Sloan Lansdale

Sloan Lansdale

PhD Student, University of Maryland

Teaching

GVPT200: International Political Relations

Undergraduate Course, University of Maryland, Government and Politics, 2025

I taught an introductory International Relations course synchronously online in Summer 2025. The course introduced students to core concepts in the field, including statehood, anarchy, security dilemmas, and the foundations of game theory, while also engaging with contemporary issues such as climate politics, international institutions, and the return of great power rivalry. To bridge theory and practice, I incorporated interactive simulations that placed students in the role of decision-makers, allowing them to experience firsthand the dynamics of the prisoner’s dilemma, the challenges of collective action, and the complexities of conflict negotiation. These activities encouraged students to connect abstract theories to real-world political challenges, while developing analytical and collaborative skills.

International Conflict Simulation

Undergraduate Activity, University of Maryland, Government and Politics, 2025

Heavily based on the classroom game developed by Dr.Nathan Sears, this simulation is designed to teach students key concepts in International Relations (IR), such as anarchy in the international system, the security dilemma, and strategic decision-making. Students will role-play as states in an anarchic international system, making decisions about resource allocation (armaments vs. enjoyment) and foreign policy (peace vs. war). The decisions students make, the outcomes they experience, and the frustration or elation they feel together become a touchstone you can return to when introducing new concepts or cases, connecting theory to something students have already experienced in the miniature. This shared experience prompts students to think deeply about their own decisions and those of others, and how those decisions mirror those of states in the international system more broadly. Extensions are provided to further emphasize the concepts of great power rivalry, private information, and international institutions.

GVPT309: From Declaration to Action: The United Nations and Human Rights

Undergraduate Course, University of Maryland, Government and Politics, 2024

I developed this course with the aim to teach students about the history and development of human rights through the lens of the United Nations as an institution. The course will track how the UN formalizes and promotes human rights through treaties and bodies under the UN umbrella. The course will also discuss how these norms disperse informally between states as well as domestically. Students will leave the course with the ability to identify and assess the efficacy of current international efforts to promote human rights through international organizations. Taught Asynchronously Summer 2024.

GVPT388- Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program

Undergraduate course, University of Maryland, Government and Politics, 2023

This course allowed high-performing students to develop and execute their research projects under the mentorship of a faculty member. I facilitated class meetings, lecturing the students on research design. I also held individual meetings with students to discuss their progress and provide feedback. Through this course, I am able to mentor a diverse group of students from project inception to completion and presentation in front of faculty and peers. I have taught in this position since Fall 2023.