Sophie Kaldor is a PhD Candidate in the International Relations Department at LSE. Sophie's research focuses on elite decision-making under uncertainty, particularly in the making of grand strategy. Her dissertation draws on archival research from the Lyndon Johnson Administration to examine how policy predictions shaped the United States' courses of action in the Vietnam War. Sophie's other research interests include the role of narratives and morality in the making of foreign policy.
Prior to LSE, Sophie completed a Master of Arts in Global Affairs at Yale’s Jackson School and a Bachelor of Arts (Languages) (Honours) at Sydney University, for which she received the University Medal. Throughout her studies Sophie has worked for Adam Smith International, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, and as a research assistant to Zoe Chance (Yale SOM) and Claire Yorke (Centre for War Studies). Before commencing her MA, Sophie worked as a graduate analyst at an insurable risk advisory firm.
Research topic
Inferential Thinking and Presidential Choice: The Story Behind U.S. Grand Strategy Under Uncertainty
Teaching experience
- IR101 Contemporary Issues in IR (LSE)
- IR211 America as a Global Power: from FDR to Biden (LSE)
Academic supervisor
Professor Peter Trubowitz
Research Cluster affiliation
Security and Statecraft Research Cluster