Hillary Corwin is a PhD student in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in international relations and political methodology.  She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Texas at Dallas, and has worked with the United States Agency for International Development on Latin American economic development policy and vulnerable population programs.  She joined the University of Texas at Austin as a Ph.D. Student in 2016.

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Her research examines economic influence and foreign policy prioritization in the post-colonial period, focusing on the strategic interactions of great and rising powers in the international system. Her dissertation examines the relationships between respect for human rights in developing countries and patterns of development assistance by great and rising powers globally from the Cold War to present. 

Hillary is a political economist who studies economic statecraft in the settings of international development, security, and human rights.  Her research investigates how the vulnerability of donors' interests to state violence alters the economic pressures and supportive policies donors use to address political violence problems and to promote peace and development.  

Current Working Papers:

• "Alms and Influence: Human rights conditionality in foreign assistance"

• "Protecting Donor Interests, Meeting Recipient Need: Catalytic policies for human rights promotion"

• "Great Power Contestation and Coordination in Human Rights Promotion"

• "Coercive and Catalytic Strategies for Human Rights Promotion"