Hi There! I’m Sloan Lansdale.

I am a PhD candidate in Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, studying International Relations and Comparative Politics. My primary interests are in human rights and international organizations. My research examines how and why the United Nations Security Council responds to mass atrocity events, with particular attention to the political dynamics that shape when states choose to act and what “action” actually means in practice.

My dissertation examines Security Council behavior at stages prior to resolution passage. I distinguish between the agenda-setting, proposal, and passage stages of the process to fully examine not only what influences outcomes, but when these effects are strongest. This approach helps explain patterns that often appear as gridlock or inaction. What looks like institutional failure may instead reflect strategic behavior on the behalf of states, particularly states we might term “middle powers”.

Methodologically, my work combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. I draw on original and existing datasets on mass atrocities and Security Council activity to analyze responsiveness over time and complement this with qualitative evidence from interviews with United Nations officials and members of related NGOs.

More broadly, I am interested in how international institutions operate under political constraints, especially in high-stakes contexts such as mass atrocities, where moral urgency and strategic interests often collide.

Alongside my research, I am deeply committed to teaching and mentorship. I have designed and taught courses in international relations for both introductory and advanced students on topics of International Relations, International Organizations, conflict, human rights, and research design broadly. In my experience, students are most engaged and learn most deeply when they are active participants in their own learning and can connect theoretical concepts to real-world political challenges. In practice, I facilitate this participation by engaging students in discussions of current events, simulations of key concepts, and case studies and research projects informed by students’ own interests. I foster a learning environment where students are encouraged to question assumptions, explore their interests, and learn collaboratively through structured discussion. Check out some of my simulation activities on my Teaching page!

I am especially passionate about involving undergraduates in research. Through my department’s undergraduate research assistantship program, I work closely with undergraduate students pursuing their own research projects, guiding them through theory development, data collection, analysis through programs such as R and NVivo, and discussion of their results to an academic audience. I view mentorship as an extension of my research practice, collaborative, iterative, and grounded in curiosity.

I earned my Master’s degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland in 2024. Prior to UMD, I received Bachelor’s Degrees in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Kentucky.

In my free time, I enjoy listening to audiobooks (particularly the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series by Matt Dinniman), exploring DC, and pet-sitting for friends and family. I also occasionally post on my personal Substack. My most recent post: My Top 8 Favorite Songs About War & Conflict

Contact me at: slansdal@umd.edu