University Teaching
Joe lectures academically on topics in business, politics, economics, and statistics. Subfield topics include political behavior, institutions, research methodology, data science, analytics and NLP. His experience includes the instruction of hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students at top universities and academic conferences, most at Columbia University.
Course Offerings
Quality of Instruction. The average student scores Joe’s teaching a 4.8/5 (N=228 reviews submitted, 40% participation rate, 6 courses). His current and previous teaching positions follow.
Topics in Methodology: Introduction to Text-as-Data
| Level | Upper level course for college juniors, seniors, and graduate students. |
| Objective | Learn how to conduct applied research using text data. |
| Abstract | Topics include a general approach to descriptive and causal inference using text, classical approaches to content analysis, statistical approaches to content analysis, stylometry, the vector space model, feature extraction, dimension reduction, classifiers, topic models, and selected newer topics. |
Research Design and Quantitative Methods
| Level | Two-semester methodology course for college juniors and seniors. |
| Objective | Learn how to conduct applied research using econometric approaches to identification and inference. |
| Abstract | Students learn how to critique research designs by working with a body of scholarly research published in top-tier journals, and then propose a research project of their own. Substantive topics include scientific research design, DAGs, identification and inference, mechanisms, modes of research, and meta-analysis. Quantitative topics include basic probability theory, sampling theory, mechanisms, survey research, ordinary least squares, data visualization, and R. |
Topics in Methodology: Scaling of Latent Traits
| Level | Upper level course for college juniors, seniors, and graduate students. |
| Objective | Understand the theory and practice of scaling, the method that lets us order politicians by ideology, draw inferences from machine analysis of texts, and personalize content at scale with artificial intelligence. |
| Abstract | In this course, we review foundational estimation practices that stretch all the way back Catholic monasteries of the 1400s and into the modern era. Then, we apply the practices of NOMINATE, natural language processing, and joint scaling to study topics in economics, politics, finance, and marketing. |
Introduction to American Politics
| Level | Introductory course, usually required, for college freshmen and sophomores. |
| Objective | Provide an analytical framework with which students may dissect political situations and draw conclusions about the nature of our nation’s people. |
| Abstract | Topics include collective action problems, principal-agent problems, federalism, institutional history, public opinion, political behavior, and elections. We also examine and contest scholarly debates around the causes and consequences of polarization in American politics. |
The American Congress
| Level | Upper level course for college juniors and seniors. |
| Objective | Understand the making of our nation and its laws by it’s most (in)famous political body, Congress. |
| Abstract | In this course, we review the history of the American Congress, its creation under the Constitution, and how its designed solved collective action problems, focusing on works by the founders, Edmund Burke, and Dick Fenno. We then review procedure, bicameralism, supermajoritarianism, committees, and game theory, focusing particularly on work by Greg Wawro, Eric Schikler, and Keith Krehbiel. Finally, we study ideal point estimation, parties, polarization, gridlock, and trends in congressional organization, focusing on work by Matt McCubbins, Steven Smith, and Sarah Binder. |
Topics in Politics: Politics and Modern Computing
| Level | (New!) Upper level course for college juniors, seniors, and graduate students. |
| Objective | Understand the political implications of our nation’s digital transformation, and consider implications for the future. |
| Abstract | New technology has precipitously reduced the costs of voter engagement, district interaction, and labor. This has upset the participatory and representative equilibria which have to this day evolved at a leisurely rate. In this course, we study how a reduction in the costs of collective action by way of digital transformation and artificial intelligence has changed the ways citizens interact with their political institutions. |
Student Feedback
Joe was one of the most impressive instructors I have come across to date, across all the professors I've had. Not only is Joe incredibly knowledgeable in the field of politics, but he also possesses the special skill of presenting these concepts in a fascinating, relatable, and clear manner to his students. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for an instructor who is both brilliant and accommodating.
Once in a while, you meet an instructor who is amazing. He taught lectures on statistical programming that were excellent, by the way. Every week he explains concepts in a simple, intuitive way. I am probably as non-mathematically inclined as students come, but, thanks to Joe's patient explanations, I UNDERSTAND STATS. He's super nice and encouraging too, and so wonderfully patient when I ask inanely-phrased questions like "what's this Y change when X changes by one unit thing?" Joe's strong at teaching the Stats portion of things, AND the Theory portion of things.
Provided great insight into the material, and was very helpful in terms of understanding the material better. He was also very approachable in person and by email, and was both efficient and thorough in class.
Joe is a fantastic instructor. He is a very intelligent guy who does a great job at explaining every inch of the material very clearly. He is very easy to approach and always helps you if you have a question. Every class is interesting because he brings in relevant information from our current state as examples, and it really helps us to understand how the system works. His teaching style is very effective and he makes it easy to learn important points in the material.