Dr. Phil W. Reynolds

Dr. Phil W. Reynolds is a political scientist, educator, and retired U.S. Army officer whose research focuses on international security, military power, strategic competition, and the political limitations of coercive force. He earned his Ph.D. in international relations and security studies in 2017 and has taught courses in international relations, American foreign policy, terrorism, and security cooperation.

During his military and civilian career, Reynolds served in operational planning, security cooperation, and regional policy positions, including assignments focused on Africa and the Indo-Pacific. He later served on the faculty of the Defense Security Cooperation University’s College of Strategic Security Cooperation. Dr. Reynolds’ current research examines why materially dominant states frequently win military contests but fail to translate battlefield superiority into durable political influence. His book project, The Strategic Puzzle, develops a theory of relational movement to explain strategic adaptation, political survival, coalition endurance, and resistance within an increasingly multiplex international system. His first book, Ouroboros: The War Machine of Liberalism, explored the history and ethics of the use of force.

Dr. Reynolds’ broader research interests include irregular warfare, security assistance, civil-military relations, African security, and the changing character of war.