Stuart Gottlieb
Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Personal Details
Stuart Gottlieb is an adjunct professor of international and public affairs at SIPA, where he teaches courses on American foreign policy and international security. He also serves as faculty director for SIPA’s professional certification programs in international relations and United Nations studies. He is a member of the Saltzman Institute of War & Peace Studies.
Prior to joining SIPA in 2003, Gottlieb worked for five years in the United States Senate, first as senior foreign policy adviser to Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, and subsequently as policy adviser and chief speechwriter for Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut. He has also worked on several political campaigns, including Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000, and New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's reelection campaign in 1997 and presidential campaign in 2008.
Gottlieb is a former founding partner of Prides Crossing Executive Communication, a speechwriting and communications consulting firm based in New York City whose client list includes well-known public officials and Fortune 500 companies. He continues to consult with political and business leaders, and regularly publishes op-eds and other policy-related articles. A third edition of his book, Debating Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Conflicting Perspectives on Causes, Contexts, and Responses, was published in 2025 (Rowman & Littlefield), and he is currently working on two books on U.S. foreign policy, titled Experimental Power: The Rise and Role of America in World Affairs (Yale University Press), and Founding Tensions: The Age-Old Struggles that Shape America’s Foreign Policy (Oxford University Press).
Gottlieb holds a BA in political science and journalism from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a PhD in international relations from Columbia University.
Education
- PhD in international relations, Columbia University
- MA, Columbia University
- BA in political science and journalism, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Affiliations
In The Media
Stuart Gottlieb says the current White House agenda is so unrealistic it risks a backlash that will hurt the cause for decades.
Stuart Gottlieb recently wrote a letter to New York Times.
"Unless the Biden administration is willing to assume a more forceful posture, the outcome of the conflict could be devastating not only for Ukrainian sovereignty but for America’s global leadership, which is now linked to the fate of Ukraine," says Stuart Gottlieb.
Stuart Gottlieb was a guest on the podcast On The Issues with Alon Ben-Meir, on Ukraine and current world affairs.
In a letter to the New York Times, Stuart Gottlieb notes missteps on COVID by two administrations, calling for "perspective — and humility — regarding what human governments can realistically accomplish against brazen natural threats."