Dr. Rudabeh Shahid is a comparative politics and international relations scholar whose research focuses on civil society, migration, ethnic politics, and the geopolitics of South Asia. Her interdisciplinary approach merges insights from political science, anthropology, and history to explore critical issues such as statelessness, ethnic conflicts, and the influence of global powers like China in the South Asian region. Her work raises questions about the intersections of nationalism, displacement, and regional geopolitics, particularly focusing on how historical legacies and contemporary global shifts shape identity and governance. This research is vital for understanding the complex socio-political dynamics of post-colonial South Asia and its implications for international relations.

Dr. Rudabeh Shahid's academic journey began with a BA from Middlebury College, followed by an MA in International Relations from the University of Sussex and a PhD from Durham University. She has held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of York and the New College of Florida. Earlier, she was a Visiting Winter Term Instructor in the Department of Political Science at Middlebury College and a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics at Oberlin College. Currently, she is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Government at Wesleyan University, and she also contributes to the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service Institute by training U.S. diplomats. Additionally, she serves as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center. Her work bridges academia and public scholarship, engaging with issues of citizenship, migration, statelessness, and regional power shifts in developing countries, particularly in South Asia.