Teaching
Teaching experience
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Classroom instruction
During my career, I have taught courses in three countries on two continents and in two kinds of academic institutions - a small liberal arts college and a large public research university. Recently, I collaborated with a colleague at the University of Edinburgh to propose, design and deliver the most substantial reform of the first-year undergraduate curriculum in decades. I regularly teach Introduction to Sociology, as well as Sociology of the Arts at both undergraduate and graduate levels. I have also contributed lectures to courses in Social Theory and Research Methods, and delivered workshops for first-year PhD students.
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Supervising research projects
Students undertaking their first independent research project are often as daunted and excited by the prospect, especially when they realize that producing a dissertation is not actually like writing a long essay. As a supervisor, I work hard to establish rapport and trust at the beginning of the project. At the University of Edinburgh, I have advised more than 50 dissertations at the undergraduate and masters levels on topics ranging from social performance on TikTok to gendered norms in orchestral percussion to the place-making practices of migrants. Some of my undergraduate advisees received the dissertation prize, and I have been nominated for “Supervisor of the year” and “Teacher of the year”.
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PhD supervision
My primary aim as a PhD supervisor is to empower scholars so that they realize the full potential of their project. Equally I strive to help students cultivate their curiosity and develop an individual intellectual identity. In addition to providing feedback on chapter drafts and guidance throughout the research process, I support students through broader mentorship in how to navigate and enjoy academic life. I have supervised three PhD students to completion, and I am currently supervising four PhD students in sociology and in music. I am interested in supervising theoretically driven projects in cultural sociology.
Teaching philosophy
The most important lesson I can teach students is to embrace the challenge of learning. It takes courage to explore new ideas, develop new skills, question familiar methods, and evaluate established beliefs. As a teacher, I know my subject well and I make every effort to keep up with developments in my field. It is equally important that I share my passion for sociology and my enthusiasm for intellectual inquiry.
Through my experience as an instructor, supervisor and external examiner, I have come to understand teaching and learning as interdependent endeavors that cannot be neatly separated into the roles of teacher and student. I find teaching rewarding because I am constantly learning from my students, from my colleagues, and from experimenting with pedagogical methods.