Professor Dorff approaches the study of civil conflict and political violence using a variety of methods including surveys, forecasting approaches and network analysis. Her current research agenda is focused on civilian agency and survival in conditions of armed conflict. She is also working on projects related to victimization, the evolution of criminal conflicts, and new network science approaches for political scientists. Among other outlets, her work has been published in the American Journal of Political Science, International Interactions, and Political Science Research Methods.
