My general field of teaching is the history of political thought, where I teach a wide range of topics in the history of Western political philosophy, from ancient through post-modern, as well as some non-Western texts.  My primary teaching fields lie within modern political thought, and include the general survey, liberalism, conservative thought, Marxism and radical thought, and utopian political thought. 

In addition, I am interested in teaching immediate contemporary issues.  I have had a long-standing interest in environmental thought and policy, which dates from plans by Con Ed in the 1970s to build a complex of four large nuclear power plants across the river from Poughkeepsie.  As well as speaking to local groups about the issue, I engaged in scholarly research and writing which has continued through the present, and has manifested itself in my involvement in Environmental Studies at Vassar, where for three years I co-taught the introductory course, Environmentalisms in Perspective.  In response to 9/11, I proposed a half-credit course on terrorism, and -- with the support of the Deanπs office and working with the Directors of the American Culture and the International Studies (multidisciplinary) Programs -- I organized and gave the opening lecture in the course, which -- along with a series of faculty panels -- was a focal point of Vassarπs response to that traumatic event.  Following up that course I am currently teaching one titled "Terrorism and Political Philosophy."

In endeavouring to respond to the important issues of political philosophy, to student needs, and to contemporary issues, I have taught many different courses.  In Vassar in the Department of Political Science, I have taught:

            Introduction to Political Theory

            Marxist Theory and Ideology

            Modern Political Theory

            Conservatism and Its Critics

            Community in America

            The Politics of the Future

            Modern Political Analysis

            Liberalism and its Critics since Hobbes and Locke

            Hegel's Political Philosophy

            Revolutions:  Theory and Practice

            John Stuart Mill's Political Thought

            The Political Novel

            Public Policy and Bureaucracy

            Utopian Political Thought

            Recent Political Theory

            Ancient Political Theory

            American Political Theory

As noted above, in spring 2002, in response to the events of 9/11, I initiated, co-organized, and gave the opening lecture (since published in the e-journal Perspectives on Evil and Human Wickedness) in a course on terrorism.

In a series of courses in the 1970s and 1980s on important contemporary events, I organized and taught in three courses, on:

            The Meaning of Jonestown

            Ethical Issues in Energy

            Terrorism

Vassar has a richness of multidisciplinary programs in which I have actively participated.

In the 1970s and 1980s I taught in "Science, Technology, and Society":

            Revolutions, Violence, and the Problem of Dirty Hands

            Science, Politics, and Post-Industrial Society

            Energy:  The Physical, Social, and Ethical Dimensions of its  Production and Distribution

In the 1980s I directed and taught in the "College Course Program," which attempted to focus appreciatively and critically on major texts and movements in the Western and non-Western traditions; I taught the primary course, Civilization in Question.

In the 1980s and 1990s, I taught in Vassar's "American Culture [Studies] Program," both the senior seminar on community and the required (intermediate) "Seminar in American Culture:  The Multidisciplinary Approach."

I have been actively involved in the development of the new "Environmental Studies Program" at Vassar:  I was a member of the faculty seminar and steering committee of the "development project," directed it during the year in which we established the major requirements, am currently (2003-06) the Director, and taught for the first three years the required introductory course, Environmentalisms in Perspective.

In addition to teaching at Vassar since 1970, I was at Princeton University for a year, where I taught Ancient and Medieval Political Theory; Radical Thought; Modern Political Philosophy (Graduate Seminar); and Classical Sociological Theory (Graduate Reading Course).

At Harvard Summer School I have occasionally taught the Introduction to Political Philosophy and Modern Political Philosophy (undergraduates and graduates).

In the Yale Summer Programs I am currently teaching Political Science S-114, Introduction to Political Philosophy.