Dr. Mohammed Sulaimani is an Assistant Professor of Public and International Affairs in the Department of Global Studies at KFUPM Business School. His research lies at the intersection of international political economy, energy policy, and natural resource governance, with a particular focus on institutional design and state–firm relations in extractive industries.

His scholarly work examines the political economy of oil governance, international concession agreements, and foreign investment in resource-dependent economies. Drawing on frameworks from institutional economics and international relations theory, Dr. Sulaimani analyzes how contractual structures, enforcement mechanisms, and sovereign authority shape long-term development outcomes in oil-producing states. His doctoral dissertation, “In Between Sovereigns: The Political Economy of International Oil Concessions,” develops a theoretical explanation of oil nationalization and renegotiation dynamics grounded in enforcement costs and bargaining asymmetries between host governments and multinational firms.

Dr. Sulaimani’s broader research agenda addresses global energy governance, geopolitical risk in energy markets, and the institutional foundations of sustainable resource management. His master’s research examined the political economy of Saudi Aramco’s IPO, integrating energy policy analysis with Middle East political economy.

Through his research and teaching, Dr. Sulaimani contributes to academic and policy discussions on energy transition, governance reform, and the strategic management of natural resources in emerging economies.

Ph.D., Public and International Affairs (International Affairs and Public Administration), University of Pittsburgh, Dec 2024

M.I.A., International Affairs (Energy Policy and Middle East Studies), Pennsylvania State University, 2018

B.Sc., Political Science (International Political Economy), King Abdulaziz University, 2013

Energy Policy

Natural Resource Governance

Institutional Economics

International Political Economy

Oil Governance

Sulaimani, M. (2024). In Between Sovereigns: The Political Economy of International Oil Concessions. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Sulaimani, M. (2018). Saudi Aramco’s IPO: A Political Economy Analysis. Master’s Thesis, Pennsylvania State University.