Alexander Cooley

About Alexander Cooley

Alexander Cooley is the Claire Tow Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University. He served as the 15th Director of Columbia University's Harriman Institute for Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies, and as Vice Provost for Research and Academic Centers at Barnard College.

Cooley's research examines how external actors influence sovereignty, governance, and political development in post-Communist states, with particular focus on Central Asia and the Caucasus. His recent books include Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics (Oxford University Press, 2025, co-authored with Alexander Dukalskis), Exit from Hegemony: The Unraveling of the American Global Order (Oxford University Press, 2020, co-authored with Daniel Nexon), and Great Games, Local Rules: The New Great Power Contest in Central Asia (Oxford University Press, 2012).

Beyond his academic research, Cooley has testified before Congressional committees on Eurasian issues, advised governments and private actors, and served on international advisory committees, foundations, and working groups focused on the region. He is a frequent commentator for international media and has published opinion pieces in Foreign Affairs, the New York Times, Journal of Democracy, and Foreign Policy. His research has been supported by fellowships from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Open Society Foundations, Smith Richardson Foundation, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Cooley earned his PhD from Columbia University.