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Dr. Brian Federking

Dr. Brian Frederking

Professor of Political Science

Ph.D., Political Science, Syracuse University

M.A., International Relations, Syracuse University

B.A., International Relations, McKendree College

  • Faculty member since 1998

  • Director of Honors Program from 2011-2017

  • Committees: Honors Council and the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Evaluation Committee

  • Teaching interests: World politics, international law, transnational security issues, and global governance

  • Research interests: United Nations Security Council, collective security, conflict resolution, and foreign policy

  • Books: The United States and the Security Council: Collective Security since the Cold War (2007), Resolving Security Dilemmas: A Constructivist Explanation of the INF Treaty (2000)

  • Data: “Collective Security Dataset: Linguistic Practices of the United Nations Security Council 1989-2016”

  • Service: Faculty advisor to the Public Affairs Forum, Model United Nations, and Scholars: The McKendree University Online Journal of Undergraduate Research

  • Professional affiliations: Member of the American Political Science Association, International Studies Association, American Association of University Professors, and International Peace Studies Society

Dr. Brian Frederking is proof that just one semester-long sabbatical can open countless doors of opportunity and set the direction of one’s career for years to come. This past spring, Frederking drew upon his interest in the work of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to create a Collective Security Dataset that measures the UNSC’s linguistic efforts to maintain international peace. The dataset tracks more than 5,000 UNSC meetings since the end of the Cold War, generating a measurable picture of how the council has sought to preserve collective security for nearly three decades.

“It includes 5,057 cases (or meetings of the UNSC) and 66 variables, each of which codes for a certain characteristic of those meetings: an issue discussed, a document produced, a vote taken, a rule invoked, a rule-violator accused, or a practice authorized,” he said. Frederking further analyzed the data through tables, chronicling trends in UNSC collective security practices by agenda item, region, and rule violation.

With this important tool, the possibilities are endless for continued research, teaching material, and scholarly publications.


Quotation Graphic"This dataset will be at the core of my research efforts for the rest of my career."


“It will also immeasurably improve my teaching. I learned so much! I have new lecture notes and updated class exercises in literally every world politics class I teach. I hope to annually update the dataset and use it for future research opportunities with students,” Frederking said.

Frederking plans to utilize his work in two future book projects, one evaluating the UNSC’s practices related to different critiques and another serving as a college textbook. By publishing his dataset on the McKendree website, he also believes it will add to the university’s reputation for excellence as publications refer to McKendree as the original source.


Quotation Graphic"This sabbatical significantly advanced my research agenda."


“I would not have been able to put this dataset together without having the time offered by a sabbatical,” he said.

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