The overall objective in all my courses is to provide students with a “practical” understanding of political theory that they can use in their daily lives. The subfield of political theory has been met with skepticism both within and outside the discipline of political science. It is considered “outdated,” “too abstract,” “insufficiently empirical,” and irrelevant to the “reality.” Students often approach it with similar assumptions. I encourage them to voice their concerns while introducing them to different ways of thinking about political theory. I facilitate a self-reflexive learning experience that enables students to assess whether and how they can use this information outside of a classroom setting. I invite them to ask: What is the value of reading historical texts? Why should we learn the political theory canon despite its epistemic exclusions and omissions? It is rewarding to be often reminded by my students that their engagement with these ideas is not limited to the classroom.
