Rob Dayley

Dr. Rob Dayley is a Professor of International Political Economy at The College of Idaho since 2000. He specializes in the political economy of the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on Southeast Asia, agrarian change in Thailand, and comparative political economy. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Northern Illinois University, an M.A. in Asian Studies from the University of Oregon, and a B.A. in Political Science from Weber State University.

His research includes two Fulbright grants to Thailand, teaching at Payap University (Chiang Mai) and China Agricultural University (Beijing), and fluency in Thai. He authored Southeast Asia in the New International Era (Routledge 2020), a widely used textbook. Dayley has led 11 off-campus courses to Southeast Asia/China and advises the Model UN program, which has won multiple awards.

He served on the national board of ASIANetwork, creating and administering the Speakers Bureau grant program. In 2011, he was named Idaho Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation and CASE. Currently, he serves as College of Idaho Faculty President-Elect and chairs the Davis Projects for Peace Campus Committee.

Dayley’s work integrates teaching, research, and program development, particularly in the PEAK curriculum and Asian Studies initiatives. His research explores themes like Thai agrarian dynamics, ASEAN regionalism, and China’s political leadership. He balances academic pursuits with family life in Caldwell, Idaho, and outdoor activities in the Rocky Mountains.