Assistant Professor Max Plithides
Max Plithides is an Assistant Professor at the United States Naval Academy. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2025 and his B.A. in Economics from Trinity University in 2015. Max's research primarily examines how states transform economic resources into military power and how that process of production shapes military organizations, the conduct of war, and operational and strategic outcomes.
Prior to joining the Naval Academy in 2026, Max was a Harry Bloomfield Postdoctoral Scholar and Challenges of Democracy Postdoctoral Fellow at Tel Aviv University. He previously served as an Adjunct Professor at Loyola Marymount University and as a Predoctoral Fellow at the University of California, San Diego. Max's work has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Research & Politics and International Interactions, as well as in popular foreign policy publications including The Diplomat and Global Politics at a Glance. He has previously taught courses on research methods, the politics of the global economy, and international relations and often integrates insights from his research into his teaching.
