Thomas H. Henriksen
Senior Fellow

Expertise: U.S. foreign policy, international political and defense affairs, responses to “failed” and rogue states

Thomas H. Henriksen is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. His current research focuses on American foreign policy in the post-cold war world, international political affairs, and national defense. He specializes in the study of U.S. diplomatic and military courses of action toward terrorist havens, such as Afghanistan, and the so-called rogue states, including North Korea, Iraq, and Iran. He also concentrates on armed and covert interventions abroad.

Henriksen's most recent book is American Power after the Berlin Wall (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007), which examines for the first time, in a single volume, U.S. foreign policy from 1989 to the present through the prism of America’s interventions around the world. Other recent books include an edited volume titled Foreign Policy for America in the 21st Century: Alternative Perspectives (Hoover Institution Press, 2001), Using Power and Diplomacy to Deal with Rogue States (Hoover Essays in Public Policy, 1999) and the edited collection North Korea after Kim Il Sung (Hoover Institution Press, 1999).

He also authored or edited the following books and monographs: One Korea? Challenges and Prospects for Reunification (1994); The New World Order: War, Peace, and Military Preparedness (1992); Revolution and Counterrevolution: Mozambique's War of Independence (1983); The Struggle for Zimbabwe: Battle in the Bush (1981); Soviet and Chinese Aid to African Nations (1980); and Mozambique: A History (1978). His book Mozambique: A History was chosen for the Outstanding Book Award for African History by Choice.

Additionally, he has written numerous journal articles and newspaper essays concerning international politics and security as well as U.S. policy toward rogue states in the post-cold war era.

Henriksen has received research grants from the American Philosophical Society, the State University of New York, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Defense Foreign Language fellowship program. During 1982, he traveled to the former Soviet Union as a member of the Forum for the U.S.-Soviet Dialogue.

He is also a senior fellow at the U.S. Joint Special Operations University, which focuses on the joint education needs of special operations at the executive senior and intermediate leader levels. He is a member of the board of trustees of the George C. Marshall Foundation and a member of the board of trustees for the International Conference Group on Portugal. During the 1979–1980 academic year, he was the Susan Louise Dyer Peace Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He taught history at the State University of New York from 1969 until he left in 1979 as a full professor. During 1963–1965, Henriksen served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army.

His national public service includes participation as a member of the U.S. Army Science Board (1984–90) and the President's Commission on White House Fellowships (1987–93). He also received a Certificate of Appreciation for Patriotic Civilian Service from the U.S. Department of the Army in 1990.

He received his B.A. in 1962 from Virginia Military Institute, his M.A. in 1966 and his Ph.D. in 1969, both from Michigan State University. He was selected for membership in Phi Alpha Theta, the history honorary society, as a graduate student.