The Life Cycle of International Reconciliation: Building an Original Dataset of Rapprochement Episodes
Michaela Mattes, Professor
Political Science
Applications for Fall 2026 are closed for this project.
How do countries move from rivalry and conflict toward more cooperative relations? Why do some attempts at rapprochement succeed, while others stall or collapse?
Consider a few examples. France and Germany transformed from “hereditary enemies” to close partners at the heart of European integration. The United States and Vietnam fought a long and devastating war, yet today enjoy remarkably warm relations. By contrast, India and Pakistan have experienced repeated diplomatic openings followed by renewed tensions and breakdowns. Rapprochement is also often a long process rather than a single breakthrough. Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972 opened a new chapter in U.S.-China relations, but the two countries did not formally normalize relations until 1979. Other cases, such as South Korea and Japan, show how the process can stall or remain vulnerable to reversal.
This project focuses on these processes, patterns, and life cycles of international reconciliation. We are building an original dataset that traces whether and how former or existing rivals attempt to improve their relations over time. For each country pair, we will identify when an opening begins, what major olive branches or diplomatic initiatives are attempted, what milestones are reached, what setbacks occur, and whether the process ultimately deepens, stalls, breaks down, or reverses. The resulting data will allow us to identify broader patterns in how international reconciliation unfolds and to study why some efforts at rapprochement prove more durable than others.
Role: Research apprentices will help build out the dataset by researching individual rival dyads and coding their rapprochement histories. Tasks include: reviewing historical and news sources to identify key diplomatic events, entering and organizing this information according to the project’s coding scheme, and helping verify and clean the data as it is compiled. There may also be opportunities to assist with literature review and light background research, depending on interest and project needs. Students will learn about the process of international reconciliation and how to collect and process observational data for statistical analysis.
Qualifications: The project would be especially suitable for students interested in international relations, political history, diplomacy, conflict, or quantitative social science. Strong applicants should have careful reading and research skills, attention to detail, good organizational skills, and reliability in documenting sources and following detailed coding guidelines. Experience with historical research, political science coursework, foreign languages, spreadsheets, or data collection is desirable but not required.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Jiaqian Ni, Ph.D. candidate , Graduate Student
Hours: 6-8 hrs
Social Sciences