Teaching Philosophy

I see my role in teaching as that of providing students with social science tools to interpret complex social realities, taking into account questions of difference, power, and inequality. I believe that everyone can have a meaningful engagement with social science knowledge if they see a clear connection between theoretical concepts and their personal or professional experience. My role in teaching is to help students draw that connection by making academic knowledge more accessible. To perform this role, I structure my work around three main goals:

1. To cultivate in students an appreciation for social theory based on an understanding of its practical applicability to real-world issues as well as their personal and professional lives.

2. To cultivate in students an appreciation for historical analysis as a means to make sense of social complexity and geographical difference.

3. To provide students with methodological tools to collect and analyze information on social phenomena in ways that are ethical and compatible with social justice goals.

Courses

• Political Ecology

• Cultural Anthropology

• Local Cultures, Global Forces

• Introduction to Latin American Studies