Thomas Rotnem

Thomas Rotnem is a Professor in the Department of Political Science & International Affairs at Kennesaw State University, part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. He joined the institution in Fall 2015 and teaches courses in comparative politics and international relations.

His research expertise lies in democratization, the 'resource curse,' and international political economy, with a strong regional focus on Russia, emerging markets, and Northeast Asia. He has published extensively on social welfare in transitioning economies, foreign direct investment, and energy politics in petro-states.

His recent scholarly work includes a chapter on Sino-Russian engagement in Northeast Asia and ongoing archival research on Russia's Arctic interests during the late Putin era. His publications reflect a consistent focus on political economy, energy geopolitics, and post-Soviet political development.

Dr. Rotnem has received prestigious awards and fellowships including the Fulbright Lecturing Award (2010) and multiple Outstanding Faculty and Teaching Awards. He has secured grants from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Education, the Social Science Research Council, IREX, ACCELS/ACTR, and the Kennan Institute.

He has presented at international conferences and participated in formative Salzburg Seminars on U.S. foreign policy and Russian political development. Professionally, he served as President of the Georgia Political Science Association (GPSA) and is currently Editor-in-Chief of the refereed journal Questions in Politics. He also mentors students and leads collaborative research projects, though specific advisees are not listed. His work is supported by long-standing external funding and active engagement in academic and policy-oriented networks.