Rate My Professor Carla Robbins

Carla Robbins serves as Clinical Professor of National Security Studies and Marxe faculty director of the Master of International Affairs program at Baruch College's Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. A Political Science professor with a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley (1982), an M.A. from the same institution (1975), and a B.A. from Wellesley College (1974), she was also a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University (1989). Her research specializations and academic interests encompass national security, U.S. foreign policy, U.S. politics, journalism, and international institutions. Before her appointment at Baruch College in January 2013, Robbins had a distinguished career in journalism spanning over three decades. She served as deputy editorial page editor at The New York Times (2007-2012), assistant editorial page editor (2006), senior national security writer (2004-2006), and chief diplomatic correspondent and national security editor at The Wall Street Journal (1999-2004), where her work contributed to two Pulitzer Prizes—for International Reporting on the Russian financial crisis (1999) and National Reporting on the post-Cold War defense budget (2000). Earlier roles included senior diplomatic correspondent at U.S. News & World Report (1991-1992), Latin America bureau chief (1986-1989), and State Department correspondent at Business Week (1984-1986). She reported extensively from Latin America, Europe, Russia, and the Middle East. Currently, she is an adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, leading a roundtable series on "National security in an age of disruption."

Robbins' key publications include the book The Cuban Threat (McGraw-Hill, 1983), the article "Oligarchs and Officers: The Crisis in El Salvador" in Foreign Affairs (1980, with W. M. LeoGrande), and "Narratives and Analysis" in Nieman Reports (1998), along with numerous book chapters and op-eds in The New York Times on topics such as Afghanistan, Iran, nuclear policy, and U.S. diplomacy. Her major awards and honors comprise the Edward Weintal Prize for Diplomatic Reporting (Georgetown University, 2003), Elizabeth Neuffer Prize (co-winner, U.N. Correspondents Association, 2004), Peter R. Weitz Prize (co-winner, German Marshall Fund, 2004), two Edwards Media Fellowships (Hoover Institution, Stanford University, 2003 and 2005), Morton Frank Award (co-winner, Overseas Press Club, 1984), and the Baruch College Alumni Association Faculty Service Award (2017). At Baruch, she teaches courses like PAF 9437 U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security, PAF 9184 International Institutions and Law, and PAF 9615 Who Makes Policy?, chairs the Curriculum Committee, and has moderated panels and public affairs events, contributing significantly to public policy discourse and student training in international affairs.