Teaching

kpathakis@tamu.edu

POLS 662 – Policy Institutions and Representation, Graduate Seminar

Seminar discussing major theories and approaches of measuring race and racism; the role of group dynamics; policy preferences and how/whether those preferences translate into policy through representation and political behavior. We also talk about inclusion and exclusion and how different actions of elites, policies, and institutions send signals one way or the other, to whom, and whether they affect behavior. 

POLS 320 – Race and Politics in the United States, Undergraduate

In this course, we examine race and racism and their impacts on American politics. Specifically, we will begin by learning about the foundations of the concept of race and roots of racism in the United States. In addition to discussing how traditionally underrepresented groups (i.e., Black, Latinx, Asian, Native American) fare in American politics, we discuss how the changing demographics of the country have impacted the dominance of Whites. We learn about the role of race in representation, public opinion, and how those things translate into political outcomes. We also learn how race, class, and geography interact to influence outcomes. We look specifically into several policy areas, including criminal justice, education, housing, health, and employment. Essentially, we learn how race informs the fundamental question of politics: Who gets what, when, and how?