“A great deal of world politics is a fundamental struggle, but it is also a struggle that has to be waged intelligently.”
– Zbigniew Brzezinski
Dr. Dani Belo is a teacher and scholar of international relations specializing in conflict management and security. He is an Assistant Professor of International Relations and Security, Director of the International Relations and Security Studies academic programs at Webster University in St. Louis, USA. Dr. Belo is also a Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs in Ottawa, Canada, where he earned his Ph.D.
His research focuses on gray-zone and hybrid conflicts, transatlantic security, grand strategy, NATO–Russia relations, ethnic conflicts, and the post-Soviet region. Dani also worked for the Government of Canada. He is a recipient of the 2025 Emerson Excellent in Teaching Award. Dani led international research projects in Poland and Estonia, focusing on inter-ethnic relations and security. His publications and presentations informed international policy development at the U.S State Department and Global Affairs Canada related to hybrid warfare and the conflict in Ukraine.
Expertise and Research
My expertise is in contemporary security challenges in international relations. I specialize in conflict management in complex and contested environments. A core area of my work examines gray-zone and hybrid conflicts. I analyze how states use legal, informational, cyber, and proxy tools below the threshold of war. I also study foreign policy modeling and strategic decision-making.
My research emphasizes transatlantic security and alliance dynamics. I examine NATO’s adaptation to emerging threats and patterns of deterrence and escalation. I am particularly interested in ethnic and identity-based conflicts. I analyze inter-ethnic relations and their effects on domestic stability and international security. My regional focus includes the post-Soviet space and the Arctic region. I also study the conflict in Ukraine and broader transatlantic security dynamics, including one strand of work on Russian foreign policy. My work seeks to inform debates on alliance cohesion, conflict management, as well as the management of unconventional and hybrid security threats.
International Security
Conflict Management
Mixed Methods
Transatlantic Security and the Post-Soviet Region
Prominent publications
My publications span multiple formats and audiences, reflecting my commitment to bridging academic research and policy practice. My work includes book, peer-reviewed journal articles, single- and co-authored book chapters, edited volumes and handbooks, policy briefs, and applied research reports produced for government, military, and think-tank communities. Across these outputs, I focus on gray-zone and hybrid conflict, NATO–Russia relations, ethnic and identity-based conflict, and the dynamics of intervention and deterrence. A core component of my research agenda is foreign policy modelling, which I use to analyze decision-making under uncertainty, strategic competition, and institutional constraint. Methodologically, I emphasize triangulation, systematically combining qualitative analysis, comparative case studies, network and process-tracing methods, and policy-oriented modelling to strengthen causal inference and practical relevance.
Handbook of Grey Zone Conflict
Book, Routledge 2026 (forthcoming)
Russian Warfare in the 21st Century: An Incentive-Opportunity Intervention Model
Book, Routledge 2025
International Organizations: Perspectives on Global Governance
Book, Routledge 2025
The War in Ukraine and Its Global Implications.
Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, Volume 29, Issue 3 (2023). Guest Editor.
Teaching
My teaching philosophy centers on active learning, analytical inquiry, and the real-world application of theory, creating a dynamic classroom environment that equips students for careers in international relations and security studies. My experiential approach to teaching strengthens comprehension of course content while cultivating critical competencies in leadership, problem-solving, and communication. By connecting pedagogical innovation with professional readiness, I ensure students are practically prepared for various career paths. In December 2025, my commitment and success in pedagogy was recognized through the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award.
Essential Courses
- Graduate and Undergrad International Relations and Security
- Grad and Undergrad Comparative Politics
Methods Courses
- Graduate Research Methods
- Undergraduate Research Methods
Specialized Courses
- Foreign Policy
- Conflict Management and Resolution
- Security Studies
- International Organizations
- Eastern and Central European Security
- NATO
Supervision
- Graduate Theses
- Graduate Capstone Projects
Public TAlks
I place strong importance on ensuring that policy research becomes part of public discussion and reaches both scholarly and policy communities. Research should not stay confined to journals or academic conferences. It should inform debate and improve public understanding. I aim to translate complex findings into clear, accessible insights. Engaging policymakers, practitioners, and the broader public strengthens the relevance of research and increases its real-world impact. Dissemination is also a responsibility. Sharing results openly encourages dialogue, critique, and collaboration across disciplines and sectors. By connecting scholarship to public discourse, I seek to bridge theory and practice and contribute to more informed, evidence-based policy outcomes.
MEDIA APPEARANCES
I have made dozens of media appearances across radio, television, print media, online magazines, podcasts, and digital platforms, engaging diverse audiences on issues of international security and global politics. My commentary has addressed gray-zone conflict, great-power competition, authoritarian interference, ethnic and regional conflicts, and foreign policy decision-making, with an emphasis on translating complex research into accessible, policy-relevant insights. Through these appearances, I aim to bridge scholarship and public discourse, support informed policymaking, and foster broader understanding of evolving security challenges among both specialist and general audiences.
| Title | Outlet | Date |
|---|---|---|
| US Companies Pay Over $1 Billion in Taxes to Russia Amid Ongoing Ukraine War | Newsweek | January 11, 2025 |
| St. Louis international relations expert calls war in Israel ‘massive failure in intelligence’ | KMOV 4 | October 9, 2023 |
| Where does China stand on the Ukraine war? | Euronews | February 3, 2023 |
| What a Russian invasion of Ukraine could mean for the U.S. | KSDK St. Louis | February 20, 2022 |
