2024 TLC at APSA
Theme: “Teaching Democracy: Reflection, Innovation and Imagination”
Co-Chairs: Colin Brown (Northeastern University) and Bobbi Gentry (Bridgewater College)
The seventh annual TLC at APSA, the teaching and learning conference-within-a-conference that is part of the APSA Annual Meeting, will take place
Saturday, September 7, 2024 in Philadelphia. View the TLC at APSA Schedule
In keeping with the overall conference theme of “Democracy: Retrenchment, Renovation, & Reimagination,” the 2024 TLC at APSA theme is “Teaching Democracy: Reflection, Innovation and Imagination.” How can political science educators advance an understanding of democracy, how democracy has adapted to past challenges, and the threats that democracy faces today? What is the role of higher education in preparing future leaders and citizens to not merely participate in democratic governance, but also to develop and debate the democratic innovations needed to meet new challenges. Amid these new uncertainties, teacher-scholars have an opportunity to encourage and model democratic norms in the classroom with problem-solving, collaboration, compromise, information and media literacy, and critical thinking. Political scientists have the opportunity—and the need—to educate our students about the benefits, limitations, and changing nature of democracy in the 21st century.
You are invited to participate in the day-long program which will feature workshops, panels, presentations and networking opportunities for teacher-scholars. TLC at APSA aims to promote scholarly reflection and dissemination of tools, strategies, and pedagogical approaches that enable educators to develop and promote inclusive and democratic forms of political science pedagogy, civic literacy, and engagement—both in the classroom and the public sphere.
TLC and TLC at APSA conferences focus not only on the exchange of ideas but also on building a community of teacher-scholars within APSA, who support one another, promote best practices in teaching and learning, and innovate pedagogical theory and evidence-based practices through research. The conference fosters an exchange of ideas about creating a more diverse, inclusive, and engaging classroom. By building connections with colleagues from a variety of subfields, experiences, institutions, and identities, the 2024 TLC at APSA will empower educators to reflect, innovate and imagine how to confront the perils and promises of the project of democracy.
We invited proposals for two types of submissions. Teaching and learning workshops provide opportunities to practice meeting the varied challenges of teaching democracy in the classroom and community. Paper presentations in designated tracks that investigate these themes through research are also invited. The designated tracks for 2024 are:
- Reimagining Civic Engagement
- Innovations in Active Learning and Democracy
- 21st Century Skills: Literacy, Analysis, Research and Writing
- Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility
2024 TLC at APSA Plenary Speaker
Dr. Nazita Lajevardi of Michigan State University
Dr. Nazita Lajevardi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University. She researches issues related to public opinion and political behavior through the lens of religious and racial identity, and evaluates how stigmatized groups fare in American democracy. Broadly, her scholarship is related to race and ethnic politics, political behavior, voting rights, and immigration politics. Her scholarship has been published in numerous venues, including American Political Science Review, The Journal of Politics, Political Behavior, and Cambridge University Press, among others.
Plenary: Educating for Change: Teaching Race in a Climate of Hostility
As the promises of American democracy are increasingly challenged, the role of education is not merely instructional but transformative. My journey as an educator and scholar, coupled with a deep-seated commitment to racial justice and inclusivity, has positioned me to address these challenges head-on in my teaching and research. However, teaching race and ethnicity in today’s polarized climate carries its own risks and challenges. This keynote will reflect on the imagination required to innovate within political science education, ensuring that it remains relevant, rigorous, and reflective of our democratic ideals, despite the external threats and challenges we face.
All TLC participants must be registered for the 2024 APSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition in order to attend the TLC at APSA.
Please contact teaching@apsanet.org if you have questions.
Thank you to the 2024 TLC at APSA Program committee for their hard work and dedication in planning this year’s TLC at APSA.
- Colin Brown, Northeastern University (co-chair)
- Bobbi Gentry, Bridgewater College (co-chair)
- Helen Chang, Hostos Community College, CUNY
- Wendy Johnston, SUNY Adirondack
- Kevin G. Lorentz II, Saginaw Valley State University
- Chapman Rackaway, Radford University
- Shyam Sriram, Canisius University