For decades, scholars have argued that civic education practices, such as debates on controversial issues, have the capacity to enhance civic outcomes, including political knowledge, attentiveness, and interest. This study bridges the literature on political science education and political behavior by employing an experimental approach to assess…

The aim of this article is to explore the characteristics of the new model of PhD programs (using the case of SPSU) and to test the following hypothesis: the new model of PhD programs in Saint-Petersburg State University (SPSU) is relevant and useful for innovative development and knowledge economy formation. The hypothesis was tested according to…

This paper articulates a normative philosophical justification for Peace Education as a civic duty understood from within the imperatives of democratic political legitimacy. A normative philosophical rationale is present that outlines how and in what ways valid public justification is the source of political legitimacy in a democracy, which in…

Social science research methods are increasingly central to a rigorous political science curriculum. This reflects a shift in both academia and in government toward an appreciation for quantitative analysis to accompany traditional qualitative analyses. As undergraduate and graduate programs develop and update their methods courses, we can…

The ability to integrate learning--to make connections across classes or even within a single class--is integral to students becoming better learners, and to growing their capacity to perform as civic actors. We discuss an upper-level Campaigns and Elections class in which the course structure and assignments were set up to encourage students to…

Simulation methodology has moved toward using different types of real-world scenario-based learning constructs to improve applied understanding of political science concepts and theories. This type of active learning has become popular in the upper divisions of undergraduate and graduate political science. This reflection addresses the variance in…

This paper examines the influence of civic education on political engagement across racial groups. While scholars focus on the political efficacy gap between Black and White students, we extend attention to Latina/os and Asian Americans. This is because universities are becoming increasingly more diverse and defined by inclusion of these…

"Towards Rational Education" explores how education can become rational by serving character building, rational thinking and the common good. It uses evidence-based psychology, philosophy, sociology and political science to support transforming education and provides a brand-new framework for effective universal education. This book…

How well can students exposed to political science for the first time work through the research article writing process? Previous research has introduced selected research article writing skills to students in introductory courses, but has not studied whether students in such courses can complete the entire process of writing and revising a…

Scholars and commentators are increasingly concerned about the erosion of democratic norms in the United States. Political science education stands at the forefront of higher education's mission to create an educated citizenry, and civic education is linked to outcomes like civic engagement and trust in government. Much of the research on civic…

A perennial problem for teachers of political thought is to decide what thinkers to include in the required course readings. In many cases, teachers have come to rely on an established Western canon as they seek to build a shared disciplinary identity, impart key theoretical insights and provide common points of reference. Increasingly, however,…

Using an autoethnographic approach, this article draws on my personal experience as an Asian Pacific American (APA) political theorist who has navigated between different institutional spaces to reflect on a phenomenon that I call "elastic racialization" of APAs in higher education and its implications on our pedagogic agenda and…

In the Federal Republic of Germany, the cities and municipalities decide which streets are being refurbished, which educational services are offered, or where sewers will be laid. The cities and municipalities have financial resources at their disposal for this purpose. However, these resources are, with a view to Rhineland-Palatinate,…

Protracted conflict presents students with an unfamiliar and often puzzling context. Why do negotiations sometimes succeed, while at other points, actors are unable to reach agreement on key issues, even in the face of deadly costs? In this article, I introduce an extended role-playing simulation designed to enhance student understanding of…

The purpose of this study is to determine the change in students' levels of critical thinking (CT) through comparing the results of second- and fourth-year students. The study also investigates the factors that are statistically significant in explaining the change, if any, in students' CT. In doing that, the study determines whether or not the…