Bio

Harold Trinkunas is the Deputy Director of and a Senior Research Scholar at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. Prior to arriving at Stanford, Dr. Trinkunas served as the Charles W. Robinson Chair and senior fellow and director of the Latin America Initiative in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. His research focuses on issues related to foreign policy, governance, and security, particularly in Latin America. Trinkunas has written on emerging powers and the international order, ungoverned spaces, terrorism financing, borders, and armed non-state actors.

Trinkunas co-authored Militants, Criminals and Warlords: The Challenge of Local Governance in an Age of Disorder (Brookings Institution Press, 2017), Aspirational Power: Brazil’s Long Road to Global Influence (Brookings Institution Press, 2016) and authored Crafting Civilian Control of the Military in Venezuela (University of North Carolina Press, 2005). He co-edited and contributed to Three Tweets to Midnight: The Effects of the Global Information Ecosystem on the Risk of Nuclear Conflict (Hoover Institution Press, 2020); American Crossings: Border Politics in the Western Hemisphere (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015), Ungoverned Spaces: Alternatives to State Authority in an Era of Softened Sovereignty (Stanford University Press, 2010), Global Politics of Defense Reform (Palgrave MacMillan, 2008), and Terrorism Financing and State Responses (Stanford University Press, 2007).

Dr. Trinkunas has also previously served as an associate professor and chair of the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He received his doctorate in political science from Stanford University in 1999. He was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela.

Academic Appointments

  • Sr Research Scholar, Center for International Security and Cooperation

Administrative Appointments

  • Deputy DIrector, Center for International Security and Cooperation (2016 - Present)

Program Affiliations

  • Program in International Relations

Professional Education

  • Ph.D., Stanford University, Political Science (1999)
  • M.A., Stanford University, Political Science (1993)
  • B.S., University of Pennsylvanica, Economics (1991)
  • B.A., University of Pennsylvania, Political Science (1991)

Contact

Additional Info

  • Mail Code: 6055

Links

2024-25 Courses

Stanford Advisees

All Publications

  • The transformation of the Venezuelan Bolivarian armed forces under Chavez and Maduro ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS, 2 EDITION Trinkunas, H. A., Matei, F. C., Halladay, C., Bruneau, T. C. 2022: 38-49

    View details for DOI 10.4324/9781003084228-5

    View details for Web of Science ID 000862046600005

  • The Oxford Handbook of Peaceful Change in International Relations Wivel, A., Emmers, R. edited by Paul, T., Larson, D., Trinkunas, H. Oxford University Press. 2022
  • Recognition of armed non-state actors: what we have learned and what lies ahead ARMED NON-STATE ACTORS AND THE POLITICS OF RECOGNITION Trinkunas, H., Geis, A., Clement, M., Pfeifer, H. 2021: 257-269

    View details for Web of Science ID 000817040300013

  • Three Tweets to Midnight: The Effects of the Global Information Ecosystem on the Risk of Nuclear Conflict edited by Trinkunas, H. A., Lin, H. S., Loehrke, B. Hoover Institution Press. 2020
  • Financing Terrorism The Oxford Handbook of Terrorism Trinkunas, H. Oxford University Press. 2019: 478–493
  • Conditions of military contestation in populist Latin America DEMOCRATIZATION Kuehn, D., Trinkunas, H. 2017; 24 (5): 859–80

    View details for DOI 10.1080/13510347.2017.1293659

    View details for Web of Science ID 000402707300005

  • UNGASS 2016 in Comparative Perspective: Improving the Prospects for Success Journal for Drug Policy Analysis Felbab-Brown, V., Trinkunas, H. 2017; 10 (1)

    View details for DOI 10.1515/jdpa-2015-0014

  • Militants, Criminals and Warlords: The Challenge of Local Governance in an Age of Disorder Felbab-Brown, V., Trinkunas, H., Hamid, S. Brookings Institution Press. 2017
  • Aspirational Power: Brazil on the Long Road to Global Influence Trinkunas, H., Mares, D. Brookings Press. 2016
  • American Crossings: Border Politics in the Western Hemisphere edited by Jaskoski, M., Sotomayor, A., Trinkunas, H. John Hopkins University Press. 2015
  • Re-examining Rivalry, Trade, and Conflict in Latin America: The Colombia-Venezuela Case American Crossings: Border Politics in the Western Hemisphere Trinkunas, H. A. Johns Hopkins University Press. 2015
  • Alternative Governance in Latin America Routledge Handbook of Latin American Security Trinkunas, H. A., Clunan, A. Routledge. 2015
  • Better Than You Think: Reframing Inter-American Relations Pensamiento Propio Feinberg, R., Miller, E., Trinkunas, H. 2014: 263-296
  • Reordering Regional Security in Latin America Journal of International Affairs Trinkunas, H. 2013; 66 (2)
  • LATIN AMERICA'S GROWING SECURITY GAP JOURNAL OF DEMOCRACY Pion-Berlin, D., Trinkunas, H. 2011; 22 (1): 39–53

    View details for Web of Science ID 000286350000004

  • The Logic of Venezuelan Foreign Policy during the Chávez Period Venezuela’s Petro Diplomacy: Hugo Chávez’s Foreign Policy Trinkunas, H. edited by Clem, R., Maingot, A. University Press of Florida. 2011: 16–31
  • Civilian Praetorianism and Military Shirking During Constitutional Crises in Latin America COMPARATIVE POLITICS Pion-Berlin, D., Trinkunas, H. 2010; 42 (4): 395-+

    View details for DOI 10.5129/001041510X12911363509990

    View details for Web of Science ID 000279752500002

  • Ungoverned Spaces: Alternatives to State Authority in an Era of Softened Sovereignty edited by Clunan, A., Trinkunas, H. Stanford University Press. 2010
  • Alternative Governance and Security Ungoverned Spaces: Alternatives to State Governance in an Era of Softened Sovereignty Clunan, A., Trinkunas, H. Stanford University Press. 2010: 275–293
  • Conceptualizing Ungoverned Spaces: Territorial Statehood, Contested Authority, and Softened Sovereignty Ungoverned Spaces: Alternatives to State Governance in an Era of Softened Sovereignty Clunan, A., Trinkunas, H. Stanford University Press. 2010: 17–33
  • Las Fuerzas Armadas Bolivarianas en los Tiempos de Chávez: ¿desde el papel protagónico a la subordinación revolucionaria? Influencias y resistencias: militares y poder en América Latina Trinkunas, H. edited by Aguero, F., Fuentes, C. FLACSO-Ed. Catalonia. 2009: 81–106
  • INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRACY PROMOTION AND ITS IMPACT ON CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS GLOBAL POLITICS OF DEFENSE REFORM Bruneau, T., Trinkunas, H., Bruneau, T., Trinkunas, H. 2008: 49–67

    View details for Web of Science ID 000283140400003

  • Global Politics of Defense Reform GLOBAL POLITICS OF DEFENSE REFORM Bruneau, T., Trinkunas, H. 2008: 1–298

    View details for DOI 10.1057/9780230611054

    View details for Web of Science ID 000283140400013

  • The Militarization of Energy Security: the Case of Venezuela Energy Security and Global Politics: the Militarization of Resource Management Trinkunas, H. edited by Moran, D., Russell, J. Palgrave Macmillan. 2008: 175–187
  • GLOBAL TRENDS AND THEIR IMPACT ON CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS GLOBAL POLITICS OF DEFENSE REFORM Bruneau, T., Trinkunas, H., Bruneau, T., Trinkunas, H. 2008: 3–19

    View details for Web of Science ID 000283140400001

  • Attention deficits - Why politicians ignore defense policy in Latin America LATIN AMERICAN RESEARCH REVIEW Pion-Berlin, D., Trinkunas, H. 2007; 42 (3): 76–100

    View details for DOI 10.1353/lar.2007.0031

    View details for Web of Science ID 000251362000004

  • Terrorist Financing: Explaining Government Responses Terrorism Financing and State Responses: A Comparative Perspective Giraldo, J., Trinkunas, H. Stanford University Press. 2007: 282–296
  • The Political Economy of Terrorism Financing Terrorism Financing and State Responses: A Comparative Perspective Giraldo, J., Trinkunas, H. Stanford University Press. 2007: 7–20
  • Terrorism Financing and State Responses: A Comparative Perspective edited by Giraldo, J., Trinkunas, H. Stanford University Press. 2007
  • Democratization as a Global Phenomenon and its Impact on Civil-Military Relations Democratization Bruneau, T., Trinkunas, H. 2006; 13 (5): 776-790
  • Assessing Potential Proliferation Networks in Latin America: 2006-2016 Nonproliferation Review Trinkunas, H. 2006; 13 (3): 617-625
  • Democratization, social crisis and the impact of military domestic roles in Latin America JOURNAL OF POLITICAL & MILITARY SOCIOLOGY Pion-Berlin, D., Trinkunas, H. 2005; 33 (1): 5–24

    View details for Web of Science ID 000231455700002

  • Crafting Civilian Control of the Military in Venezuela: A Comparative Perspective Trinkunas, H. University of North Carolina Press. 2005
  • Remilitarization of Venezuelan Politics Armed Actors: Organised Violence and State Actors in Latin America Trinkunas, H. edited by Koonings, K., Krujit, D. Zed Books. 2004: 106–126
  • The Military: From Marginalization to Center Stage The Unraveling of Representative Democracy in Venezuela Trinkunas, H., Myers, D. edited by McCoy, J. Johns Hopkins University Press. 2004: 50–70
  • Regime Type and Regional Security in Latin America: Towards a Balance of Identity Theory Balance of Power: Theory and Practice in the 21st Century Barletta, M., Trinkunas, H. edited by Paul, T., Wirtz, J., Formann, M. Stnaford University Press. 2004: 334–356
  • The Re-emergence of the Venezuelan Armed Forces as a Political Actor Journal of Iberian and Latin American Studies Trinkunas, H. 2002; 8 (2): 165-172
  • The crisis in Venezuelan civilmilitary relations: From Punto Fijo to the fifth republic LATIN AMERICAN RESEARCH REVIEW Trinkunas, H. A. 2002; 37 (1): 41–76

    View details for Web of Science ID 000174045800003

  • Crafting Civilian Control of the Armed Forces Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs Trinkunas, H. 2000; 43 (3): 77-109