Matthew Rochat

Biography

Matthew Rochat is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Dakota. Professor Rochat's research focuses on international relations, comparative politics, and global development, with particular interests in China's global engagement, African development, maritime infrastructure, political economy, and international security. His research examines how Chinese economic engagement shapes political and economic outcomes in developing countries, particularly through investments in ports and other large-scale infrastructure projects. He also conducts research on maritime security, state capacity, and the political consequences of foreign investment.

Professor Rochat received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a doctoral emphasis in Global Studies. His research has involved extensive fieldwork in West Africa, including Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, and Togo, and draws on interviews with government officials, port authorities, firms, workers, and other stakeholders.

His research has appeared or is forthcoming in International Politics, Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, The African Review, Journal of Asian and African Studies, International Review of Economics, and Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, with additional work appearing in Africa Spectrum and Global Policy. His analysis and commentary have also appeared in outlets including War on the Rocks, The Diplomat, Africa at LSE, Diplomatic Courier, and The National Interest.