Contact
Biography
I have my professional expertise and I continue to publish peer reviewed work but I consider myself a teacher before all else. Prior to coming to Nottingham Malaysia I spent a decade working in small selective liberal arts colleges across the US; earlier still I began my college education at an equally small liberal arts college. The liberal arts tradition, as such, plays a big role in how I approach education with its emphasis on reading critically, deeply, and broadly across disciplines; developing critical writing and speaking skills; and encouraging open classroom debate.
The courses I typically teach include broadly introductory courses in International Relations, theory, Africa, political economy, foreign policy and research method and design. The fun stuff! Additionally, I'm an avid cyclist, widely traveled, and I had a brief career as a policy advisor to a US Congressional candidate in the Great State of Minnesota.
Expertise Summary
My publishing background is primarily in theoretical political economy and foreign policy. Historically I have focused on Africa (particularly South Africa and Ethiopia) but of late my work addresses the question of human consciousness in understanding emergence in complex social systems. Oh. And I still write on African political economy and increasingly on the impact of China's foreign policy in Africa.
Teaching Summary
I have taught a wide range of courses including the following: introduction to International Relations, comparative politics, African politics, Intl. Relations theory, Intl. Political Economy,… read more
Research Summary
I am currently working on the role/place of the individual in IR theory with a focus on human consciousness and emergence in complex social systems.
Recent Publications
I have taught a wide range of courses including the following: introduction to International Relations, comparative politics, African politics, Intl. Relations theory, Intl. Political Economy, African political economy, state theory, foreign policy analysis (graduate and undergraduate), and research methodology and design (graduate and undergraduate).
Past Research
My past research has addressed foreign agricultural investment in Ethiopia, South African foreign policy, China-Africa relations, and one book on a theory of the state as applied to the history of South Africa.
Future Research
I'm working on human consciousness and emergence... I think this is pretty much what's going to consume me for a while.