I primarily teach comparative politics and research methods classes at the University of the Fraser Valley. I taught previously at the College of Charleston, Tulane University, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Courses taught at the University of the Fraser Valley:

Comparative Politics (Fall 2019; Winter 2020; Fall 2020; Spring 2021) syllabus

This course introduces students to the field of comparative politics. Students study the major theoretical approaches within the field and apply them to specific countries. In this course, students study how governments function and how issues such as inequality, development, and the rule of law affect governance. The course compares democracies, semi-democracies, and authoritarian regimes to better understand the concept of democracy. It uses the countries of the United States, France, Mexico, India, and Angola to examine political issues. This course helps students to understand how government institutions differ among countries and how political scientists have explained those differences. It also helps students to understand how different institutional contexts influence how ordinary people act politically.

Research Methods and Approaches in Political Science (Fall 2019; Spring 2021) syllabus

This course prepares students to evaluate existing research and to conduct their own research about political issues. It familiarizes students with a number of methods and approaches to the study of politics. Students study quantitative and qualitative empirical research methods. Students also study normative and interpretive research methods in order to to understand how they differ from empirical methods. Topics covered include research design, concept formation, and the process of knowledge formation. Methods studied include experimental research, introductory statistics, survey design, comparative and historical research, interviews, focus groups, textual analysis, ethnography, feminist, indigenous, and activist research methods.

The Canadian State and Indigenous Governance (Fall 2020)

This course provides an overview of how Indigenous peoples in Canada interact politically with the Canadian state. In order to better understand Indigenous politics and self-government in Canada, this class places Canada in global context. It addresses the political realities and lived experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada, as well as, how the experiences of Indigenous peoples in other countries compare to those in Canada. It examines how settler colonialism impacts Indigenous peoples, and how Indigenous peoples act politically. Topics of study include: colonialism and state violence, Indigenous self-determination and autonomy, gender and sexuality in Indigenous politics, and Indigenous understandings about identity, territory, and government.

Introduction to American Politics (Fall 2020)

This course provides an overview of the American political system. It analyzes how the United States’ political system functions today. It traces how the present structure of American politics relates to processes of democratization and analyzes the current rise of populism in the United States. This course covers U.S. political history, institutions, public policy, political parties, voting, and political participation. Students will be asked to evaluate the process of democratization in the United States, the extent to which the United States can be characterized as a democracy today, and how the U.S. political system compares to other countries.

International Relations (Winter 2020) syllabus

This course introduces students to the field of international relations. Students study the major theoretical approaches within the field and apply them to the current international system. Students become familiar with the history of international relations and current scholarly debates over what factors explain state behaviour. This course covers how governments relate to each other on the international stage and how non-state actors influence international relations. Topics covered include the role of international institutions in global politics today and how globalization has reshaped the international political economy.

Courses taught at other universities:

College of Charleston

Introduction to International Studies (Fall 2018; Spring 2019) syllabus

This course introduces students to the field of international studies. Students study the political, economic, and cultural connections that built the modern global world. In this course, students learn about the concept of globalization, including its history and environmental impact. They study how historians, political scientists, economists, anthropologists, and other scholars understand global phenomena. This course also introduces students to how migration, indigenous peoples’ politics, nationalism, public health, and social activism have become important in today’s global societies.

Nationalism and Ethnic Politics (Spring 2019) syllabus

This course explores how nationalism and ethnic divisions become salient politically. The course provides an overview of the major theoretical approaches in political science to the study of nationalism, ethnic identification, and ethnic politics. The course then examines patterns of nationalism and ethnic politics in Latin America and Africa.

Politics of Latin America (Fall 2018) syllabus

This course introduces students to the study of Latin American politics. The first half of the course covers general issues and scholarly debates specific to the region. The next section of the course analyses how these issues and debates play out in concrete cases by studying the countries of Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Guatemala. The course then examines international and domestic policy issues in Latin America today.

Tulane University

Introduction to Comparative Politics (Fall 2016) syllabus

This course introduces students to the study of comparative politics. Students study major issues in comparative politics. They learn about state formation, how governments function, political regimes, and the rule of law. It asks students to compare authoritarian regimes, semi-democracies, and democracies, using the countries of Angola, France, Mexico, and Indonesia as illustrative cases. This course helps students to understand how government institutions differ among countries and how political scientists have explained those differences. It also helps students to understand how different institutional contexts influence how people act politically.

University of Texas at Austin

Ethnic and Racial Minorities and American Democracy in Comparative Perspective (Fall 2013; Spring 2014; Spring 2015; Summer 2015) syllabus

I developed this course to introduce students to comparative ethnic politics. The first part of the course analyzes the U.S. democracy in respect to ethnic and racial minorities. The second part of the course takes the U.S. experience and puts it in comparative context using other countries in the Americas. The course treats Afro-Brazilian mobilization, indigenous mobilization in Mexico, and Canadian multiculturalism as comparative cases to ethnic and racial mobilization in the U.S.

Introduction to American Government (Summer 2014; Fall 2014) syllabus

This course provides students with a broad overview of the American political system. It analyzes the process of democratization in the United States and asks students to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of U.S. democracy today. The goal of this course is to provide students with the background and tools to understand how the United States government functions today and how its present structure and function are dependent on historical critical junctures.

I have assisted in the instruction of the following courses:

Teaching Assistant & Supplemental Instructor

The U.S. in Comparative Perspective (Spring 2011)

U.S.-China Relations (Fall 2010)

Teaching Assistant

Statistical Analysis in Political Science (Spring 2013)

Introduction to Latin American Politics (Fall 2009)

Comparative Legal Systems (Fall 2008)

Introduction to International Relations (Spring 2010)

Introduction to American Government (Spring 2008; Spring 2009; Fall 2012; Spring 2013)

The American Presidency (Fall 2007)