My teaching philosophy focuses on developing students’ analytical skills in addition to their factual knowledge regarding the “stuff” of international relations. This means that my classes typically contain both (1) a rich substantive core covering the major theories and concepts, foreign policy tools and strategies, conflicts and modes of resolution, and historical and current events related to the international subject that is the theme of each course, and (2) a mixture of teaching and evaluation techniques engaging students’ ability to read, think, write, and speak analytically – in other words, students’ ability to comprehend arguments about the causes and consequences of international phenomena and foreign policy decisions, to evaluate their persuasiveness relative to alternative arguments, and to formulate their own persuasive arguments using logic and evidence. I consistently strive to maintain a welcoming atmosphere in my classroom for diverse perspectives, to extend support and reinforcement to students in need, and to reflect on the roles of equity and inequity in the international phenomena we study.