Christopher Whyte, Ph.D.

Associate professor

EXPERTISE

• Interstate cyber conflict and non-state cyber operations
• U.S. cybersecurity policymaking
• Risk analysis and forecasting methods

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Political Science, George Mason University School of Policy, Government and International Affairs

B.A., International Relations, College of William & Mary

B.A., Economics, College of William & Mary

M.A., Political Science, George Mason University

Christopher Whyte is an assistant professor of homeland security and emergency preparedness. His research interests include a range of international security topics related to the use of information technology in war and peace, political communication and cybersecurity doctrine/policy. His dissertation explores the determinants of decision-making among subversive groups that choose to use different kinds of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in their campaigns. His scholarly and analytic work on cyber conflict and trends in international politics scholarship has appeared or is forthcoming in several publications including International Studies Quarterly, International Studies Review, Strategic Studies Quarterly, Orbis, Comparative Strategy, New Media & Society, Foreign Policy and The National Interest. He is also co-author of a forthcoming Routledge volume on international security and cyberspace – entitled Understanding Cyber-Warfare: Politics, Policy and Strategy – with Brian Mazanec and Angelos Stavrou.

Whyte received his doctorate and master's degrees in political science from George Mason University and his bachelor's degree in International Relations and Economics from the College of William and Mary. He was previously a non-resident fellow with Pacific Forum CSIS and a fellow at the Center for Security Policy Studies, George Mason University. Previously, he worked in various roles at several national security think tanks, including the Cato Institute, the Center for the National Interest and the Center for a New American Security. He grew up in Glasgow, Scotland and, despite having lived on the East Coast for more than a decade, maintains a strong interest in rugby union and British politics.