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Renan Levine Teaching Information · Comparative
and Canadian Politics >> All current course information, including syllabi can be found
on Blackboard. |
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U.S. Government and Politics, University of Toronto. 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2009-2010, Summer 2010.
Large, introductory lecture (200-250 students) organized
around theme of how and why America is unusual.
Emphasized role of institutions in shaping political outcomes and how
historical developments shaped those institutions.
Extensively employed games and simulations.
Organized visit by former Members of
Congress to class.
During election years, special emphasis is given to campaigns.
Public Policies of the United States, University of Toronto Scarborough. Winter 2011
Upper-level lecture course on the dynamics of policy
change (and stability).
Emphasized importance of agenda-setting
Following Republican midterm election victory in the fall of 2010, we
examined role of elections in shaping policy outcomes.
Students learned to analyze policy trend data using data and tools at www.policyagendas.org.
Required students to learn to write policy memos.
Urban Politics - Getting Along, Department of Political Science, Duke University, Fall 2001.
Seminar course emphasizing the sources of conflict and
grounds for cooperation between racial and ethnic groups in American cities.
Final paper assignment was a critique of William Julius Wilsons book, The
Bridge Over the Racial Divide: Rising Inequality and
Coalition Politics (Berkeley, 1999).
Used role playing simulation employing Kennedy School of Government Case
Study of Ohio Finance Agency
American Parties: The Future
of German Politics? Humboldt
University, Berlin, Germany, Summer 1999.
Seminar on comparative party and electoral politics taught to German
undergraduates in English.
Political Behavior and Political Strategy
Opinions, Choices and Voting, University of Toronto. 2004-2005
A seminar with an interdisciplinary look at decision-making,
public opinion and voting to explore group decision-making dynamics and
institutional effects on decisions.
Reviewed theories of rational choice from economics and psychology.
Stressed conceptual applications to American institutions and how those
institutions influence campaign behavior.
Students applied critical thinking and oral presentation skills while taking
turns leading class discussion.
Political Strategy and Policy Entreprenuership, University of Toronto, 2003, 2007, 2008; University of Toronto Scarborough, Fall 2011, Fall 2012.
Integrated literature from psychology and political
science to examine methods to realize political and policy change with up to 70
students.
To reinforce lessons from book on persuasion, students performed skits.
Extensive use of case studies for assignments and classroom discussions.
Students completed group project advising a celebrity on how to engage in a
meaningful charity/political campaign.
During years in which campaigns are held, there is an experiential learning
component, as students are required to volunteer on political campaigns.
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Statistics for Political Science and Public Policy, University of Toronto Scarborough, Winter 2011, Winter
2012
A 50-person class
taught in a computer classroom that emphasizes hands-on activities rather than
lectures.
Covers univariate statistics, bivariate association
techniques, multivariate OLS and logistic regression.
Course emphasizes how to choose the appropriate statistical technique, use
the computer to complete an analysis and interpret the results.
E-testing used extensively to evaluate student understanding of techniques.
Political Analysis I, University of Toronto Scarborough, Fall 2010, Fall
2011
A 60- person
lecture class on the scientific method and research design.
Recent publications are used to help students learn how to evaluate
scientific evidence and conclusions made by academic authors.
Students learn to complete cross-tabulations and make professional-quality
tables and charts.
Introduction to Research Methods, University of Toronto (Course Website) 2003-2004, 2005-2006, Summer 2006, 2006-2007,
2008-2009, Summer 2009 (Co-instructor).
A required class for Political Science "Specialists" with 35-60
students per section taught in a computer classroom.
Collaborated on development of a series of class activities and
worksheets to foster active, hands-on learning and acquisition of statistical
skills.
Emphasized interpretation of statistical analyses.
Trained students to orally present quantitative results using aesthetically
compelling charts and graphs.
Students completed original research projects, including some projects that
were later presented at major conferences.
Craft of Political Research, University of Toronto, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-2010
A fourth-year seminar on
research design that surveyed strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and
quantitative approaches commonly employed by political scientists to understand
common dilemmas and identify hallmarks of good research.
Culminated with a research design proposal incorporating knowledge of the
approaches covered during the class.
Students completed original research sketches using methods introduced by
guest speakers describing their own research.
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Comparative and Canadian Politics
Politics, Corruption and Violence University of Toronto Scarborough. Fall 2011, Fall 2012
Large introductory lecture course
examining corruption and violence, especially in less-developed countries.
Goal is to understand differences in institutional design and performance
between less-developed countries and developed countries.
Students required to present original research into a country or region to
their peers.
Streamed lectures made available to remote students on-line.
Canadian Politics: Connecting Citizens and Governments, University of Toronto Scarborough.
Winter 2012
Uses active learning
techniques to instruct students on Canadian public opinion, vehicles of citizen
participation and to assess the responsiveness of Canadian government.
Considers Canadian opinions and political organizations in comparative
perspective.
Developed original exercises to enable students to use on-line SDA analysis
tools to analyze Canadian public opinion.
Integrated lessons on descriptive statistics, levels of measurement,
cross-tabulations and t-tests into substantive analyses.
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Public Policies of the United States, University of Toronto Scarborough.
Winter 2011 (see above)
Political Analysis for Public Policy, Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University Fall 2000, Fall 2001 and 2002-2003.
A required class for Public Policy majors with an average
class size of 45-50 students.
Developed original syllabus organized around theme of change; what brings
about policy changes and what inhibits change.
Emphasized communication skills, both intra-organizational (memo-writing) and
inter-organizational (website design). Developed original
curriculum and pedagogical material for website instruction with assistance
from computer staff.
Drew course materials from political science, policy analysis, journalistic
accounts of policy-making (especially H.G. Bissingers Prayer
for the City) and psychology.
Extensive use of small-group activities and case studies during class time.
Original class role-playing simulation of interest groups and local zoning
politics.
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Data source for Obama-McCain Scatterplot: Time/SRBI, October
3-6, 2008 (via Roper Center)