Molly Dunigan

Director, Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program, RAND Arroyo Center; Senior Political Scientist

Pittsburgh Office

Education

Ph.D. in political science, Cornell University; M.A. in international relations, Cornell University; B.A. in political science, Vassar College

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Molly Dunigan is director of the Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program within the RAND Arroyo Center, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, and a senior lecturer in Carnegie Mellon University's Institute for Politics and Strategy. Her research interests focus on military privatization, outsourcing, operational contract support, strategic competition, civil–military relations, civilian deployment, counterinsurgency, and maritime security.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including a U.S. Institute of Peace Jennings Randolph Peace Fellowship, a U.S. State Department Foreign Language Areas Studies Fellowship, and an International Studies Association Catalytic Research Grant. Prominent among Dunigan's published work are Victory for Hire: Private Security Companies' Impact on Military Effectiveness (Stanford University Press, 2011), The Markets for Force: Privatization of Security Across World Regions (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2015), and a number of RAND reports on various personnel and strategy-related issues.

An internationally recognized expert on private security contracting, Dunigan's work on this topic has been cited in USA Today, Time Magazine, Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and National Public Radio. Dunigan's publications have been favorably reviewed in Military Review, The Journal of Military and Strategic Studies, The Journal of Military History, Survival, Parameters, and The Boston Globe, and her op-eds have appeared in The National Interest, USA Today, The Hill, U.S. News & World Report, and The Christian Science Monitor.

Dunigan received her Ph.D. in government from Cornell University.

Research Focus

Concurrent Non-RAND Positions

Senior Lecturer, Institute for Politics and Strategy, Carnegie Mellon University

Selected Publications

Dunigan, Molly, Michelle Grisé, Kimberly Jackson, John J. Drennan, Sandra Kay Evans, Ashley L. Rhoades, Eric Robinson, Meagan L. Smith, and Jonathan Welch, Gaining the Edge: Identifying and Leveraging Frameworks for Enabling Army Contributions to Competition, RAND Corporation (RR-A1235-1), 2023

Dunigan, Molly, Kristie L. Gore, Katherine L. Kidder, Michael Schwille, Samantha Cherney, and James Sladden, Civilian Post-Deployment Reintegration: A Review and Analysis of Practices Across U.S. Federal Agencies, RAND Corporation (RR-3220), 2020

Dunigan, Molly, Ryan Andrew Brown, Samantha Cherney, Maria DeYoreo, Katherine C. Hastings, Jennifer Lamping Lewis, Christina Panis, Leslie Adrienne Payne, Michael Schwille, and Lauren Skrabala, Army Expeditionary Civilian Demand: Forecasting Future Requirements for Civilian Deployments, RAND Corporation (RR-2854), 2019

Dunigan, Molly, Michael Schwille, Samantha Cherney, Katherine C. Hastings, Brian Nichiporuk, and Peter Schirmer, Human Capital Needs for the Department of Defense Operational Contract Support Planning and Integration Workforce, RAND Corporation (RR-1847), 2017

Dunigan, Molly, Susan M. Sohler Everingham, Todd Nichols, Michael Schwille, and Susanne Sondergaard, Expeditionary Civilians: Creating a Viable Practice of Department of Defense Civilian Deployment, RAND Corporation (RR-975), 2016

Molly Dunigan, The Markets for Force: Privatization of Security Across World Regions, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2015

Dunigan, Molly, Carrie M. Farmer, Rachel M. Burns, Alison Hawks, and Claude Messan Setodji, Out of the Shadows: The Health and Well-Being of Private Contractors Working in Conflict Environments, RAND Corporation (RR-420), 2013

Molly Dunigan, Victory For Hire: Private Security Companies' Impact on Military Effectiveness, Stanford University Press, 2011

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Al Jazeera - English; British Forces Broadcasting Service; CBC Radio, Canada; Stars and Stripes; WBUR-FM Online

Commentary

Military Force Deployment

Russian Mercenaries in Great-Power Competition: Strategic Supermen or Weak Link?
The weaknesses within Russian mercenary forces and within the Russian state in relation to press-ganged youths, conscripts, and casualties may offer opportunities for exploitation in great-power competition. These broader weaknesses in Russian national will to fight could be examined to identify more ways to prevent Russia from aggressively undermining Western democracy.
Mar 9, 2021
The RAND Blog
Military Acquisition and Procurement

Privatizing the Military Unlikely to Be a Viable Solution in Afghanistan
Operational contractors are now an entrenched part of the Department of Defense’s total force and are here to stay. But replacing U.S. military personnel with contractors is not likely to be a militarily effective solution for the Afghanistan problem.
Aug 14, 2017
The National Interest
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Military Security Contractors Get PTSD, Too
Largely absent from the conversation about the use of military security contractors are the parallel issues of mental health and the deployment-related stress contractors can face.
Jun 12, 2015
USA Today
Civilian Military Workforce

Out of the Shadows, Into the Light: Why Americans Should Care About the Health of Contractors Deploying to Conflict Environments
In contrast to the numerous mental health resources available to members of the U.S. military, very few (if any) resources are available to help private contractors struggling with mental health problems. It is in the best interest of all involved to ensure that contractors receive the support and treatment they need.
Jan 21, 2014
The RAND Blog
Civilian Military Workforce

A Lesson from Iraq War: How to Outsource War to Private Contractors
Both to repeat the successes of private military contracting and to avoid the mistakes of contractors in the recent wars, the Department of Defense must consider several points specific to security contractors, writes Molly Dunigan.
Mar 19, 2013
Christian Science Monitor
Peacekeeping and Stability Operations

High Hopes for Philippine Peace Plan
The government has successfully used a combination of counterinsurgency strategies against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in recent years, raising expectations that the new peace deal will also succeed—and in a manner that favors the government's interests, writes Molly Dunigan.
Dec 6, 2012
U.S. News & World Report
Civil-Military Relations

U.S. Control of Contractors in Iraq Is Vital
With U.S. troops out of Iraq, the U.S. presence there will fall to 5,000 private security contractors....The experience with private security contractors during the war was fraught with challenges that pose risks now, writes Molly Dunigan.
Feb 1, 2012
The Hill

Publications

Report
Gaining the Edge: Identifying and Leveraging Frameworks for Enabling Army Contributions to Competition
This report supports the U.S. Army's effort to rethink its roles and responsibilities to meet the demands of competition with near peers below the threshold of armed conflict.
May 2, 2023
Report
Improving Transition Assistance for Reserve Component Members
The authors identify unmet needs for transitioning reserve component members, assess the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), and recommend ways to improve TAP's effectiveness in addressing reserve component members' transition needs.
Apr 12, 2023
Report
Trauma in the U.S. Intelligence Community: Risks and Responses
If the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) fails to address the needs of employees exposed to workplace trauma — whether deployed or at headquarters — consequences include negative effects on employees' well-being and on the IC's overall quality of work.
Oct 11, 2022
Report
Civilian Post-Deployment Reintegration: A Review and Analysis of Practices Across U.S. Federal Agencies
This report reviews and analyzes assessments of the practices that U.S. federal agencies use to reintegrate civilians following domestic or overseas deployments to high-threat environments.
Feb 11, 2020
Report
Army Expeditionary Civilian Demand: Forecasting Future Requirements for Civilian Deployments
As the largest provider of government civilians to support U.S. military operations, the Army stands to benefit to a great extent from a more robust process for forecasting future demand for its civilian workforce.
Oct 24, 2019
Report
Manpower Alternatives to Enhance Total Force Capabilities: Could New Forms of Reserve Service Help Alleviate Military Shortfalls?
Changes in employment stability, family structure, and economic pressures have created challenges for the U.S. military reserve component. Modifying assumptions about Reserve duty can improve recruitment, performance, development, and retention.
Sep 11, 2019
Report
Human Capital Needs for the Department of Defense Operational Contract Support Planning and Integration Workforce
This comprehensive review of the U.S. Department of Defense operational contract support (OCS) planning and integration workforce identifies gaps between doctrine and practice, recommending several options to address these shortfalls.
Oct 2, 2017
Report
Sustaining the Army's Reserve Components as an Operational Force
This report identifies emerging policy lessons regarding the use of, and reforms to, the U.S. Army's Reserve Components (RCs) as an operational reserve derived from analyses of their contributions to recent contingency operations.
Jun 12, 2017
Report
A Review of Alternative Methods to Inventory Contracted Services in the Department of Defense
Concerned about U.S. Department of Defense contracts for private-sector services, Congress mandated development of an inventory of contract activities. RAND conducted a review of the system, stakeholder needs, and alternative data sources.
Apr 27, 2017
Journal Article
Moving Beyond Population-Centric Vs. Enemy-Centric Counterinsurgency
Historically, insurgency is one of the most prevalent forms of armed conflict and it is likely to remain common in the foreseeable future.
Oct 31, 2016
Report
Expeditionary Civilians: Creating a Viable Practice of Civilian Deployment Within the U.S. Interagency Community and Among Foreign Defense Organizations
This report describes the requirements that generate the need for deployable civilians, the types of missions civilians support, and the methods that U.S. and foreign government organizations use to identify, select, track and deploy civilians.
Jun 9, 2016
Research Brief
Expeditionary Civilians: Informing Department of Defense Civilian Deployment Policy and Practice
RAND conducted an end-to-end review and analysis of Department of Defense civilian deployment to inform policy and practice for using deployable civilians to meet mission needs ten to 20 years into the future.
Jun 9, 2016
Report
Expeditionary Civilians: Creating a Viable Practice of Department of Defense Civilian Deployment
This research presents the results of a review and analysis of DoD civilian deployment, assesses the viability of DoD civilian deployment practice, and proposes a systematic approach to developing and maintaining DoD's civilian deployment capability.
Jun 9, 2016
Report
Authorities and Mechanisms for Purchased Care at the Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) furnishes purchased care services through an array of programs, each with different requirements and processes. A strategy for purchased care is needed to design an effective purchased care program.
Dec 31, 2015
Infographic
Out of the Shadows: What We Know About the Well-Being and Experiences of Private Contractors Working in Conflict Environments
Private contractors deployed in conflict zones experience stressors known to have negative physical and mental health implications for military personnel. We examine how this
May 21, 2014
Report
Out of the Shadows: The Health and Well-Being of Private Contractors Working in Conflict Environments
Deployed contractors may be exposed to the same stressors as military personnel. A RAND survey examined the mental and physical health of contractors, their deployment experiences, and their access to and use of health care resources.
Dec 10, 2013
Report
Counterinsurgency Scorecard: Afghanistan in Early 2013 Relative to Insurgencies Since World War II
Previous RAND research on historical insurgencies found that a conflict's overall balance of good and bad factors and practices perfectly discriminated its outcome. A RAND study applied this scorecard approach to Afghanistan in early 2013.
Oct 7, 2013
Report
Paths to Victory: Lessons from Modern Insurgencies
Building on a 2010 RAND study of the 30 insurgencies begun and completed between 1978 and 2008, this study added 41 new cases to the data set, allowing comparisons across all 71 insurgencies begun and completed worldwide since World War II.
Sep 26, 2013
Report
Paths to Victory: Detailed Insurgency Case Studies
This companion volume to Paths to Victory: Lessons from Modern Insurgencies offers in-depth case studies of 41 insurgencies since World War II. Each case breaks the conflict into phases and examines the trajectory that led to the outcome.
Sep 26, 2013
Research Brief
The Value and Limitations of Minimalist Stabilization Efforts
Assesses the utility and limitations of minimalist stabilization -- small-scale interventions designed to stabilize a partner government engaged in violent conflict -- and proposes policy recommendations to improve the outcomes of such operations.
Oct 1, 2012
Report
The Uses and Limits of Small-Scale Military Interventions
Assesses the utility and limitations of minimalist stabilization -- small-scale interventions designed to stabilize a partner government engaged in violent conflict -- and proposes policy recommendations to improve the outcomes of such operations.
Sep 27, 2012
Report
Characterizing and Exploring the Implications of Maritime Irregular Warfare
An assessment of the maritime component of a series of historical and ongoing operations reveals that current notions of irregular warfare would benefit from increased recognition of potential maritime contributions to such campaigns.
Feb 20, 2012
Report
Considerations for the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce: Preparing to Operate Amidst Private Security Contractors
The U.S. Department of Defense Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW) is deployed to support theater operations. This paper builds on prior RAND research to examine how private security contractors may interact with and affect CEW operations.
Feb 14, 2012
Report
Developing a Defense Sector Assessment Rating Tool
The lack of a comprehensive tool to assess a country's defense sector and its ability to counter a range of internal security threats led to the development of the Defense Sector Assessment Rating Tool, which can be customized for a variety of goals.
Sep 17, 2010
Testimony
Considerations for the Use of Private Security Contractors in Future U.S. Military Deployments
Testimony submitted to the Commission on Wartime Contracting on June 18, 2010.
Jun 16, 2010
Report
Hired Guns: Views About Armed Contractors in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Reports the results of surveys of military and State Department personnel concerning their views on the use of armed private security contractors in the Iraq war.
Jun 1, 2010