Cora Caton

Assistant Professor of Political Science & International Affairs
PhD, Political Science & Methodology, University of Kansas
MA, Political Science & Government, Missouri State University
BS, Anthropology & Middle Eastern Studies, Missouri State University
Boudreau Hall
cora.caton@maine.edu
(207) 581-1871


Cora Caton is a political scientist specializing in international relations, comparative politics, and political methodology. Her research examines how powerful actors, including states, firms, and individuals, use economic and symbolic tools to navigate global crises.

Her current work centers on economic firmcraft, a term she coined to describe the emerging practice of multinational corporations publicly responding to international political events. This includes her dissertation, which explores corporate responses to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and uses a measure of brand reputation to explain variation in firm behavior.

Her research agenda is increasingly attuned to the ethical and environmental dimensions of corporate political action, with planned extensions examining corporate responses to conflict and sustainability pressures. More broadly, Dr. Caton’s work engages debates around economic sanctions, corporate accountability, and the public legitimacy of private power.

Her secondary line of research investigates political violence and terrorism, with publications in Political Behavior and Studies in Conflict & Terrorism on public reactions to counterterrorism, gendered patterns of militancy, and state repression.

Dr. Caton’s research also engages broader debates about economic sanctions and public opinion, including a forthcoming article in International Interactions theorizing how citizens assess the utility and cost of economic coercion.

She has taught widely in international relations, comparative politics, and research methods at the University of Kansas, Rockhurst University, and Drury University. Dr. Caton also brings extensive experience in applied research, having conducted fieldwork in Turkey and worked with organizations such as START, Vot-ER, and the University of Kansas Medical Center on projects involving survey design, experimental methods, and data analysis. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Kansas and a Master’s in International Relations from Missouri State University. She also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies from Missouri State University.

Curriculum Vitae

Fall 2025 Office Hours:

  • Tues 10:30-12:30, Thurs. 11:30-12:30 or by appointment. 

Fall 2025 Courses:

  • POS 376-Politics of Global Economy
  • SPI 501-Research Methods & Design