Meet The New Council Members: Brett Ashley Leeds

Brett Ashley LeedsBrett Ashley Leeds is Professor of Political Science at Rice University.  She received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her Ph.D. from Emory University.  Her research focuses primarily on the design and effects of international agreements.  Much of her work has focused on security issues, and particularly the politics of military alliances.  Her articles have appeared in many journals including American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, International Organization, and International Studies Quarterly, and her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation.

Leeds was the 2008 recipient of the Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, which recognizes a scholar under age 40 or within ten years of defending his or her dissertation who is judged to have made, through a body of publications, the most significant contribution to the study of International Relations and Peace Research.  She was the 2014 recipient of the Susan S. Northcutt award, also from the International Studies Association, which recognizes a person who actively works towards recruiting and advancing women and other minorities in the profession, and whose spirit is inclusive, generous and conscientious.

Professor Leeds has served APSA as President of the Conflict Processes Section from 2012-2014, as a member of the 2007 annual meeting program committee, and on three different award committees.  She is currently a member of the ad hoc committee on governance reform.  She has been active in several other scholarly organizations as well, including the International Studies Association and the Peace Science Society.  She has served as associate editor of two journals—International Studies Quarterly and the American Journal of Political Science.

Statement of Views:  If elected, I am committed to working with others as part of the Council to ensure that APSA:  (1) represents and considers the diverse needs and interests of members; (2) encourages diversity in the profession; (3) provides professional development opportunities to help members gain knowledge and skills related to both research and teaching; (4) continues to develop new ways to encourage interaction among political scientists to improve research and teaching; (5) disseminates political science research to scholarly communities, to policymakers, and to the public; (6) promotes best practices in research and teaching.


The APSA Nominating Committee met on February 13, 2015, and nominated the slate of officers and council members to serve beginning in fall 2015. The call for nominations was circulated widely among the membership with outreach to APSA committees and organized sections. The nominating committee made its decisions after careful deliberation and due consideration for the diversity of the field and the varied interests of political scientists. There were no additional nominees from the members, and council members and officers were approved in October 2015 by the APSA Council, under its power to fill interim vacancies (APSA Constitution, Article V). APSA welcomes the new council members and other officers to APSA leadership.