Professor Pevehouse's research interests lie in international relations, international political economy, American foreign policy, international organizations, and political methodology. Professor Pevehouse's work examines the relationship between domestic and international politics. Topics on which he has recently published include regional trade agreements, human rights institutions, exchange rate politics, and international organizations. He is the author, with Joshua Goldstein, of International Relations, the leading textbook on international politics. He is currently the editor of International Organization, the leading journal in the field of international relations. He is the co-editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of International Political Economy and the editor of the Cambridge Elements Series in International Relations.

Few scholars have systematically examined whether the world outside a state's borders can influence the prospects for democracy. Jon Pevehouse argues that regional organizations, such as the European Union and the Organization of American States, can have an important role in both the transition to, and the longevity of, democracy. Combining statistical analysis and case study evidence, Pevehouse finds that regional organizations can be a potent force for instilling and protecting democracy throughout the world.