M. Aynal Haque - Department of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences

Assistant Professor, Political Scienceaynal-haque
NRB 349
406-496-4501
ahaque@mtech.edu

Biography

I received my Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut, where I also earned an M.A. in Political Science and a Graduate Certificate in Human Rights. Before pursuing political science, I studied global development and peace, public health, and anthropology. Altogether, I have studied at five universities across different countries and academic settings, an experience that has contributed to the interdisciplinary perspective I bring to my teaching and research.

My teaching experience spans several types of higher-education institutions. Before joining Montana Tech, I taught political science at the University of Connecticut, a large public research university, and served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of International Relations at Bucknell University, a liberal arts institution. At Montana Tech, a STEM-focused public university, I teach across the political science curriculum, including Introduction to Political Science, American Government, Political Theory, Culture Change and Global Development, State and Local Government, International Relations, and Global Environmental Politics.

My broader academic perspective has also been shaped by research and professional experience in Bangladesh and the United States, including work with BRAC and icddr,b and internships at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Research Interests

My research is grounded in political science, with interests spanning international relations, comparative politics, political economy, and global environmental politics. I examine how political institutions, economic interests, international pressures, and state-society relations shape policy choices and political outcomes across countries. My work addresses questions related to climate change, development, human security, international cooperation, nonstate actors, and South Asian politics.

My current research examines variation in national climate policy ambition, the politics of Chinese development investment in South Asia particularly Bangladesh and Pakistan, transboundary water and regional political relations in South and Southeast Asia, and how corporations, social media influencers, and digital platforms shape consumption and climate-related narratives.

Ongoing Research Projects

Mitigating Climate Change: Cross-National Variation in Policy Ambitions
Book project

This book examines why countries differ in their ambition to mitigate climate change under the Paris Agreement. Using cross-national analysis of 151 countries together with an in-depth case study of Bangladesh, the project investigates how political institutions, economic structures, climate vulnerability, and international influences shape national climate policy ambition. The manuscript builds on my dissertation research and is currently at an advanced stage of development.

Green or Grey? Chinese Development Investment and Politics of Climate Change in South Asia
IRB Exempt; collaborative research project

This project examines how Chinese-funded development and infrastructure investment affects environmental governance and climate politics in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Using interviews with policy experts and other relevant stakeholders together with existing data, the study explores how governments and other actors navigate the tension between economic development, infrastructure needs, environmental protection, and climate mitigation.

Who Pays the Social Media Influencers? The Politics of Influence, Overconsumption, and Climate Change
IRB Exempt; Montana Tech Seed Grant project

This project investigates the political economy of social media influence by examining how corporate sponsorships, digital platforms, and influencer networks shape consumption, sustainability, and climate-related narratives. The study combines interviews with content and network analysis to explore relationships among influencers, brands, audiences, products, and climate messaging, while also creating opportunities for Montana Tech students to participate in mixed-methods research.

Selected Honors & Awards

  • 2026 – Montana Tech Seed Grant, Montana Technological University
  • 2023–2024 – Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, University of Connecticut
  • 2023 & 2021 – Summer Dissertation Award, University of Connecticut
  • 2022 – Duck Family Environmental Politics and Governance Grant, University of Washington
  • 2021 – Best Teaching Assistant of the Year, Department of Political Science, University of Connecticut
  • 2019 & 2021 – Howard L. Reiter Scholarship, University of Connecticut
  • 2016 – Best M.A. Thesis Award, University of Bridgeport
  • 2015 & 2016 – Poster Awards, Committee on Teaching about the United Nations, United Nations Headquarters

Professional Career in Brief

  • Montana Technological University: Assistant Professor of Political Science, 2025–present
  • Bucknell University: Visiting Assistant Professor of International Relations, 2024–2025
  • University of Connecticut: Instructor and Graduate/Teaching Assistant in Political Science, 2017–2024
  • Green Village Initiative, Connecticut: Program Coordinator, 2016–2017
  • United Nations Headquarters, New York: Intern, Department for General Assembly and Conference Management, 2016
  • Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, New York: Intern, First Committee—Disarmament and International Security, 2015
  • International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b): Research Fellow, 2012–2013
  • Organization of Development Program for the Underprivileged, Bangladesh: Program Manager, 2010–2011
  • BRAC, Bangladesh: Research Assistant, Research and Evaluation Division, 2010

Courses Taught

Montana Technological University

  • PSCI 101 – Introduction to Political Science
  • PSCI 210 – Introduction to American Government
  • PSCI 250 – Introduction to Political Theory
  • PSCI 260 – State and Local Government
  • PSCI 291 – Introduction to International Relations
  • PSCI 391 – Global Environmental Politics
  • ANTY 329 – Culture Change and Global Development

Bucknell University

  • IREL 101 – War, Peace, Power, and Prosperity
  • IREL 217 – Environmental Conflict and Security
  • IREL/POLS 286 – Nonstate Actors in International Relations
  • IREL 240 – Human Security

University of Connecticut

  • POLS 1602 – Introduction to American Politics
  • POLS 3632 – Urban Politics
  • POLS 2622 – State and Local Government
  • POLS 1202 – Introduction to Comparative Politics
  • POLS 2972Q – Quantitative Analysis in Political Science
  • POLS 1402 – Introduction to International Relations
  • POLS 1207 – Introduction to Non-Western Politics

Selected Publications

Haque, M. Aynal. “Geopolitics and Regional Integration in the Bay of Bengal: The Bangladesh–Myanmar Nexus.” International Journal for Peace and Public Leadership, 2, 9–36, 2026.

Haque, M. Aynal. “Access to Freshwater and Bilateral Relationships among Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) Basin States.” Journal of International Relations and Policy, 7(1), 1–17, 2026.

Haque, M. Aynal. “Effects of International Climate Policy on Renewable Energy Consumption: The Context of the Kyoto Protocol.” Journal of Climate Policy, 3(1), 1–11, 2024.

Haque, M. Aynal. “Conceptualizing Climate Justice.” Journal of Climate Policy, 3(1), 12–30, 2024.

Coleman, Eric A., Prakash Kashwan, and M. Aynal Haque. “Democracy and Income Inequality Moderate the Impacts of Protected Areas.” Revised and resubmitted to Environmental Research Letters, 2026.

Outside Academia

Outside academia, I enjoy gardening, hiking, fishing, and drumming.