Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

My research is problem driven, methodologically eclectic, and draws bridges between political theory, empirical political science, and the broader humanities. I bring a similar approach to my teaching, drawing on diverse source material, assessments, and classroom techniques to empower students to critically analyze and engage their political worlds. I approach my courses, from syllabus design to lesson plans to classroom activities, with student-centered learning objectives that coalesce around three main goals...

Teaching Evaluations

"This professor makes every other class I've taken look bad and the professors look lazy. He is really good. He seems to be equally passionate and knowledgeable about this subject. I wish I would have taken his class sooner in my undergraduate career” (Student in PS 49: Climate Change and Global Justice, Spring 2018)

Syllabi

I implement principles of “backwards design” when designing my courses, first adapting my broad pedagogic goals to concrete, assessable, and active student learning objectives for the course. I then design my course topics, select course readings and other material, and develop assessments to achieve these objectives. Each class has its own learning objectives that build towards the course outcomes, and I carefully craft assessments that evaluate student progress towards these goals. When designing the topics and arc of the course, I focus around large thematic questions and debates – “What is authority?”; “How have conceptions of utopianism changed over time?”; “How do principles of justice evaluate the effects of climate change?” – in addition to, or instead of, chronological sequence.