Political Science

Teaching

Fall 2019

POLS 312 Pillars of Western Political Thought: The Fate of Democracy

Democracy aspires to level the political playing
field, but when power is taken from the hands of
elites, where does it go? How thoroughly can
democratic politics transform a culture, and
what, if anything, can check its influence? Is
the democratic age safer from radical evil, or
does it help produce fascism and totalitarianism? This course examines the pros, cons, and prospects of the democratic age, with primary emphasis on foundational thinkers from the early 19th century to the present. Readings may include Alexis de Tocqueville, John Stuart Mill, Friedrich Nietzsche, Walt Whitman, Hannah Arendt, Isaiah Berlin, and Michel Foucault, among others.

POLS 400 Senior Thesis

Academic Credentials

B.A. Political Science and English, Colgate University, 1993

Ph.D. Politics, Princeton University, 2004