Education
- Ph.D. in security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School.
- M.A. in regional security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School.
- B.A. in international political economy from the University of California Berkeley
Research Interests
- Comparative political violence
- Paramilitary groups and competitive state building
- South Asia
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Dr. Matthew P. Dearing is associate professor of international security studies and Associate Dean of Programs and Curriculum at the College of International Security Affairs (CISA). He serves as the principal advisor to the Dean of Faculty and Academic Programs and is the College’s focal point for academic planning, curriculum development, and oversight of the execution of CISA’s academic programs.
Dr. Dearing’s research areas include comparative political violence, irregular warfare, and regional studies in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. He is author of Militia Order in Afghanistan: Guardians or Gangsters (Routledge 2021) and is writing a historical narrative of the Malawi Young Pioneers. He has also published on terrorism, conflict stabilization, security sector reform, and field research methods in a range of peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Dearing previously served as Director of the South and Central Asia Program at CISA. Prior to joining CISA, he served as an irregular warfare advisor in Afghanistan, a research associate at the Naval Postgraduate School, and a rifleman in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Dr. Dearing obtained his Doctoral and Masters degrees at the National Security Affairs Department, Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. He obtained a Bachelors degree in International Political Economy at the University of California Berkeley. In his spare time, he is an avid outdoorsman and participates in a variety of wildlife conservation activities.