ABOUT US

Public Intellectuals, Engaged Scholars, Committed Students, and Practical Politics

Our Department is committed to a kind of political science that evokes such phrases.  We believe the study and teaching of political science should:

1. be relevant to real-world concerns;
2. help students gain practical experience in testing ideas and building knowledge through community engagement;
3. feature instructors with a history of social engagement, and, above all;
4. foster engaged citizenship in students.

Fostering Community Engagement

Over the last few decades, our Department has built several innovative community engagement programs to advance such principles, and many department faculty have won substantial grants to expand their community engagement offerings.  We have become nationally known for our programs in indigenous politics, international human rights, and inner-city community development, to name a few. 

Our formal class-room curriculum builds on and benefits greatly from the community engagement work of many of our professors and instructors.  Students of our program will find ample opportunity to explore the innovative community engagement programs these professors have created, even while receiving real-world experience in a variety of professional and community settings.

Professors With Broad Community Experience

We are proud to feature faculty trained at the very best of America’s universities, and who also bring a deep personal history of community engagement into their classes.  Professors do not expect students to share their politics or to participate in similar community projects--but students do benefit from the practical political knowledge gained by our faculty in their community work.  Our full-time, rostered faculty, and some of their experiences, include:

Jana Everett

In graduate school in the early 1970's involved in the beginnings of Women's Studies and in what we called "the women's liberation movement." Field work in India on women and politics and social movements, most recently on a Fulbright to India in 2005.

Christoph H. Stefes

His research focuses on the political and economic transitions in post-Soviet Central Eurasia. He worked on civil society building projects in Georgia (1998-99) and Uzbekistan (2000). In addition, Dr. Stefes is interested in European politics and regularly takes students to Europe to gain first-hand experiences. He is an active member in the American Council on Germany.

Mike Cummings

Personal experience living within and conducting intensive participant-observation research in a variety of international communes and other “intentional communities.”  Recent experience as an activist in the politics surrounding mid-wifery, La Leche League, and children’s rights.

Joel Edelstein

Host and producer of local community radio program covering political affairs. Active in the politics surrounding public radio.  Close knowledge of (and participation in) in the political affairs of Mexico, Latin and South America, with extensive travel through Cuba and Mexico.

Glenn Morris

One of America’s leading Native American scholars and activists. Internationally active in indigenous people’s politics.  Active member of the American Indian Movement and founding member of Denver’s All Nations’ Alliance.

Steve Thomas

An active member of the pacifist American Friends Service Committee.  A local activist in the nuclear disarmament movement, and a leader in the campaign to terminate nuclear weapons production work at Rocky Flats.

Tony Robinson

Active in low-income inner-city community development work throughout Denver, with a history of activism in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.  Consultant to and co-founder of Denver’s Save Our Section 8 Housing Coalition and the Centro Humanitario para los Trabajadores (an organizing center for Denver’s immigrant day laborers).

Anna Sampaio

History of activism in California’s struggles over cultural diversity issues, especially regarding the politics of affirmative action, inner-city education, and Proposition 187. Recently active in Denver’s Latino Campaign for Education, the Chiapas Coalition, Padres Unidos (a school reform group) and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

This list is meant to provide a broad sampling of our faculty’s experiences.  There are many more faculty involved in community work, and the faculty listed here have a much broader array of experiences than is presented on this page.  Students of our program will have the opportunity to learn from all of these professors and will find a wide array of community affairs opened up to them.