International Affairs Experts
The George Washington University is home to leading scholars who bring an impressive range of expertise and experience to the study and practice of international affairs. Contact us to set up an interview:
Marlene Laruelle
Marlene Laruelle is a research professor of international affairs and director of the GW Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies. She is an expert on the rise of populist and illiberal movements in post-Soviet Eurasia, Europe and the United States. She also has expertise on Russia's ideological landscape and its outreach abroad.
Martha Finnemore
Martha Finnemore is University Professor of Political Science and International Affairs. Her research focuses on global governance, international organizations, ethics, cybersecurity, internet governance and social theory.
Mona Atia
Mona Atia is an associate professor of geography and international affairs and director of the GW Institute for Middle East Studies. Her areas of expertise include Islamic charity and finance, philanthropy and humanitarianism, housing/urban development, the production of poverty knowledge, and the spatial politics of marginalization.
Robert Orttung
Robert Orttung, assistant research professor of international affairs, is an expert in urban sustainability, comparative politics, Russia, Ukraine and energy security. He has conducted research on the evolution of Putins Russia, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the impact of energy on international relations. He is leading a major research project on urban sustainability in the Arctic.
R. Budd Haemer
R. Budd Haemer is a professorial lecturer in law at GW Law where he teaches Atomic Energy law. He has over four decades of experience in the nuclear industry, both as part of the U.S. Government and in the U.S. commercial industry. As a lawyer, his practice covers a wide range of legal topics necessary for successful support of commercial nuclear power operation, including State and NRC regulatory matters, commercial transactions, employee relations and government affairs.
Sean Roberts
Sean Roberts, associate professor of the practice of international affairs and anthropology, is an expert on development theory, democracy development, indigenous rights, Central Asia, the former Soviet Union and China. His research is focused on China's development of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region as well as democracy development in former Soviet Central Asia.
Salah S. Hassan
Salah S. Hassan, a professor of global marketing and brand strategy, is an expert on sustainability marketing, the future of smart cities, and nation branding. His internationally recognized research advances new frameworks on the analysis of key sustainability imperatives related to creating value, building brand leadership, and investing in a better world to improve quality of life standards.
Scheherazade Rehman
Scheherazade Rehman is a professor of international business and international affairs. She is an expert on international financial markets, crises management, global economic/political/financial risk assessment and digital technology cybersecurity risk. She has advised a number of institutions including OPIC, USAID, U.S. State Department, The World Bank and IMF.
David Shambaugh
David Shambaugh, professor of political science and international affairs, is an expert on the domestic politics, foreign relations and military and security of China and international relations of Asia. His research focuses on the globalization of China, China-Europe relations and China’s role in Asia.
Sharon Squassoni
Sharon Squassoni, a research professor of international affairs, focuses her research on reducing risks from nuclear energy and weapons. Her expertise includes nuclear energy, nuclear weapons, nuclear arms control, nuclear security and nuclear nonproliferation.
David Shinn
David Shinn, professorial lecturer in the Elliott School of International Affairs, was the U.S. ambassador to both Burkina Faso and Ethiopia, and held foreign service posts in Lebanon, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritania, Cameroon and Sudan. Mr. Shinn is an expert on the Horn of Africa and China-Africa engagement, among other regional topics. His research interests include China-Africa relations, East Africa and the Horn, terrorism, Islamic fundamentalism, conflict situations, U.S. policy in Africa and the African brain drain.
Shirley Graham
Shirley Graham is an associate professor of practice in international affairs and director of the GW Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs. She is an expert on gender and international peacekeeping, peace and security and women's empowerment.
Scott R. Siler
Siler is a seasoned advisor with over a decade of experience helping senior executive officials better fulfill business and mission goals by developing strategic and tactical objectives in response to emerging political, economic, and technological trends. An award winning researcher, Scott’s work has ranged from writing and presenting technical papers with NASA staff to publishing articles in leading Harvard policy journals to helping Meghan O’Sullivan, former deputy national security director for Iraq and Afghanistan, write a book on U.S. energy and foreign policy. His expertise includes geopolitical & country risk and transnational issues.
Robert Sutter
Robert Sutter, professor of practice of international affairs, specializes in contemporary U.S. policy toward Asia and the Pacific, Taiwan and Chinese foreign relations. His research focuses on contemporary East Asian and Pacific countries and their relations with the United States.
Richard Thornton
Richard Thornton, professor of history and international affairs, is an expert on U.S. foreign policy and the history of US-Russian and Sino-Russian relations. His research focuses on American foreign policy since World War II, Twentieth-Century China and Sino-Soviet relations.
Paul Williams
Paul Williams, associate professor of international affairs, specializes in international peace operations, warfare in Africa, Africa's international relations and conflict resolution. He has conducted research on war and conflict in Africa, peace operations in Africa and United Nations peacekeeping operations.