Katharina Rietzler

Katharina Rietzler is an Associate Professor in American History at the University of Sussex's School of Media, Arts and Humanities. Her research focuses on the history of international thought, particularly women's contributions to twentieth-century international relations and international law. She has co-edited two award-winning volumes, including Women's International Thought: A New History (2021) and Towards a New Canon (2022), which have received multiple accolades such as the Joseph Fletcher Prize, ISA Theory Section Prizes, and the BISA Susan Strange Prize.

• 2021–present: Associate Professor in American History, University of Sussex
• 2018–2020: Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow, University of Sussex
• 2014–2018: Mellon Research Fellow, University of Cambridge
• 2014–2018: Bye-Fellow, Pembroke College, Cambridge

Rietzler's research explores transnational intellectual networks, U.S. philanthropy's role in shaping international relations as a discipline, and the intersection of international politics with gender dynamics. Her article "U.S. Foreign Policy Think Tanks and Women’s Intellectual Labor, 1920–1950" (2022) won the Arthur Miller Institute Article Prize. Her recent work examines reactionary publics and polyphonic internationalism, demonstrating continuity in analyzing marginalized voices in global intellectual history.

Scientific Awards

• 2021 Joseph Fletcher Prize
• 2021 ISA Theory Section Best Edited Volume
• 2023 BISA Susan Strange Prize
• 2023 HOTCUS Inclusive Curriculum Award

Rietzler supervises postgraduate research on topics including U.S. intellectual history, African American public spheres, and women's international thought. Her teaching covers modules like Women in America, Historical Controversy: William Appleman Williams, and Human Rights in History. She has secured grants from the British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, and Rockefeller Archive Center.