David Spataro, PhD Picture

David Spataro, PhD

Associate Professor - Program Chair

Biography:

My name is David Spataro and I am an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Bellevue College. I have a Ph.D. from The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where I focused on contemporary urban anarchist social movements.

 

Teaching Philosophy:

I am an anti-authoritarian, and I try to create a classroom space that fosters political engagement. I bring the perspective that we must sincerely question everything, especially our socialized knowledge of politics that comes across as natural or inevitable. In my classroom I introduce students to uncommon ideas and thinkers, and to critical perspectives that are not always readily available in everyday life. My priorities are simple: students learn best in a cooperative and nurturing environment. I discourage the kind of learning that is superficial and transactional in which students strive for a grade while out-competing their peers.

 

Recent Courses Taught at BC:

  • Environmental Politics (spring 2021)
  • Introduction to Political Science
  • American Government
  • International Relations
  • Introduction to Geography
  • Introduction to Globalization
  • Fighting for the Planet: Political Economy of the Climate Crisis

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