Teaching

Courses Taught at Temple University

POLS 1301: International Politics

COurse description

This is an introductory undergraduate lecture course, surveying major issues in international politics.  The first section of the course provides an overview of key concepts in international relations as well as major theoretical approaches to understanding international politics.  The second section of the course addresses issues in international security, looking at the causes of interstate war, civil war, and terrorism; the role that the United Nations plays in responding to conflict and violence in the international system; and changes in international conflict following the end of the Cold War.  The third section of the course considers issues in international political economy, including international trade; economic growth and development; and the role of international institutions such as the WTO, the World Bank, and the IMF.  In the fourth part of the course, focusing on contemporary issues in international relations, topics include the role of international law in international relations; human rights; and prospects for international cooperation to resolve environmental problems.

POLS 2311: Post-Cold War Security

Course Description

This undergraduate lecture course provides an overview of issues in international security, with a focus on the period following the end of the Cold War (post-1989).  The first section of the course focuses on the causes of interstate and civil war in the international system.  Questions in this section of the course include: Why do wars recur in the international system?  Under what conditions are states more likely to go to war with one another?  What are the causes of civil wars and terrorism?  The second section of the course considers the policies and tools available to manage conflict in the international system, examining questions about the potential for institutions to prevent war, the role of norms in restraining violence, and the effectiveness of international humanitarian interventions.  The third section of the course focuses current issues in the field of international security, such as the rise of China and the potential for conflict over Taiwan, nuclear proliferation, and the relationship between climate change and conflict.

POLS 3510: Political Violence & Terrorism

Course Description

 This course is a research preparation seminar, examining political violence, terrorism, insurgency, and civil war.  The first section of the course will examine competing arguments regarding the causes of political violence and war, looking at how economic and political grievances may motivate violence; why political leaders may sometimes encourage violence; and what role ethnicity, national identity, and a sense of insecurity play in the initiation of conflict.  The second section of the course will look at how conflicts are fought, with discussions of guerrilla warfare, terrorism, violence against civilians, counterinsurgency strategies, and counterterrorism strategies.  In the third part of the course, focusing on the resolution of conflicts, topics will include international intervention and peacekeeping; negotiated political settlements such as power-sharing and partition; and post-conflict justice strategies such as domestic and international trials and truth commissions. Throughout the course, we will consider a number of different cases of conflict – for example, wars in Afghanistan, Colombia, El Salvador, Indonesia, Rwanda, Sudan, Syria, and Uganda.

POLS 4896: Capstone Seminar — International Intervention, Peacebuilding & Justice

Course Description

This course is an undergraduate capstone seminar in political science, examining international responses to violence and humanitarian crises worldwide.  The course will begin with a brief introduction to the causes of political violence and terrorism, before examining a variety of different forms of international intervention to halt violent conflict.  The second section of the course will look at international peacebuilding efforts, including international involvement in the mediation of peace agreements and international peacekeeping.  In the third part of the course, focusing on international justice and post-conflict reconstruction, topics will include international involvement in the establishment of political institutions and international efforts to secure justice for conflict-related atrocities.   

Courses Taught at the University of Minnesota

PA 5801:  Global          Public Policy

COurse description

This graduate course surveys major issues in international affairs.  The first section of the course provides an overview of the main theoretical approaches to understanding international politics.  The second section of the course addresses issues in international security, looking at the causes of interstate war, civil war, and terrorism; the role that the United Nations plays in responding to conflict and violence in the international system; and the prospects for resolving ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Syria.  The third section of the course considers issues in international political economy, including international trade; economic growth and development; and the role of international institutions such as the WTO, the World Bank, and the IMF.  In the fourth part of the course, focusing on contemporary issues in international relations, topics will include the role of international law in international relations; human rights; prospects for international cooperation to resolve environmental problems; and nuclear proliferation.

PA 5890: Political Violence, Conflict, and War

Course Description

This graduate seminar course examines the causes, dynamics, and resolution of interstate and civil wars. The first section of the course will examine competing arguments regarding the causes of political violence and war, looking at how economic and political grievances may motivate violence; why political leaders may sometimes encourage violence; and what role ethnicity, national identity, and a sense of insecurity play in the initiation of conflict. The second section of the course will look at how wars are fought, with discussions of guerrilla warfare, counterinsurgency strategies, and terrorism. In the third part of the course, focusing on the resolution of conflicts, topics will include international intervention and peacekeeping; negotiated political settlements such as power-sharing and partition; and post-conflict justice strategies such as domestic and international trials and truth commissions. Throughout the course, we will consider a number of different cases of conflict – for example, wars in Afghanistan, Colombia, El Salvador, Indonesia, Rwanda, Sudan, Syria, and Uganda.

PA 8005: Doctoral Research Seminar in Public Affairs

Course Description

This course is a seminar intended to aid Ph.D. students in developing a prospectus for a major research project. Depending on the student’s chosen sub-field and progress within the Ph.D. program, the research prospectus may be: a) a dissertation prospectus; b) a research prospectus providing an overview of a three-paper dissertation; c) a research prospectus for one of the three papers in a three-paper dissertation; or d) a research prospectus for a major research project that is not part of the dissertation.  The course will provide tools and a framework for developing a research prospectus, including in-class workshops to provide feedback on drafts of your prospectus. The course addresses topics such as identifying a viable and compelling research question, situating and framing a research project within the existing literature, selecting a methodological approach (or approaches), and developing a strategy for moving forward with the research project.