Dedicated to the empirical analysis of data from the world of international relations, SSIP scholars tend to focus on interstate conflicts, civil wars, and conflict management. The range of perspectives in this edited volume provide a comprehensive introduction to SSIP theory and methodology.

The origins and evolution of SSIP : how methods met models, with a short interlude / Kelly M. Kadera and Dina Zinnes -- Game theory and other modeling approaches / Frank C. Zagare and Branislav L. Slantchev -- Review of available data sets / Paul R. Hensel -- Teaching the scientific study of international politics / D. Scott Bennett -- The interaction of theory and data / James D. Morrow -- Systemic theories of conflict / Karen Rasler and William R. Thompson -- Territory and geography / Jaroslav Tir and John A. Vasquez -- The quest for security : alliances and arms / Brett Ashley Leeds and T. Clifton Morgan --Programmatic research on the democratic peace / Steve Chan -- Domestic-international conflict linkages / Will H. Moore and Ahmer Tarar -- Civil wars / Idean Salehyan and Clayton L. Thyne -- The conduct and consequences of war / Alyssa K. Prorok and Paul K. Huth -- The durability of peace / Caroline A. Hartzell and Amy Yuen -- The past and future of the scientific study of international politics / Zeev Maoz.