William R. Thompson is Distinguished Professor and Donald A. Rogers Professor of Political Science Emeritus at Indiana University, Editor-in-chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics and Affiliated Professor at the University of Washington. He has taught at the University of Minnesota, Florida State University, University of Arizona, Claremont Graduate School, the University of California, Riverside, University of Catania, and Moscow State Institute for International Relations (MGIMO). In between two non-consecutive terms as Editor-in-chief of the International Studies Quarterly, he served as President of the International Studies Association. He has received the World Society Foundation’s Award of Excellence, the International Global Research Association’s Gold Medal of Honor (for contribution to global studies), the University of Washington (Arts and Sciences) Timeless Award, and the International N.D. Kondratieff Foundation and Russian Academy of Science’s Silver Kondratieff Medal (for contribution to social sciences). The author or editor of 33 books and 200 journal articles and book chapters, so far, he continues to work mainly in the areas of international peace and conflict and historical international political economy. Recent publications include editing the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Empirical International Relations Theory, 4 volumes, co-editing the forthcoming Shocks and Rivalry in the Middle East and North Africa, and co-authoring Racing to the Top: How Energy Fuels Systemic Leadership in World Politics.