Before Colonization: Non-Western States and Systems in the Nineteenth Century

This book is co-authored by Charles R. Butcher (Norwegian University of Science and Technology).

Ryan Griffiths focuses on the dynamics of secession and the study of sovereignty, state systems and international order. He teaches a variety of courses in international relations. His two recent books include: (1) The Disunited States: Threats of Secession in Red and Blue America and Why They Won't Work (Oxford University Press, 2025); and (2) Before Colonization: Non-Western States and Systems in the Nineteenth Century (Columbia University Press, 2025, with Charles Butcher). Previously, he taught at both the University of Sydney in Australia and at John Hopkins University. He earned a Ph.D. in international relations and comparative politics at Columbia University in 2010.