Sutton’s research presented at MORS Symposium
BY ZACH WADLEY ’14
2 MIN. READ
Despite it being summer break, the work didn’t stop for Anderson University’s Dr. Connor Sutton, associate professor of international relations and national security and chair of the Social Sciences Department. Sutton attended the 93rd annual Military Operations Research Society Symposium in Leesburg, Virginia, this past June.
Sutton presented academic research, “The Essential Effects of Material Capability Balances and Terrain on the Outcomes of Interstate Wars,” he’s been working on in conjunction with colleagues Michael J. Battaglia, of Battaglia Geospatial, LLC, and Dr. Daniel Geller, professor of political science at Wayne State University.
The research presentation was two-fold: Sutton was hoping to gain feedback from the military operations research community while also informing practitioners about his research.
“This work is important for American national security because it demonstrates the limits of material capabilities advantages in reaching political objectives in international conflict, which is especially pressing to the United States,” said Sutton.
The research stemmed from Sutton’s dissertation research, which produced the War Terrain and Geospatial Representation (WARTIGER) dataset that provides measures of spatial extent, and topographic and landcover heterogeneity for every interstate war from 1816 to 2003.
The goal is to provide scholars of peace science and international relations, as well as policy makers, with additional data to understand the role terrain plays in shaping interstate war outcomes. It’s an area that Sutton identified during his dissertation research as lacking.
“Traditionally, there’s been a focus on military capabilities as the primary predictor variable for war outcomes,” said Sutton. “More recently, research has focused on military strategy and civil military relations, especially the role of regime type, but I realized there was a missing piece of the puzzle — the role of space and place. It’s an extremely dangerous thing to make policies about war when you don’t understand all the pieces to the puzzle.
Sutton’s research is currently under review, which can take some time. In the meantime, his goal is to continue making the research public-facing so the academic and professional community is informed of the findings. In addition, he plans to extend this research to include all extrastate wars from 1816 to the present day.
If this all sounds like a lot on top of teaching a full course load, that’s because it is, but Sutton sees the value in juggling both tasks.
“I am a teacher-scholar in that order,” Sutton said. “I want my teaching to reflect my scholarship and vice versa. In conducting this research, I’m exposed to important ideas in the field, and in turn, have the opportunity to expose my students to them as well. It’s important to me for my students to graduate ready to enter the field armed with both the most recent academic knowledge, but the practical skills to succeed from day one.”
Anderson University educates students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 50 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 18 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult, graduate, and online programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized for excellence in business, computer science, cybersecurity, engineering, music, nursing, psychology, and teacher education programs. Established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God, the university remains committed to its Christ-centered mission.