Andrew Nathan

Professor Nathans class is very difficult to sit through. His lectures are occasionally boring and sometimes he goes in circles in what he is lecturing about. I did not show up for many lectures (there was also a zoom option made after October) as everything was take home and I felt more confident looking over the lecture slides myself. This class was genuinely interesting, I just wish Professor Nathan was a better lecturer so I would have enjoyed the class more and felt more appealed to attend lectures.

While the class is definitely as chill as he makes it seem the first day, it's a lot of content that is quizzed, but not really reinforced. The essays definitely have a lot of freedom and some of the readings are interesting, but usually pretty boring. Maybe its the room or maybe its the Professor, but it is definitely hard to fight sleep.

A lot of reviewers misleadingly say that this class doesn't require you to be wholly engaged, but if you want a good grade, you most certainly have to be an active student. The midterm and final need a mastery of the course material, if you don't read the assigned readings, you'll feel behind. I cannot recommend taking this class just for an easy breezy grade, but you should take this class if you are interested in China. I came in with almost no knowledge, and I now believe that I have a great deal of insight and expertise on Chinese politics-- the course is broad. Discussion sections are insightful but can sometimes feel like a drag due to lack of attendance and disinterest from students. Professor Nathan isn't a terrible lecturer either. However, it will feel terrible if you aren't interested in the subject matter. If you are interested in China or want to learn more, I highly recommend this course. Otherwise, you're better off spending your time more productively.

I had him for first semester CC. Class usually started with a short presentation of the book, and then a guided class discussion. I found him to have a very good knowledge of the text, and the discussions to be interesting. If the discussion lagged he would take a larger roll, if kids had a lot to say he would let it flow naturally. He was pretty good about keeping the kids who liked to hear their own voice in check though. He clearly liked the material, and enjoyed teaching the class. He is very open minded and won't stiffle your opinion or grade you down just because he disagrees with you. On both my midterm and final he made a point of saying he disagreed with my position, but felt i presented/argued it well and gave me good grades. He specifies pages and sections of books to read. The assignments are usually manageable, although he gets a little carried away with "The City of God" and he assigns huge swaths of the Koran. I slept through some classes with no problem, also enjoyed class discussions. As long as SOME people in the class are talking and discussing he has no issues and lets sleeping dogs lie. The class is obviously better if you actually read the material, but you can get by with just skimming as long as others actually read or are good at BS'ing. Definately a better than average professor.

This course significantly deepened my understanding of rigorous academic research methodologies, critical analysis, and thoughtful academic writing. I acquired substantial knowledge about human rights issues, particularly through extensive exploration of international policies, systemic structures, and intersectional feminist theories. I enhanced my ability to engage critically with complex texts, synthesize diverse perspectives, and articulate nuanced arguments clearly and persuasively. My analytical and reasoning skills improved greatly through regular feedback and in-depth discussions with Professor Nathan.

Dry lectures - you can get by without going to them. Very intelligent professor who is much better in office hours than in a big lecture.

I loved this course although never did any of the readings... because they are not incorporated into his lectures at all, he does not test you on the material. That being said, you MUST go to the lectures because a lot of the short answers he asks on the midterm and final are word for word quotes from what he said in class. By taking decent notes you will do well in this class. The 2 exploration papers I thought were great, no vague poli-sci intro theoretical question, you get to chose exactly what you want to write about. I chose Srebrenica for my first paper, a pretty obvious topic, and got a B+ even though I thought it was a good paper. For the 2nd one I chose the Omar Khadr case (a canadian afghan minor detained in guantanamo and tortured for being accused of working as a terrorist) which was more obscure and also current events got me which got me an A (I think because they hadnt read it 5000 times unlike my first paper). The exams are decent, I went to most of the TA sessions which were really helpful and interesting, but I basically got all my knowledge from the lectures. This class made me want to become a human rights major actually. TAKE IT! You will definitely enjoy it and it isn`t a lot of work, trust.

Nathan is a very smart guy but a terrible lecturer. The good thing is you don't have to attend lectures or discussion sections to get a good grade because most of the class does not go including myself. I also only skim the readings for the essays and you pick your own topic on the essay. Would recommend getting his book though. Grades seem to be based on which TA grades your paper more than anything.

Nathan is rather condesending to his students, and his cc class eentually really is a polisci class. his grading is okay not too stingy and napping time in the second hour of every class is essential...

I highly recommend this course, particularly for students deeply interested in independent research, international human rights, or preparing for advanced graduate- level studies. The personalized approach and Professor Nathan’s expert mentorship make it invaluable for honing research skills and critical thinking. Professor Nathan is truly a sea of knowledge from which we can never learn enough. His guidance and support were continuous and unwavering—I have never experienced such warmth, encouragement, and genuine care even from my own family. He is like a tree that never stops giving, and I feel incredibly lucky and honored to have learned from such a great mind. 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Spring 2025 Course: POLSUN3902_002_2025_1-INDEPENDENTRESEARCHII : POLSUN3902_002_2025_1 - INDEPENDENT RESEARCH II Instructor: Andrew Nathan