Claas Mertens

I research geoeconomics — economic sanctions, export controls, weaponized interdependence, and the geoeconomics of climate change. My current book project, Varieties of Chokepoints, asks why some economic ties give states coercive power while others do not. Across these projects, my aim is to help governments navigate the growing tension between economic security and the gains from trade.

I am also a Junior Research Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford. Previously, I was a Fellow at Princeton University’s Niehaus Center, and I hold a DPhil (PhD) in International Relations from the University of Oxford. My work has appeared in International Studies Quarterly, the Review of International Organizations, International Interactions, and Regulation & Governance.

Before academia, I worked at the international management consultancy Kearney. I have taught quantitative research methods at Oxford and also provide independent geopolitical consulting.

I was Rowing World Champion in 2015 and represented Oxford in the 2018 Oxford–Cambridge Boat Race. These days, I am a passionate (if very average) surfer.