States Institute of Peace, and several internal UT Dallas research awards.

Contact

Pinckney Research Lab
School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
The University of Texas at Dallas
800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080

📧 jonathan.pinckney@utdallas.edu

For prospective students, please include a brief description of your research interests and a CV.