Teaching

In the upcoming academic year 2024-2025, I am teaching the following courses at Bates College. Please use Garnet Gateway to register. If you have any specific questions about course topics, feel free to contact me, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. 

In addition to exploring my current and future courses, you can use the dropdown menu to explore my teaching philosophy and past teaching experiences.

PLTC 115: Political Institutions and Processes of the United States

Semester: Winter 2025

This introductory description and analysis of United States governmental and political institutions and processes is particularly focused on exploring the conditions and strategies for political decision making. It is organized to introduce students to common questions about and analysis of federal institutions (Presidency, Congress, Judiciary), Constitutional history and the founding, political parties, elections, voting behavior interest groups, and public opinion.

PLTC 211: Parties, Campaigns, and Elections

Semester: Fall 2024

In this course, we will explore how political parties organize and practice campaigns in the United States. We will consider why people run for office and how political parties, interest groups, and electoral rules influence how campaigns play out. Next, we will explore the content of campaigns – the positions candidates take, the effects of political contexts and campaign events, how campaign messages are conveyed to citizens, and how this all influences election outcomes. Finally, we will consider the effects of campaigns on citizens – what they learn, how they evaluate candidates, what animates their participation, and how they choose which candidates to vote for.

PLTC 218: Statistics for Political Analysis

Semester: Winter 2025

In this course, students learn how political scientists use statistics. They learn basic statistical concepts, make controlled comparisons, use statistical tests and measures of association to make inferences, and conduct linear regressions. The course develops practical skills, including the ability to use the computing program R, create graphs and perform statistical analysis using R. Students also explore the advantages and limitations of statistics as a research methodology as well as questions of research ethics.

PLTC 313: New Technologies and Politics

Semester: Fall 2024

In this course, students consider how new technologies shape the world of politics. Drawing on a broad set of examples from both the developed and developing world, as well as democracies and non-democracies, they study how new technologies have affected citizen participation, social movement mobilization, elections, governance, security, conflict, political development, and social justice. This course provides students with an in-depth survey of the key issues and debates surrounding new technologies and politics. Students are encouraged to explore topics of interest in further detail.