Heather James
Assistant Professor
Social Sciences, Human Services and Criminal Justice
EMAIL: hjames@bmcc.cuny.edu
Office: N-668
Office Hours:
Phone: +1 (212) 776-6958
Expertise
Heather James studies American political institutions, elites, state and local politics, state campaign finance, American women and politics, women’s campaigns, and public policy.
Degrees
Ph.D. Rutgers University, Political Science
Courses Taught
- The history, development, and intellectual origin of American government are studied and analyzed. Special consideration is given to the structure and operation of the executive, legislative and judiciary branches, and the role of government and politics in a modern industrial society.
- This course uses gender as a lens of analysis for studying politics, with an emphasis on the United States. It will explore how participation, including voting, campaigning, office holding, and activism, has been gendered and how ideals of citizenship have differed for men and women, taking into account the ways that gender intersects with other categories such as race and ethnicity. The course will cover the historical development of men'A?s and women's political roles, the ways gender inequality has been sustained and contested in various political contexts, and selected current issues and debates.
- This course explores the politics of cities, with special emphasis on New York City and with attention to institutions and organizations active in urban politics, urban public policy issues, and interactions between cities and other levels of government. Themes may include the roots of urban public life, the historical development and importance of cities, and current challenges to urban communities. Prerequisite: POL 100 or POL 110
Research and Projects
Publications
Van Noy, M., James, H. Bedley, C. (2016). Reconceptualizing Learning: A Review of the Literature on Informal Learning. Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center: NJ.
James, H, James, T. Kirk, M (2012). I’m Not Your Cookie: Debunking the Myth of Girl Scout Perfection in Leadership and Life In Michelle Bae and Olga Ivanshkevich (eds), Girls, Cultural Productions, and Resistance (26-40). Peter Lang: D.C.
Recent Opinion Pieces:
James, H. & Szitanyi, S. (2020). Can democrats finally win the white woman vote? The Hill. https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/506457-pandemic-presidential-election-can-democrats-finally-win-the-white-woman?
James, H. (2019). Party machines are not dead yet. New York Daily News. https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-party-machines-are-not-dead-yet-20190808-wjzw2tdyarcdvlbymy6jz4ag6e-story.html
James, H. (2019). Why Gillibrand didn’t connect. New York Daily News. https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-why-gillibrand-didnt-connect-20190829-j4pud47mxbe4tayw3f2xe2pyfe-story.html
