معرفی
Dr. Stefanie Ortmann serves as Associate Professor of International Relations at the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex, holding a prominent position in critical geopolitical scholarship. Her institutional affiliation combines disciplinary expertise in IR with regional specialization in post-Soviet spaces.
Her academic foundation includes an MA (Hons) in Politics & History from the University of Edinburgh, followed by an MSc in History and Theory of International Relations and PhD in IR from the London School of Economics. Prior to Sussex, she taught at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek and Royal Holloway, University of London.
Ortmann's research centers on the myth of the state in international relations, critically examining the return of Great Power concepts and geopolitical framings in contemporary world politics. Her geographic focus on Russia and former Soviet space, particularly Russia-Central Asia relations, serves as a critical lens to challenge Eurocentric IR paradigms and universalist assumptions about 'the international'. Theoretical approaches integrate hermeneutic and linguistic frameworks with anthropological state theories, Koselleckian conceptual history, and Critical Geopolitics. Current projects investigate Russian 'hyper-Westphalian' state performance, 'sphere of influence' discourse, political conspiracy theories across post-Soviet regions, and imperial legacies in state-building processes.
Analysis of her publication trajectory reveals consistent engagement with critical deconstruction of geopolitical concepts. Recent works (2021-2025) demonstrate heightened focus on Ukraine invasion implications, Area Studies epistemology debates, and evolving 'Great Power' discourse. Earlier scholarship (2011-2020) established foundational critiques of 'spheres of influence' narratives and Russian seductive power mechanisms in Central Asia, with growing emphasis on conceptual history methodologies across her career.
Her teaching portfolio includes convening 'The Politics of Foreign Policy' (2nd year), 'Russia and the FSU in Global Politics' (3rd year), and 'Russia and Eurasia in International Politics' (MA option), alongside specialized courses on Putin's power dynamics and Eurasia's relationship with the liberal West. These courses directly translate her research foci into pedagogical frameworks addressing contemporary geopolitical crises.
Ortmann actively contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) through her critical examination of state power and international order. While specific grants aren't documented in source materials, her publication record indicates sustained research productivity through collaborative projects with scholars across Europe and Central Asia.
Her methodological approach combines interpretivist theoretical frameworks with deep regional expertise, creating distinctive pathways for understanding post-Soviet political imaginaries and their global implications. This work positions her at the intersection of critical geopolitics, state theory, and post-Soviet studies, offering vital counter-narratives to mainstream IR approaches.
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