Thomas Redden, Ph.D.

Professor, the donald everett axinn division of social sciences

Everett Mansion 357
tredden@svc.edu
802-447-6350

Education

Ph.D., Political Science, University of Connecticut, 1998
M.A., Third World Development Studies, University of Geneva, Switzerland, 1986
M.Ed., Central Connecticut State University, 1984
B.A., History, Williams College, 1977

Teaching experience

Associate Professor, History and Politics, Southern Vermont College, 1999-present
Professor, Political Science, Marlboro College, 1992-1999
Dean of Students, Marlboro College, 1993-1998
Instructor, Political Science, University of Connecticut, 1987-1992
Teacher of English, International School of Geneva, 1982-1986
Teacher of History, Kingswood-Oxford School, 1979-1982
Teacher of English to Japanese students, Cook School, 1977-1978

Courses

U.S. History
Modern Asia History
Latin America History
African History
Middle East History
History in Film
Western Civilization
International Relations
Social Ethics
Social Science Research Methods
Race, Class, Gender and Ethnicity

Research interests

My academic research centers on U.S. foreign policy in the Third World since 1945, in particular the foreign policies of presidents Reagan and George W. Bush.

Why I teach

I teach because I love to teach. I love the students, am fascinated by the academic content areas, and find the entire enterprise enormously meaningful and important.

Publications and Presentations

"Leadership of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush: Some Preliminary Comparisons," presented at the Northeastern Political Science Association, 2006
"Hegemony, Hegemonic Stability Theory and the Direction of U.S. Foreign Policy," New York State Political Science Association, John Jay College, 2006
"The Reagan and Bush Doctrines: The Ideological Genealogy," New England Political Science Association, 2005
"The Evolution of and Reaction to the Grand Strategy of the George W. Bush Administration," International Studies Association, 2004
"Is the United States an Empire? Competing Perspectives," New England Political Science Association, 2004
"Neoconservatism and George W. Bush's Foreign Policy," Northeast Political Science/International Studies Association, 2003
"Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986: Anti-Apartheid or Anti-African National Congress?" African Affairs, October, 1988
Op-ed articles in The Hartford Courant on Central American poverty and the Persian Gulf War, 1986-1991
"Bureaucratic Influence on Kennedy's Opposition to the Castro Regime," New England Political Science Association, 1991
"Transitions to Democracy in Latin America," New England Political Science Association, 1990
"Reagan's 'Democratic Security' Doctrine and the Central American Negotiations," New England Political Science Association, 1988

Awards

Finalist for Vermont Campus Compact Award for Excellence in Community-Based Teaching, 2008
Southern Vermont College Outstanding Faculty Member, 2000, 2001, 2003
Southern Vermont College Faculty Service Award, 2001
University of Connecticut Edward V. Gant Scholarship, 1990

Favorite Book

The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh

Favorite Movie

Lord of the Rings

Best part of being at SVC

Day in and day out being with students and a great group of people on faculty and staff.

Highlights

March 2013 - Attended the Council of Independent College (CIC) Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) Annual Conference, entitled "Enriching the Theological Exploration of Vocation," in Indianapolis, IN.

October 2012 - Spoke on the upcoming US Presidential election at the School of International Training (SIT) Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, VT; talk was entitled "A Reflection of Foreign and Domestic Policy."

February 2012 - Profiled at Vermont Campus Compact for community-engaged learning. Read more.

April 2008 - Presented a paper titled "Neoconservative Interventions: Comparing the Wars of Presidents Reagan and Bush in Nicaragua and Iraq" at the New England Political Association Annual Meeting at Providence Marriot Hotel in Providence, R.I. Juniors Zach Garafalo and Laura Sullivan accompanied Professor Redden to the meeting.

March 2008 - Named a finalist for the Award for Excellence in Community-Based Teaching at the Vermont Campus Compact annual meeting. This award is given to one faculty member who has made public service an integral part of their teaching. Professor Redden incorporated service-learning and civic engagement into each of his social science classes. His students in the American Politics class have written to Congressional delegation, worked with Bennington's town government and helped form a Youth Advisory Board that works on youth issues throughout the community. First-year students in the Quest for Success course were paired with veterans at the Vermont Veterans' Home.

October 2007 - Presented a slide show and talk on campus titled "Nicaragua: Personal Reflections War Peace 1985 to 2007." Dr. Redden and his family visited Nicaragua for three weeks during the summer and came away with incredible experiences.