I teach courses in both psychology and gender, sexuality, and women’s studies at Union College. I’m especially interested in teaching tied to gender and sexuality, multicultural psychology, health psychology, community psychology, and social psychology. The courses listed below represent those I've taught at Union College. Check out the tabs above for my abbreviated teaching philosophy and a list of the courses I've taught across other institutions.
Courses Taught at Union College, Fall 2022 - present:
GSWS 101 – LGBTQ+ Studies (Fall 2022, Fall 2024)
This course is a transdisciplinary introduction to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) studies. We will explore histories of sexualities; forms of systemic and structural oppression including heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia and resistance to them; violence against LGBTQ+ people; intersectional queer activism throughout history; diverse experiences of sexuality, desire, and identity; and representations of LGBTQ+ people and experiences in literature, art, and popular culture. Our approach to class material will be intersectional, focusing on the connection between multiple identity components including but not limited to race, gender, class, and sexuality.
PSY 251 - Psychology of Gender Roles (Fall 2022)
This course discusses the psychological bases and effects of the masculine and feminine role norms in our culture. Topics include biological bases of sex differences, sexuality, romance, work and family roles, origins of sex-typed personality in family, and cultural socialization.
GSWS 201 - Global Queerness: International Perspectives on LGBTQ+ Issues (Winter 2023)
*New course proposed, developed, and taught.
The question of global LGBTQ+ rights has increasingly become a point of conversation in the 21st century. Some countries argue LGBTQ+ rights violate their cultural norms, whereas others argue the human rights of LGBTQ+ persons should be a universal concern. This course will explore how issues of gender identity and sexual orientation continue to divide and unite the world by understanding cultural norms and practices, globalization, identity politics, religion, human rights, gender ideology, and the role of technology in shaping many of today’s global queer communities and movements.
PSY 215 - Health Psychology (Winter 2023)
This course will examine psychology's role in the etiology, prevention, progression, and treatment of disease. Topics will include mechanisms by which stress and health-related behaviors such as diet, exercise, smoking and substance abuse contribute to illness, doctor-patient communication, problems of medical compliance, cognitive/behavioral treatment techniques, pain management, and health promotion/ disease prevention strategies.
PSY 230 - Social Psychology (Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024)
This course presents an overview of the field of social psychology: We live in a world in which social factors can dramatically impact us. We will thus explore major theories and classic and contemporary research on why people think, feel, and behave the way they do in both individual and group settings. Topics may also include evolutionary and cultural perspectives, research methods and ethics in the field, and applications of social psychology to areas such as health, law, education, and public policy.
GSWS 301 - Queer Science and Health (Spring 2023, Spring 2024)
*New course proposed, developed, and taught.
Gender identity and sexuality have long been topics of interest within medicine, psychology, psychiatry, behavioral genetics, and public health. This course will discuss scientific understandings related to gender identity and sexual orientation, bioethics, and strategies to improve health and well-being for diverse LGBTQ+ populations. Topics will include: nature vs. nurture and the ‘gay gene’; gender affirming care; sex assignment and intersexuality; queer mental health and psychiatry; stigma and public health crises such as HIV/AIDs; inclusive health education; and health disparities.
PSY 347 - Psychology of Sexuality (Fall 2023, Spring 2025)
This course examines the varied forms of human sexuality from a psychological perspective. This analysis will include several theoretical approaches (e.g., comparative, biological, evolutionary, psychoanalytic, queer theory) and a range of topics (e.g., sexual development across the lifespan, choice of gender of partners, the relation of sexuality and gender, power relations in sexuality).
PSY 360 - Community Psychology: Theory and Methods (Winter 2024, Winter 2025)
*New course proposed, developed, and co-taught with Carol Weiss, PhD
This course provides an overview of community-based participatory research (CBPR), including how to collect, analyze, integrate, and report data from multiple sources. In this writing intensive course, students will use quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches to develop research questions; work with raw data; and present findings aimed at improving health and wellness for diverse populations. Course content will address the relationship between theory and method, power dynamics in community partnerships, issues of validity and rigor, and ethical concerns in research.
GSW 213 - Sex and Power (Spring 2024)
*Course revised and co-taught with Krisanna Scheiter, PhD
Gender inequity is a problem that affects every single one of us. For example, it is estimated that gender inequity costs the United States around 2 trillion dollars in lost GDP. Gender bias in healthcare means that women’s pain is often taken less seriously than men’s pain, leading to misdiagnosis and inadequate care. The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country and non-Hispanic Black women are three times more likely to die than White women as the result of childbirth. Women continue to be underrepresented in politics, film, STEM, Fortune 500 companies, Silicon Valley, and almost everywhere important decisions are being made. Recent studies also suggest that men’s health and life expectancy is worse in countries with greater gender inequality. In this class we will pose intersectional questions about the relationship between gender, sex, and power and ask students to engage with the broader social, cultural, and political implications of institutional misogyny and other forms of discrimination. Throughout our term together, we will consider big picture questions related to women in politics, gender and the economy, sexual equity, women’s movements, transphobia, popular culture, and much more. The course will culminate in student-led projects that identify a specific, possibly local, gender-based problem and envision and articulate possible solutions.
PSY 406 - Seminar: Psychology of Oppression (Fall 2024)
*New course proposed, developed, and taught.
This course will provide an overview of theoretical perspectives, research methods, empirical findings, and practical applications of psychological research on oppression. We will examine in-depth issues that are central to the psychological study of oppression: defining oppression and the value of diversity science; considering the evolution of oppression in psychological research, practice, and society more broadly; interpersonal, institutional, and internalized influences on oppression; theories of oppression; psychological and mental health implications of oppression; social justice orientations in clinical practice; and the role of community psychology and community efforts to address oppression. We will approach these topics through an intersectional lens, exploring and analyzing the complex intersections of social group identity based on race, culture, gender, sexuality, class, ability, and other dimensions of difference within systems of privilege and oppression.
GSW 3xx - Queering Masculinities (Winter 2025)
*New course proposed, developed, and taught.
Course description coming soon!