Thomas J Volgy
- Professor, School of Government and Public Policy
- Member of the Graduate Faculty
- Social Sciences, Rm. 330
- Tucson, AZ 85721
- volgy@arizona.edu
Biography
Thomas J. Volgy received his BA from Oakland University, and his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota in Political Science. He moved to Tucson to take a position at the University of Arizona, where he is a professor of political science, specializing in international politics, democratic processes, and domestic public policy. He is also the executive director of the International Studies Association, the largest association of its kind focusing on international politics, with a membership of over 7,000 scholars from 110 countries. He also engages in consulting work in the United States and overseas, involving business consultation, political consultation, and international trade. He served in public office from 1977 through 1991 as a member of the Tucson city council, and then as Mayor of Tucson.
He has published dozens of articles in professional journals, and is the author and/or co-author of several books, including Major Powers and the Quest for Status in International Politics (2011), Mapping the New World Order (2009), International Politics and State Strength (2003), Politics in the Trenches: Experimenting with Democracy in America (2001), and The Forgotten Americans (1992).
He has also been honored by the University of Arizona with awards for teaching and distinguished public service.
Volgy ran successfully for local office, both on the Tucson City Council and as Mayor of Tucson, and served for fourteen years in elected office. During that time, he accepted as well a national leadership role with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities, and was invited on numerous occasions to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the National Governors Council on key urban public policy issues facing the nation. He has served as a delegate to two national Democratic conventions, including his role on the DNC’s rules committee
After leaving public office, Volgy has been actively involved through the U.S. government with the training of government officials overseas in the areas of democratic political development and public policy. He has conducted such training in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Hungary, Romania, and Guyana. In addition, he was part of the international team that monitored Hungary’s first democratic elections in the post-Cold War environment. He also served as a member of the U.S. State Department delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe conference in Prague, and has lectured on international politics and transatlantic relations for the State Department in Europe.
He has also done considerable consulting work, including providing consulting services and assistance domestically and internationally. Through his firm, his projects have included working with litigators to pick juries, conducting survey research for both political campaigns and private sector market surveys, consulting on telecommunications issues in the marketplace, consulting on Congressional and mayoral campaigns, and providing assistance with international trade in Europe and Asia.
Degrees
- Ph.D. Political Science
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Conflict Resolution Processes in International Organizations
- M.A. Political Science
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- B.A. Political Science; History
- Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA
Work Experience
- International Studies Association (1995 - Ongoing)
- Tucson City Council (1977 - 1991)
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1971 - Ongoing)
Awards
- President, TCFR
- Tucson Council on Foreign Relations, Spring 2019
- Keynote Research speaker
- Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Fall 2014
- Presidential ISA Panel
- International Studies Association, Fall 2014
- Election
- CEEISA, elected to board of Governors, Spring 2013 (Award Finalist)
- Request to contribute
- What type of organization made the award?: European International Studies Association;Description: Requested to submit article in the first issue of their new journal to examine from an American research perspective ongoing research in European IR;, Fall 2012
Interests
Teaching
Graduate level: international politics survey seminar; Study of International Structures; Comparative Regional Analysis; Status in International Politics;Undergraduate: Contemporary International Politics Theories of International Politics US Foreign Policy International Organizations and Structures
Research
Forms of International Power;Status in International Relations;International Cooperative Structures and Organizations;Conflict Processes;Domestic Determinants of Foreign PolicyComparative Regional International Politics
Courses
2024-25 Courses
-
Independent Study
POL 699 (Fall 2024) -
Intro IR
POL 660 (Fall 2024)
2023-24 Courses
-
American Foreign Policy
POL 455 (Spring 2024) -
Independent Study
POL 399 (Spring 2024) -
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
-
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Spring 2023) -
Independent Study
POL 399 (Spring 2023) -
American Foreign Policy
POL 455 (Fall 2022) -
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Fall 2022)
2020-21 Courses
-
American Foreign Policy
POL 455 (Spring 2021) -
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Spring 2021) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Spring 2021) -
American Foreign Policy
POL 455 (Fall 2020) -
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Fall 2020) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Fall 2020)
2019-20 Courses
-
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Spring 2020) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Spring 2020) -
Global and Regional Governance
POL 670 (Spring 2020) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Spring 2020) -
American Foreign Policy
POL 455 (Fall 2019) -
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Fall 2019) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Fall 2019) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Fall 2019)
2018-19 Courses
-
American Foreign Policy
POL 455 (Spring 2019) -
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Spring 2019) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Spring 2019) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Spring 2019) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Fall 2018) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Fall 2018) -
Politics, Policy & Govern-US
SGPP 300B (Fall 2018)
2017-18 Courses
-
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Spring 2018) -
Global and Regional Governance
POL 670 (Spring 2018) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Spring 2018) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Fall 2017) -
Independent Study
POL 699 (Fall 2017) -
Politics, Policy & Govern-US
SGPP 300B (Fall 2017)
2016-17 Courses
-
American Foreign Policy
POL 455 (Spring 2017) -
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Spring 2017) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Spring 2017) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Spring 2017) -
Independent Study
POL 499 (Spring 2017) -
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Fall 2016) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Fall 2016) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Fall 2016) -
Theory International Rel
POL 454 (Fall 2016)
2015-16 Courses
-
Contemporary Intnl Pol
POL 365 (Spring 2016) -
Dissertation
POL 920 (Spring 2016) -
Honors Thesis
POL 498H (Spring 2016) -
International Relations
POL 596E (Spring 2016)
Scholarly Contributions
Books
- Volgy, T. J., Šabič, Z., Roter, P., & Gerlak, A. K. (2009). Mapping the New World Order.. UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishers..
Chapters
- Volgy, T. J., Gordell, K. M., & Bezerra, P. (2018). Middle East Rivalries in Comparative Perspective. In Middle East Rivalries(p. 32). Washington DC: University of Georgetown Press.
- Volgy, T. J., & Rhamey, J. P. (2018). Regions, Powers, and Hierarchy: A Comparative Regional Analysis of Conflicts in International Politics.”. In W. R. Thompson (ed) .), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Empirical International Relations Theories.(p. 38). Oxford University Press.
- Volgy, T. J., & Rhamey, P. J. (2017). “Conflicts, Regions, and Regional Hierarchies.”. In W. R. Thompson (ed) .), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Empirical International Relations Theories.(p. 38). Oxford University Press.
- Volgy, T. J., Gordell, K. M., & Bezerra, P. (2018). "Crucial Fault Lines in the Middle East: Interstate Rivalries in Comparative Perspective.". In Mansour and Thompson (eds.), Shocks and Rivalry: Whatever Happened to Interstate Antagonisms in the Middle East?(p. 41). Georgetown University Press.
- Volgy, T. J., Rhamey, P., Corbetta, R., Grant, K., & Baird, R. (2014). . “Status Considerations in International Politics and the Rise of Regional Powers.”. In Status in World Politics(pp 58-84). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Volgy, T. J., Fausett, E., & Rhamey, P. (2013). Is The Central European Region a Neighborhood?. In , Regional and International Relations of Central Europe. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
Journals/Publications
- Volgy, T. J., & Gordell, K. M. (2018). Conceptual Challenges in Investigating Rising Powers and their Status Seeking Activities. Comparative Politics.
- Volgy, T. J., & Gordell, K. M. (2019). “Rising Powers, Status Competition and Global Governance: Some Conceptual Challenges.”. Contemporary Politics, still online, still online.
- Volgy, T. J., Miller, J., Cramer, J., Bezerra, P., & Hauser, M. (2015). . “Going for the Gold versus Distributing the Green: Foreign Policy Substitutability and Complementarity in Status Enhancement Strategies.”. Foreign Policy Analysis, undetermined.
- Volgy, T. J., Miller, J., Cramer, J., Bezerra, P., Hauser, M., & Sciabarra, C. (2015). Norms, Behavioral Compliance, and Status Attribution in International Politics. International Interactions, ditto(ditto), still undetermined.
- Volgy, T. J., Rhamey, P., & Slobodchikov, M. (2015). “"Order and Disorder across Geopolitical Space: The Effect of Declining Dominance on Interstate Conflict.". Journal of International Relations and Development, see above(see above), Presently on line will publish in hard copy in spring.
- Volgy, T. J. (2014). “A Cautious but Optimistic View from the Other Side of the Water’s Edge.”. European Review of International Studies, 1, 141-146.
- Volgy, T. J., & Rhamey, P. (2014). . “Regions in International Politics: A Framework for Integrating Systemic, Regional, and Monadic Approaches.”. Vestnik MGIMO (Journal of International Relations)., 120-145.
- Volgy, T. J., Rhamey, P., & Thompson, W. R. (2014). “Distance, Size and Turmoil: North-South Mediterranean Interactions.”. Cahiers de la Mediterranee, 209-226.
- Volgy, T. J., Corbetta, R., & Rhamey, P. (2013). “Major Power Status (In)Consistency and Political Relevance in International Relations Studies.”. Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy, 19(3).
Presentations
- Volgy, T. J. (2017, February). Is There a Super Asia?. International Studies Association Annual Conference. Baltimore, Maryland: International Studies Association.More infoExploring conditions under which regions consolidate, and the effect of such consolidation on patterns of cooperation and conflict.
- Volgy, T. J. (2019, October). Comparative Regional Analysis and the value of State Strength. Conference on Alternative Political Science. Havana, Cuba: Conference on Alternative Political Science and the University of Havana.
- Volgy, T. J., & Godell, K. M. (2018, June). From Basic Resources to Elements of State Strength: Conceptual and Empirical Considerations. Workshop on State Capacity, Higher School of Economics. Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation: Higher School of Economics and Russian Science Foundation.
- Volgy, T. J., & Gordell, K. M. (2019, Spring). Refining State Capacity and Its Salience. International Studies Association Annual Conference. Toronto, Canada: ISA.
- Volgy, T. J., & Gordell, K. M. (2018, Summer). "Translating Resources into Measures of State Strength.". Presented at the workshop on State Capacity, Power and Influence in International Affairs: Concepts and Measures. Moscow: Higher School of Economics.
- Volgy, T. J., & Thompson, W. R. (2018, Fal). Why the Mediterranean is Not an Actual Political Region. Workshop on the Mediterranean. Athens, Greece: Institute of International Economics.
- Volgy, T. J., Bezerra, P., & Cramer, J. (2015, Spring). Status Attribution Among the Community of Nations. International Studies Association Annual Conference. New Orleans, Louisiana: International Studies Association.More infoThis paper presents a theoretical model and empirical application of the extent to which norm conformance by states in international politics impacts on the conferral of status by other states.
- Volgy, T. J., , R. C., & Rhamey, J. P. (2012, 2012-03-01). Major Power Status and Admission Into the Club. International Studies Association. San Francisco.More info;Your Role: major contributor;Submitted: Yes;Refereed: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: colleagues at other institutions;Type of Presentation: Academic Conference;
- Volgy, T. J., Fausett, E., & Rhamey, J. P. (2012, 2012-07-01). Central and Eastern European International Studies Association. Krakow, Poland.More info;Your Role: primary contributor;Invited: Yes;Refereed: Yes;Collaborative with graduate student: Yes;Other collaborative: Yes;Specify other collaborative: colleague at another institution;
Others
- Volgy, T. J. (2012). "The concept of political relevance and major power status".More infounder review;Other collaborative: Yes;Please specify if you select "Other collaborative" : Colleagues at other institutions;Full Citation: Renato Corbetta, Thomas J. Volgy, J. Patrick Rhamey, "The concept of political relevance and major power Status,";Status: Submitted But Not Yet Accepted;
- Volgy, T. J. (2012). Started two new research projects, one examining the status considerations involved in state to stat.More infoStarted two new research projects, one examining the status considerations involved in state to state interactions; the second is the creation of a new research center focused on inter-regional politics in international relations
- Volgy, T. J. (2017, May). Cultural considerations and rivalries in the Middle East. The Rahmania Annual Seminar.More infoThis is a closed, invitation only (20 participants) workshop, similar to Davos, on selected topics of interest in the Middle East
- Volgy, T. J., Miller, J., Cramer, J., Bezerra, P., Hauser, M., & Sciabarra, C. (2014, January). An Exploration Into Status Attribution in International Politics. . Occasional Paper Series on Political Science and Public Policy Research: School of Government and Public Policy (University of Arizona)..
