Ari Weil

I am a PhD Candidate in political science at the University of Chicago. I study political violence, ideology, and rebel groups in civil war. My dissertation investigates why some rebel groups adjust their ideological frameworks during civil wars while others remain constant. I develop an organizational theory that explains which groups will be more able to shift their aims and claims. Drawing on a variety of archival sources, I use insurgent communiques, radio broadcasts, magazines, and speeches to measure ideology over time. My other research projects examine rhetorical change in armed movements and how constituent opinion shapes patterns of rebel-infighting.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, I am a dissertation completion fellow with the Center for International Social Science Research at the University of Chicago.

Before beginning my PhD, I completed an MA in International Relations at the University of Chicago’s Committee on International Relations. I also worked as the Deputy Research Director for the militant propaganda analysis team at Chicago Project on Security and Threats. I hold a BA in International Relations from Pomona College.

Contact: [email protected]