Melinda Haas

Haas studies law and international security, with her current research focusing on how congressional regulation can have unintended effects on the types of covert action used in U.S. foreign policy. Her other research interests include foreign policy decision-making, intelligence and secrecy, as well as international and constitutional law. She is also interested in archival work in qualitative and mixed-method research.

Courses Taught:
PIA 2021 International Affairs
PIA 2362 Leaders & U.S. Foreign Policy Decision-Making
PIA 2470 U.S. Foreign Policy and Law Regulating the Use of Force
PIA 2471 Espionage, Surveillance, and Secret Information in International Affairs

Education & Training:
Ph.D., Politics (Princeton University), 2021
JD (University of Pennsylvania Law School), 2011
BA, Mathematics and Political Science (Bucknell University), 2008

Recent Publications:
- Melinda Haas, “Origins of Oversight: Covert Action Amendments to the National Security Act of 1947,” International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, 2022
- Melinda Haas and Keren Yarhi-Milo, “To Disclose or Deceive? Sharing Secret Information between Aligned States,” International Security, Vol. 45, No. 3 , pp. 122–161, Winter 2020/21.
- Michael Poznansky and Melinda Haas, “As US-China Competition Grows, Will Covert Regime Change Make a Return?” The Diplomat, (2020).

Research Interests:
International security
International law
U.S. foreign policy
Intelligence
Covert action