Samir Hasanov holds a doctorate in political science specialising in Russia and South Caucasus countries. He studied at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne and was a scholarship holder of the German Bundestag and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. His research focuses on Russia's security policy and national security strategies, Russia's nationality policy, domestic and foreign policy of the South Caucasus states, conflict research: ethno-territorial conflicts in the South Caucasus.