Biography
John G. Oates received his Ph.D. in Political Science from The Ohio State University, his MA from the Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago, and his BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. His research focuses on the dynamics of authority and legitimacy in global governance.
His first book project explored the origins of supranational institutions. His current book project traces the fate of popular internationalism from the turn of the last century until today. The belief that political authority should reflect the will of the people is one of the most foundational principles of legitimacy in modern political life, yet contemporary global governance arrangements continue to offer only limited avenues for popular input into international policymaking. This fact would have surprised many internationalist advocates of the early twentieth century. A primary concern of internationalists after World War I was public opinion, and there was a broad consensus on the need to incorporate the interests and agency of the public more directly into world affairs. What happened to this tradition of popular internationalism? Why were the calls for more representative and participatory forms of international governance eclipsed by the technocratic models of expert-led governance that we have today? What explains the limited success of the movement to empower the people as an authoritative voice in international governance? This book seeks to answer these questions by exploring the fate of popular internationalism over the course of the twentieth century which offers insights into the possibilities and limits of a more democratic international system today.
Dr. Oates currently teaches undergraduate classes on International Law, International Organizations, International Humanitarian Law, and Science Fiction and Politics. He also teaches graduate seminars on International Organization, Non-State Actors in World Politics, and Research Design.
Areas of Expertise
International law and Organization, IR theory, Social theory, and Normative International Theory
Degrees
Ph.D., Ohio State University, Political Science, 2013
MA, University of Chicago, Committee on International Relations, 2005
BS, Georgetown University, Edmond A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, 2000