My teaching experience complements and enriches my research agenda. As lecturer in the University of Chicago’s year-long “Power, Identity, Resistance” sequence, I led seminars exploring political and social thought from the sixteenth century to the present. My teaching philosophy is centered on the transformative power of small-group discussions. Whether addressing the legitimacy of state power or the consequences of automation, I strive to create an intellectually rigorous classroom environment that maintains a strong connection to current events and students’ lived experiences. Among the courses I am prepared to teach are:
Modern political thought. The course examines the development of key political ideas from the Enlightenment to the present, engaging with concepts such as freedom, equality, power, and subjectivity. Through close readings of primary texts and intensive seminar discussions, students explore how political thinkers responded to and shaped the political and social upheavals of their times. We critically examine how these theoretical frameworks continue to inform our understanding of contemporary political issues, including the nature of democracy, the challenges of pluralism, and the tensions between individual liberty and collective action. Seminar discussions will push students to grapple with fundamental questions about the foundations of political legitimacy, the nature of human agency, and the possibilities for social and political transformation. By engaging deeply with these ideas, students will develop a sophisticated understanding of the intellectual roots of modern political thought and cultivate the theoretical tools to analyze and engage with contemporary political challenges.
Environmental political theory. The course investigates the complex relationships between political systems, social structures, and the natural world. We examine how different political traditions have conceptualized nature and humanity's place within it, from early modern ideas of nature as a resource to be mastered to contemporary notions of ecological interdependence. The course explores key concepts such as environmental justice, the Anthropocene, and ecological citizenship. We critically analyze how various theoretical frameworks help us understand and address pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion. We will engage with questions concerning the relationship between human societies and natural systems, the ethical implications of environmental degradation, and the potential for reimagining political institutions in light of ecological realities. The aim of the course is to deepen students' understanding of the political dimensions of environmental issues and to cultivate the theoretical tools to envision more sustainable futures.
Technology and innovation. This course on the political and social theory of technology explores the complex interplay between technological development and sociopolitical structures. We examine how technology has been conceptualized as a mode of revealing and organizing the world, and trace the evolution of thought on technology through various philosophical and critical traditions. The course engages with key concepts such as the politics of artifacts, sociotechnical imaginaries, and the relationship between technology and power. Throughout, we critically examine how different theoretical frameworks help us understand phenomena such as surveillance capitalism, algorithmic governance, and the changing nature of labor in the digital age. Seminar discussions will revolve around questions of how technology shapes our understanding of politics and society, reconfigures power relations and modes of resistance, and influences our conceptions of democracy and human flourishing.
Theories of capitalism. The course will explore the diverse intellectual traditions that have sought to understand, critique, and defend capitalist economic systems. We examine the historical development of capitalist theory from classical political economy through Marxist critiques to contemporary debates about neoliberalism and post-capitalism. The course will engage with key concepts such as market mechanisms, class structure, accumulation, and crisis. We analyze how different theoretical orientations help us understand phenomena such as globalization, financialization, and inequality in contemporary capitalism. Seminar discussions will grapple with questions concerning the nature of value, the relationship between economic and political power, and the possibilities for alternative economic arrangements. The aim of the course is to encourage students to develop a nuanced understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of capitalist systems and to cultivate the critical tools to analyze and engage with contemporary economic issues.
Course syllabi are available upon request.