Hello,

I’m an Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Rogers State University. In 2025–26, I’m also a Civil War Paths Fellow at the University of York’s Centre for the Comparative Study of Civil War. My research interests lie at the intersection of international security, terrorism, militia groups, and great-power intervention in civil wars, with a regional focus on the Middle East and North Africa. I’ve conducted fieldwork in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere in the region.

My book, Great Power Intervention in Civil Wars: Strategic Denial of Rivals in the Middle East and North Africa, is under contract and in production with Routledge. My journal articles appear in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Small Wars & Insurgencies, and Middle East Policy, among others, and I’ve written commentary for outlets such as The Hill, The Jerusalem Post, and the Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis.

I received my Ph.D. in Political Science from Louisiana State University (M.A., Valparaiso; B.A., University of Sulaimani). I also completed specialized graduate coursework on conflict, terrorism, and international security at Georgia Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and at Kennesaw State University, and have worked with several policy organizations, including the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Feel free to reach out: htarkhani@rsu.edu. I’m always open to collaboration and conversation.