Otoño 2022:
POLS/MAS 4319: Politics of Mexican Americans: This course examines the influence of Mexican American politics on United States government and policies with special attention given to organizational development, participation in political parties, leadership, ideology, the Chicano Movement, current issues, and relations with other ethnic groups.
Other Courses Taught:
Graduate:
POLS 5381: Public Policy and Mexican American Communities: This graduate course examines the public policy process and the limited role Mexican Americans have had in national and state (TX) policymaking. Select topic areas are utilized to focus on state actors, issues, allocation of resources, and the power structure for analytical purposes.
Graduate Seminar in U.S. Political Behavior: This graduate-level course is designed as an introduction to research on political behavior as it pertains to mass publics in the United States. Political behavior is construed broadly so that it encompasses the psychology of political decision-making, the dynamics of opinion formation, the importance of values and affect, various forms of political communication, as well as concrete political actions like voting and political action. The seminar is designed to introduce the major theoretical approaches, methodological controversies, and enduring questions.
Graduate Seminar in the Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration in North America: All jurisdictions, national, regional, or local, function in an interconnected global market. Understanding the structure and interactions within the North American market and the impacts therein is the focus of this course. In this course students examine the historical and contemporary roles of racial and ethnic minority indigenous and immigrant groups in North America. Building on the critical roles of race and ethnicity in U.S. political development and on the neoliberal policies governing the North American economy, upon completion of the course, students will develop an understanding of the local impact of migration in North America.
Undergraduate:
POLS/MAS Special Topics: Hispanic/Latino Political Thought: This survey of Latino political thought explores the traditions of political philosophy that inform our contemporary understanding of the Latinos/Hispanics in the U.S. This course traces the roots of modern Latino political thought from ancient Mesoamerican and Andean mythologies to Humanism and Scholasticism, Liberalism and Latin American independence movements, Marxism, and Chicano and Puerto Rican Nationalism. Along the journey, students contemplate the contributions of each of these philosophical traditions, and how they inform Latino/Hispanic identity and the role of Latinos/Hispanics in the politics of the Western Hemisphere.
POLS/MAS Special Topics: Latino Politics:This course is an overview of Latino political behavior analyzing the social, economic, and political issues impacting the Latino/Hispanic community in the United States with an emphasis on understanding relationships of power and interaction within the institutional contexts that shape diverse Latino experiences. We examine the role of Latinos in the U.S. political system through historical-institutional and behavioral lenses. Our readings are primarily grounded in the process of Latino/Hispanic identity formation, and the incorporation of Hispanics/Latinos into political parties, voting coalitions, legislative bodies, and the policy making process. Throughout the course we contemplate the psycho-historical and socioeconomic development of U.S. Latinos and how it informs the contemporary issues facing the largest ethnoracial minority group in the U.S.
POLS/MAS 3317: Mexican Politics and México-US Relations: This course is a survey of the current economic and political systems of México and relevant issues in México-US relations including trade, immigration, economic dependency, energy, contraband, and other topics. In this course we examine contemporary Mexican politics primarily via exploration of México’s historical-institutional trajectory in relation to the US. Our readings and discussions will center around the themes of identity, institutions, and North American integration. With an eye toward the experiences of Mexicans in “Greater México” we will also explore what Mexican politics mean for the future of North America.
Politics of Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.: This course examines the historical and contemporary roles of racial and ethnic minority and immigrant groups in the U.S. political system. The course focuses on the interactions of Whites, American Indians, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans through theories of American political development, group contact and competition, and demographic determinism among others. Readings and discussions center on the incorporation of racial and ethnic minority groups into political parties, voting coalitions, legislatures, and the policy making process, The course develops students' capacity to discuss and analyze how the structures of the U.S. political system have valued these groups over time as they attempt to access the full benefits of belonging to American society.
Political Science Research Methods/Scope and Methods of Political Science: This course is focused on the design of empirical political science research: developing explanations for political behavior, events, and other phenomena, as well as testing your explanations. Normative concerns, social values, and philosophical ideas influence empirical research to be sure, particularly with regard to the research questions you ask, but we focus on the collection and analysis of evidence relevant to theoretical claims.
Introduction to Chicano/Hispano/Mexicano Studies: This course draws from theories within American Politics, International Relations, and Cultural Studies to provide a survey of the political and economic conditions that have shaped the experiences of Mexicans/Mexican-Americans in the American Southwest/El Norte, a fast-growing and increasingly transnational community within North America. We will discuss Hispanics/Latinos in the context of U.S. Politics, highlighting the increasingly important and influential role of Mexicans/Mexican Americans in the politics of the hemisphere. Our primary objective as a class will be to analyze issues such as immigration, NAFTA, and human rights and determine the positions that Hispanics and Mexican Americans more specifically, might take on these and other issues of the day. Upon completing this course, student will have a greater understanding of the global forces affecting the Mexican/Mexican American community and, more importantly, of their potential as leaders in the 21st century.
Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics: This course introduces students to U.S. political institutions and processes. There are two central themes to the course. Before the first midterm, we will focus on how individuals participate in politics, and how they form preferences and opinions about policies and politicians. As we do this, we will cover such topics as public opinion research, political parties, elections, and interest groups. After the midterm we focus on how institutions shape individual preferences into specific policy outcomes. Here we will cover the politics of race and ethnicity, federalism and the separation of powers, Congress, the president, the bureaucracy, the courts, and economic and social governance. The course should give you both a good grasp of how the U.S. national government functions, and also an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of its democratic system.
Political Communication: In this course we study various forms through which politicians, interest groups, political parties, and other political actors use a variety of different media to communicate and learn about politics in the U.S. Among the topics we will explore are the distribution of political information; elite-mass communication; alternative models of political communication; and communication and telecommunications policy. Several of our readings will also examine the politics of race and ethnicity in the U.S. through an understanding of these groups’ experiences with political communication. In addition to lending breadth and depth to our understanding of the relationships between the media and politics, the course materials will reinforce a variety of theories and methods that will help you in other courses in political science, including improving your capacity to analyze data and evidence, crafting a documented argument, and becoming familiar with fundamental theories of institutions and politics.
New Mexico Government and Politics: This is an interdisciplinary survey of New Mexico Government and Politics. Drawing from history, political science, public policy and ethnic studies, this course introduces students to the people, political culture, and institutions that make New Mexico a great state. In this course we will also work toward developing students’ understanding of theories and methods that will be useful in advanced courses in social science. An important goal of the course is to improve students’ capacity to analyze data and evidence, craft a documented argument, and becoming proficient with basic theories of institutions and politics.
Senior Seminar in Political Behavior: This senior seminar is a survey of political behavior (socialization, political communication, voting, mass opinion formation and expression, mass mobilization). The course emphasizes the dynamics of political decision making, the importance of values and affect, and mass and elite mobilization among racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S.
Introduction to Sociology: This course is an introduction to the study of society in many dimensions including structures, socialization processes, and stratifications based on race, class, gender, and other identifications.
POLS/MAS 4319: Politics of Mexican Americans: This course examines the influence of Mexican American politics on United States government and policies with special attention given to organizational development, participation in political parties, leadership, ideology, the Chicano Movement, current issues, and relations with other ethnic groups.
Other Courses Taught:
Graduate:
POLS 5381: Public Policy and Mexican American Communities: This graduate course examines the public policy process and the limited role Mexican Americans have had in national and state (TX) policymaking. Select topic areas are utilized to focus on state actors, issues, allocation of resources, and the power structure for analytical purposes.
Graduate Seminar in U.S. Political Behavior: This graduate-level course is designed as an introduction to research on political behavior as it pertains to mass publics in the United States. Political behavior is construed broadly so that it encompasses the psychology of political decision-making, the dynamics of opinion formation, the importance of values and affect, various forms of political communication, as well as concrete political actions like voting and political action. The seminar is designed to introduce the major theoretical approaches, methodological controversies, and enduring questions.
Graduate Seminar in the Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration in North America: All jurisdictions, national, regional, or local, function in an interconnected global market. Understanding the structure and interactions within the North American market and the impacts therein is the focus of this course. In this course students examine the historical and contemporary roles of racial and ethnic minority indigenous and immigrant groups in North America. Building on the critical roles of race and ethnicity in U.S. political development and on the neoliberal policies governing the North American economy, upon completion of the course, students will develop an understanding of the local impact of migration in North America.
Undergraduate:
POLS/MAS Special Topics: Hispanic/Latino Political Thought: This survey of Latino political thought explores the traditions of political philosophy that inform our contemporary understanding of the Latinos/Hispanics in the U.S. This course traces the roots of modern Latino political thought from ancient Mesoamerican and Andean mythologies to Humanism and Scholasticism, Liberalism and Latin American independence movements, Marxism, and Chicano and Puerto Rican Nationalism. Along the journey, students contemplate the contributions of each of these philosophical traditions, and how they inform Latino/Hispanic identity and the role of Latinos/Hispanics in the politics of the Western Hemisphere.
POLS/MAS Special Topics: Latino Politics:This course is an overview of Latino political behavior analyzing the social, economic, and political issues impacting the Latino/Hispanic community in the United States with an emphasis on understanding relationships of power and interaction within the institutional contexts that shape diverse Latino experiences. We examine the role of Latinos in the U.S. political system through historical-institutional and behavioral lenses. Our readings are primarily grounded in the process of Latino/Hispanic identity formation, and the incorporation of Hispanics/Latinos into political parties, voting coalitions, legislative bodies, and the policy making process. Throughout the course we contemplate the psycho-historical and socioeconomic development of U.S. Latinos and how it informs the contemporary issues facing the largest ethnoracial minority group in the U.S.
POLS/MAS 3317: Mexican Politics and México-US Relations: This course is a survey of the current economic and political systems of México and relevant issues in México-US relations including trade, immigration, economic dependency, energy, contraband, and other topics. In this course we examine contemporary Mexican politics primarily via exploration of México’s historical-institutional trajectory in relation to the US. Our readings and discussions will center around the themes of identity, institutions, and North American integration. With an eye toward the experiences of Mexicans in “Greater México” we will also explore what Mexican politics mean for the future of North America.
Politics of Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.: This course examines the historical and contemporary roles of racial and ethnic minority and immigrant groups in the U.S. political system. The course focuses on the interactions of Whites, American Indians, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans through theories of American political development, group contact and competition, and demographic determinism among others. Readings and discussions center on the incorporation of racial and ethnic minority groups into political parties, voting coalitions, legislatures, and the policy making process, The course develops students' capacity to discuss and analyze how the structures of the U.S. political system have valued these groups over time as they attempt to access the full benefits of belonging to American society.
Political Science Research Methods/Scope and Methods of Political Science: This course is focused on the design of empirical political science research: developing explanations for political behavior, events, and other phenomena, as well as testing your explanations. Normative concerns, social values, and philosophical ideas influence empirical research to be sure, particularly with regard to the research questions you ask, but we focus on the collection and analysis of evidence relevant to theoretical claims.
Introduction to Chicano/Hispano/Mexicano Studies: This course draws from theories within American Politics, International Relations, and Cultural Studies to provide a survey of the political and economic conditions that have shaped the experiences of Mexicans/Mexican-Americans in the American Southwest/El Norte, a fast-growing and increasingly transnational community within North America. We will discuss Hispanics/Latinos in the context of U.S. Politics, highlighting the increasingly important and influential role of Mexicans/Mexican Americans in the politics of the hemisphere. Our primary objective as a class will be to analyze issues such as immigration, NAFTA, and human rights and determine the positions that Hispanics and Mexican Americans more specifically, might take on these and other issues of the day. Upon completing this course, student will have a greater understanding of the global forces affecting the Mexican/Mexican American community and, more importantly, of their potential as leaders in the 21st century.
Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics: This course introduces students to U.S. political institutions and processes. There are two central themes to the course. Before the first midterm, we will focus on how individuals participate in politics, and how they form preferences and opinions about policies and politicians. As we do this, we will cover such topics as public opinion research, political parties, elections, and interest groups. After the midterm we focus on how institutions shape individual preferences into specific policy outcomes. Here we will cover the politics of race and ethnicity, federalism and the separation of powers, Congress, the president, the bureaucracy, the courts, and economic and social governance. The course should give you both a good grasp of how the U.S. national government functions, and also an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of its democratic system.
Political Communication: In this course we study various forms through which politicians, interest groups, political parties, and other political actors use a variety of different media to communicate and learn about politics in the U.S. Among the topics we will explore are the distribution of political information; elite-mass communication; alternative models of political communication; and communication and telecommunications policy. Several of our readings will also examine the politics of race and ethnicity in the U.S. through an understanding of these groups’ experiences with political communication. In addition to lending breadth and depth to our understanding of the relationships between the media and politics, the course materials will reinforce a variety of theories and methods that will help you in other courses in political science, including improving your capacity to analyze data and evidence, crafting a documented argument, and becoming familiar with fundamental theories of institutions and politics.
New Mexico Government and Politics: This is an interdisciplinary survey of New Mexico Government and Politics. Drawing from history, political science, public policy and ethnic studies, this course introduces students to the people, political culture, and institutions that make New Mexico a great state. In this course we will also work toward developing students’ understanding of theories and methods that will be useful in advanced courses in social science. An important goal of the course is to improve students’ capacity to analyze data and evidence, craft a documented argument, and becoming proficient with basic theories of institutions and politics.
Senior Seminar in Political Behavior: This senior seminar is a survey of political behavior (socialization, political communication, voting, mass opinion formation and expression, mass mobilization). The course emphasizes the dynamics of political decision making, the importance of values and affect, and mass and elite mobilization among racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S.
Introduction to Sociology: This course is an introduction to the study of society in many dimensions including structures, socialization processes, and stratifications based on race, class, gender, and other identifications.