Publications and Applications
The USASSA dataset empowers researchers to conduct sophisticated analyses of how security assistance is employed, its utility, and its limitations.
Foundational Literature
Building Partner Capacity: US Aid to Security Sector Actors
Patricia Sullivan, Giovanny Rincon Alvarez, and Nathan Marx
Journal of Conflict Resolution (2024)
Abstract: This article introduces the USASSA dataset. Our data clearly show not only the magnitude and geographic reach of US security assistance, but also its diversity. While some security assistance is akin to humanitarian aid, other types of assistance blur the line between foreign aid and proxy warfare. We demonstrate the utility of the dataset with an exploration of whether the effects of US security assistance on human rights violations and domestic terrorism vary across types of aid.
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Working Papers & Policy Briefs
(Update this section as new research utilizing the 2026 dataset expansion is prepared for publication.)