Ari Weil is a PhD student in International Relations at the University of Chicago. He studies political violence, with a focus on militant rhetoric, rebel organizations, and tactics. His dissertation examines ideological change in civil wars, seeking to understand why some rebel groups adjust their ideological frameworks while others remain constant.

For the 2025-2026 academic year, Ari will be a dissertation completion fellow with the Center for International Social Science Research at the University of Chicago. 

Prior to the PhD, Ari received an MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and a BA in International Relations from Pomona College. He also worked as the Deputy Research Director at the Chicago Project on Security and Threats, managing the day-to-day operations of a research team studying jihadist and far-right militant propaganda production and narratives.

You can learn more about Ari on his personal website: http://ari-weil.com