Welcome to the Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations

This Institute is dedicated to the proposition that the scholarly study of international relations can contribute to the actual practice of international relations.  With a generous grant from the Wendy and Emory Reves Center for International Studies at the College of William and Mary, the Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations has spawned a range of collaborative research projects and interdisciplinary seminars that engage students and faculty at William and Mary with other leading scholars and practitioners in the field. The Institute promotes research employing rigorous social scientific methods in the pursuit of knowledge that is relevant to citizens, policy makers, and scholars alike.  Too often, there is a gaping chasm between the worlds of the theorist and the practitioner.  Such a gulf can lead to sterile theoretical debates that are divorced from reality.  Worse, it can lead to shortsighted policies that threaten the prosperity of individuals, the sustainability of our natural environment, and the national security of the United States .

The Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations promotes research that contributes to contemporary public policy issues.  It seeks to convince current and future policy makers that careful attention to the procedures of social science can improve policy making and, thus, the world we all inhabit.