This research examines whether democracies have unique problems with respect to foreign security. Preliminary work by the PI indicates that after facing a challenger in a particular dispute, democratic defenders are disproportionately likely to be confronted by the same challenger at a later date. Preliminary analysis suggests that democracies may be at an increased risk due to their crisis management strategies. That is democracies tend to select multidimensional crisis management strategies, which include not only force, but also non-military instruments like negotiations and economic sanctions. While these strategies are often very effective in achieving victory for democracies, they also result in a disproportionate number of repeat military challenges. This research collects and codes additional data undertakes new analysis to tease out the causes of this increased risk for democracies. This research is crucial for understanding the opportunities and risks faced by democracies in the post-Cold War period.
