Anand Rao

Dr. Anand Rao is an Assistant Professor of Political Science & International Relations at the State University of New York at Geneseo, where he has been since 2015. He serves as Interim Coordinator of the International Relations Major (2024-25). His research focuses on comparative politics, international relations, and East Asian politics, with a particular emphasis on Japan’s domestic and foreign policies. He holds a Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Virginia (2015), an M.A. in Political Science from Columbia University (2000), and a B.A. in History and Political Science from Union College (1996). He is a FLAS Fellowship recipient and served as an Academic Visitor at St Antony's College, University of Oxford (Oct-Dec 2023).

Dr. Rao teaches courses on comparative politics, East Asian politics, terrorism and national security, and democratic peace theory. His scholarship explores topics like North Korea's foreign policy, regional security dynamics in East Asia, and Japan's immigration challenges. His work has been published in journals such as Asian Politics & Policy and Japan Studies Association Journal.

His professional affiliations include membership in the U.S.-Japan Network for the Future (Cohort V, 2019-2022) and presentations at conferences like the Association for Asian Studies and the American Political Science Association. His research bridges academic rigor with policy relevance, addressing contemporary issues in global and regional politics.