Teaching Approach and Evaluations
I am very passionate about teaching. My teaching philosophy is derived from my experiences as a first-generation college student. Not all students learn the same way and not all students have similar backgrounds, knowledge, or experience in politics. I attempt to draw students to the reality that many of them have already been influenced or engaged with politics in meaningful ways--even if they haven't realized it. For example, in Introduction to International Relations I discuss in depth how international trade, exchange rates, and currency value influences their weekly grocery bill. In this sense, the diverse backgrounds and personal experiences of my students represent an asset for learning.
My teaching interests are in International relations and Political Methodology. For International Relations, I welcome the opportunity to teach topics on introduction to international relations, consequences of war, international conflict and cooperation, political geography, international organization and world order, globalization, and regional peace and security. For Political Methodology, political analysis, designing political research, analyzing political data, social network analysis, and time series analysis.
My teaching interests are in International relations and Political Methodology. For International Relations, I welcome the opportunity to teach topics on introduction to international relations, consequences of war, international conflict and cooperation, political geography, international organization and world order, globalization, and regional peace and security. For Political Methodology, political analysis, designing political research, analyzing political data, social network analysis, and time series analysis.
Instructor
Introduction to International Relations
This course is designed with two goals in mind: (1) to introduce students to puzzles and foundational theories of world politics, and (2) to provide useful analytical frameworks and tools that students can use in the future. This course is designed to teach students how to think about international politics and to prepare students for more advanced coursework. In this course students will be exposed to broad approaches to international relations, explanations of international conflict and cooperation, and international political economy. Topics include grand theory, order, theories of decision making, causes of interstate and civil war, the Kantian Peace, trade, exchange rates, and development.
Consequences of War
This class will provide students with a detailed understanding of the impacts of war. The first section will focus on the impact of wars on individuals. Both the effect on combatants and non-combatants will be examined. The second section will look at the impact of war on states. For example, we will look at how war has shaped the modern state system, impacts the growth of states and the economy of a state. The final section will highlight the effects of war on the international system and the termination of war. Topics will include the effect of war on rivalries, the expansion of wars, how third parties end civil and interstate wars, and what influences the maintenance of peace after war.
Analyzing Political Data
This course is designed to achieve three broad goals: (1) grow your understanding of statistical techniques and the role they play in helping us understand the world, (2) help you apply this enhanced understanding to answer questions that are of interest to you, and (3) to make you comfortable with the use of a statistical software (Stata), which can assist you in the research process. Throughout the course we will be discussing how social scientists use quantitative methodologies to study social phenomena. We will discuss theory building, deriving testable hypotheses from theory, designing statistical tests for evaluating hypotheses, and finally interpreting the statistical and substantive results of studies. The focus of this course will be on understanding and applying statistical techniques and as such the emphasis will not be on memorizing formulas.
This course is designed with two goals in mind: (1) to introduce students to puzzles and foundational theories of world politics, and (2) to provide useful analytical frameworks and tools that students can use in the future. This course is designed to teach students how to think about international politics and to prepare students for more advanced coursework. In this course students will be exposed to broad approaches to international relations, explanations of international conflict and cooperation, and international political economy. Topics include grand theory, order, theories of decision making, causes of interstate and civil war, the Kantian Peace, trade, exchange rates, and development.
Consequences of War
This class will provide students with a detailed understanding of the impacts of war. The first section will focus on the impact of wars on individuals. Both the effect on combatants and non-combatants will be examined. The second section will look at the impact of war on states. For example, we will look at how war has shaped the modern state system, impacts the growth of states and the economy of a state. The final section will highlight the effects of war on the international system and the termination of war. Topics will include the effect of war on rivalries, the expansion of wars, how third parties end civil and interstate wars, and what influences the maintenance of peace after war.
Analyzing Political Data
This course is designed to achieve three broad goals: (1) grow your understanding of statistical techniques and the role they play in helping us understand the world, (2) help you apply this enhanced understanding to answer questions that are of interest to you, and (3) to make you comfortable with the use of a statistical software (Stata), which can assist you in the research process. Throughout the course we will be discussing how social scientists use quantitative methodologies to study social phenomena. We will discuss theory building, deriving testable hypotheses from theory, designing statistical tests for evaluating hypotheses, and finally interpreting the statistical and substantive results of studies. The focus of this course will be on understanding and applying statistical techniques and as such the emphasis will not be on memorizing formulas.
Teaching Assistant |
American Foreign Policy
Foreign policies: goals, basic themes and general patterns, problems encountered by policy makers, means employed in dealing with other nations and international organizations, processes by which policies are formulated, factors that influence structure of policies. In this course I was responsible for discussion session. These sessions allowed for students to participate in discussions, projects, and simulations. I also served as a grader for exams and papers. In evaluations, students report enjoying discussion sections and especially the simulations.
Political Analysis
Tools necessary to analyze and solve puzzles in politics (i.e., Why do countries go to war rather than negotiate? Why do lifelong enemies become allies? Why do majorities act irrationally?); questions approached from a quantitative perspective (unlike most political analyses), in particular, game theory—a branch of mathematics that investigates how rational players act in situations (like those in politics) of strategic interaction. In this course I was responsible for discussion sections. These discussions allowed for students to participate in discussions, but mostly served to cover material Dr. Dion wasn't able to finish in lecture. It also allowed for a more intense discussion of the course material and an opportunity to walk through problem sets. In evaluations, students reported the usefulness of discussion sections
Foreign policies: goals, basic themes and general patterns, problems encountered by policy makers, means employed in dealing with other nations and international organizations, processes by which policies are formulated, factors that influence structure of policies. In this course I was responsible for discussion session. These sessions allowed for students to participate in discussions, projects, and simulations. I also served as a grader for exams and papers. In evaluations, students report enjoying discussion sections and especially the simulations.
Political Analysis
Tools necessary to analyze and solve puzzles in politics (i.e., Why do countries go to war rather than negotiate? Why do lifelong enemies become allies? Why do majorities act irrationally?); questions approached from a quantitative perspective (unlike most political analyses), in particular, game theory—a branch of mathematics that investigates how rational players act in situations (like those in politics) of strategic interaction. In this course I was responsible for discussion sections. These discussions allowed for students to participate in discussions, but mostly served to cover material Dr. Dion wasn't able to finish in lecture. It also allowed for a more intense discussion of the course material and an opportunity to walk through problem sets. In evaluations, students reported the usefulness of discussion sections
