Brief Teaching Philosophy: 

Through the study of attitudes, political behavior, and institutions around the world, my students will better understand other societies and their own. Comparative politics is a great topic to teach because comparing societies helps one develop a disposition towards difference and inclusion. In today’s world, we need more communities to embrace these dispositions. In the process of achieving these ends, my approach to teaching emphasizes mentorship. One on one interactions and getting to know my students are important to me, so I set up meetings with students and I help incorporate students’ own interests into their research projects. I especially enjoy mentoring students’ research methods and senior research, because I get to help students develop research designs and test hypotheses using the tools I have learned for my own research.

Recommendation Letters:

I am happy to support your applications and portfolios. This can take the form of mentorship/discussions as well as letters of recommendation. If you are interested in graduate programs (for masters and doctorates, for examples), I especially encourage you to reach out as soon as you can.

I prefer that you stop by my office to talk about your plans. Once I agree to write a letter, please email me the following documents:  1) your CV,  2) information regarding the position/internship/program, and  3) a note explaining how your experiences/accomplishments inform your application

Courses:

  • Comparative Politics Capstone/Senior Research Theses (400-level)

  • Politics of Sexuality (300-level)

  • Controversies in the Politics of Europe (300-level)

  • Introduction to the European Union (200-level)

  • Political Science Research Methods (200-level)

  • Introduction to Comparative Politics (100-level)

  • American Politics (200-level)

  • The Politics of National and International Courts (300-level)

I developed “Politics of Sexuality” for the spring of 2020 (description below), and I’m interested in any advice and feedback!  Please email me at douglas.page.sc@gmail.com

Comparative politics is the study of political phenomena across societies and time, between political systems and within political systems. This course examines sexuality through the lens of comparative politics, and the course has three parts.

  • In the first part, we begin by unpacking the social construction of homosexuality, showing how the criminalization of “sodomy” in Europe inspired movements that worked to decriminalize and destigmatize same-sex intimacy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We examine how masculine, procreative sexuality (in particular, the rejection of homosexuality) became a key criterion for citizenship, to the detriment of women’s political power, around the world. Canaday’s The Straight State shows how state authorities worked to enforce a heterosexual-homosexual binary that became understood pervasively in the mid-20th century in the United States.

  • Political science research on the politics of sexuality has grown over the past few decades, paralleling societal changes regarding increased identification with LGBT+ people and support for LGBT+ people. In the second part, we explore two themes that help to structure the findings in this body of political science research: ‘progress/advancement’ and ‘backlash/losses’ regarding LGBT+ rights. Competing examples of these themes show more robust social movements in favor of gay rights, growing tolerance toward sexual minority groups, pro-LGBT+ policies (anti-discrimination in hiring/firing and same-sex marriage, for examples), and political parties adopting gay-friendly platforms. Political debates regarding LGBT+ rights also have engendered more organized opposition to LGBT+ rights, often in the form of right-wing movements.

  • In the third part, we situate the politics of sexuality in the divisions between the Global North and Global South. We unpack how ‘culture clashes’ (between and within the Global North and South) and ‘homonationalism’ affect political movements in both parts of the world.  Students will conduct a major research project and produce an article manuscript.

When students exit this course, they will be able to:

  • Explain competing arguments for why humans have such diversity in expression and identity formation regarding gender and sexuality

  • Explain how early modern states bolstered men’s political power to the detriment of women

  • Explain how ‘sexual minority groups’ were socially constructed, and how women and men formed communities around these constructs

  • Explain what ‘progress’ represents to competing political factions around the world

  • Explain how ideologies regarding sexuality inform political movements around the world

  • Write a research paper that explains political behaviors, policies, and/or institutions with respect to gender and sexuality

Core texts:

Ayoub, Phillip. (2016). When States Come Out: Europe’s Sexual Minorities and the Politics of Visibility. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Canaday, Margot. (2009). The Straight State: Sexuality and Citizenship in 20th century America. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Fone, Byrne. (2000). Homophobia: A History. New York: MacMillan.

Inglehart, Ronald. (2018). Cultural Evolution: People’s Motivations are Changing and Reshaping the World. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Puar, Jasbir. (2017). Terrorist Assemblages: Homonationalism in Queer Times. Durham: Duke University Press.

Weiss, Meredith and Bosia, Michael, Editors. (2013). Global Homophobia: States, Movements, and the Politics of Oppression. Chicago: University of Illinois Press.