Angela Gapa

Dr. Angela Gapa is an Associate Professor of International Relations at California State University, Chico, within the Political Science and Criminal Justice Department. She holds a PhD in International Relations from Florida International University, an MA in International Studies, a Graduate Certificate in National Security, and a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Science and Health from NUST. Her research bridges International Relations and Comparative Politics, focusing on resource politics, geopolitical dynamics of extractive industries, and identity-driven foreign policy in Africa.

Teaching specialties include the Politics of Developing Nations, Comparative Politics, African Politics, and Conflict & Security Studies. She advises the senior Capstone seminar and graduate International Relations courses.

Her research examines resource-rich nations' political economies, particularly in southern Africa, analyzing diamond, platinum, oil, and rare earth mineral industries. She explores how geopolitical forces and identity politics shape resource governance and economic trajectories.

Recent work includes analysis of Botswana's elite identities in foreign policy, African resource economies, and community-state-corporate tensions in mining regions. Her writing appears in journals like African Studies Quarterly and The Extractive Industries and Society.

Prior to Chico State, Dr. Gapa taught at St. Lawrence University and Providence College. She serves as a key academic in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, contributing to interdisciplinary discussions on global development challenges.