Teaching and Presentations
I teach because I believe in the power of education to transform individuals and communities through catalyzing critical thinking and curiosity. My overall goal is to inculcate the ideal of learning as a life-long process, not a particular end point or a limited set of knowledge. Typically, my classes have 18 – 70 students and cover varied topics, such as cities, migration, borders, climate change, economic systems, intersectional identities, and power relations.
I teach through the lens of Human Geography, meaning that I ask students to consider where processes unfold; how we perceive people and places; the ties that bind places together (or not); and the differences between individual, community, national, or global experiences. I emphasize grappling with the interdependent systems of our world and excavating underrepresented perspectives.
The content of my courses is complemented by my pedagogical approach. I view myself as a guide, the person who offers relevant questions, clarifies ideas, and models persistent inquisitiveness. I strive to support multiple ways of knowing and to empower students as thinkers and writers. This approach lends itself to fostering inclusion and broadening students’ perspectives.
Teaching
Mount Holyoke College
- Geography 105: World Regional Geography
- International Relations 200: Research Methods
- Geography 202: Cities in a Global Context
- Geography 208: Global Movements: Migrations, Refugees, and Diasporas
- Geography 311: Global Movements
- Geography 312: Geographies of Racial Mixing and Multiraciality
- Geography 312 (2): Sense of Place, Sense of Planet
- Geography 328: Climate Migration
Community College of Vermont
- Geography 1010: Introduction to Geography
Dartmouth College
- Geography 11: Qualitative Research Methods
University of Washington
- English 198D: Writing Link with Geography 271
- English 198G: Writing Link with Geography 280
Guest Teaching
“Exclusive Inclusion: Choosing Sustainability and Being Green.” Guest lecture in Global Geography: Place-making and the Modern World, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, February 2019.
“Climate-Induced Migration and the Pacific.” Guest lecture in Fundamentals of Environmental Humanities, Sterling College, Craftsbury Common, VT, October 2018.
“Research and Writing Strategies.” Guest lecture in Critical Social Inquiry Division III Seminar, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, February 2017.
Conference Papers and Panel Presentations
“Rethinking Translation: Emergent, Geographic, and Transformative” with Dan Trudeau. American Association of Geographers conference, Denver, CO, March 2023.
“Rethinking Translation: Emergence and Improvisation in Action” with Dan Trudeau. American Association of Geographers virtual conference, New York City, NY, February 2022.
Panelist for “Author Meets Her Readers: Serin Houston’s Imagining Seattle.” American Association of Geographers virtual conference, Seattle, WA, April 2021.
Panelist for “Feminist Geographies Specialty Group Book Celebration.” Imagining Seattle was honored. American Association of Geographers virtual conference, Seattle, WA, April 2021.
“Unsettling Whiteness in Neighborhood Planning: Social Justice Efforts in Seattle, WA,” UMass, Amherst, Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning, Zube Lecture Series, March 2021.
“Imagining Seattle: Social Values in Urban Governance,” Arts Leadership Book Series, Seattle University, Seattle, WA, December 2020.
“Conceptualizing Sanctuary as a Process in the United States.” American Geographical Society conference, New York City, NY, November 2019.
Panelist for “Social Values in Action: Building Equitable and Sustainable Cities.” Symposium celebrating Imagining Seattle, Mount Holyoke College, September 2019.
“Conceptualizing Sanctuary as a Process in the United States.” American Association of Geographers conference, Washington, DC, April 2019.
“Ethical Considerations and Embodied Emotions: Insights from an Inaccessible Fieldsite” with Kiana London. American Association of Geographers conference, Washington, DC, April 2019.
Panelist for “Placing ‘Failure’ in Research: Challenges and Transformation in Geographic Fieldwork” session. American Association of Geographers conference, Washington, DC, April 2019.
“Beyond Sanctuary Cities: Examining Local Immigration Policies and Belonging in the United States.” Earth Adventures lecture series, Mount Holyoke College, March 2019.
“Beyond Sanctuary Cities: Geographies of Immigration Policy and Belonging.” Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, February 2019.
“Contextualizing the Migration ‘Crisis:’ Patterns, Practices, and Protests.” Sterling College, Craftsbury Common, VT, October 2018.
“Telling Stories of Territory: Mapping US Sanctuary Legislation.” Nordic Geographers Meeting, Stockholm, Sweden, June 2017.
“The Ordinary and Extraordinary: Producing Migrant Inclusion and Exclusion in US Sanctuary Movements” (co-author Charlotte Morse). American Association of Geographers conference, Boston, MA, April 2017.
Panelist for “Women Leading the Movement for Change” session. BOOM Conference, Mount Holyoke College, March 2017.
“Neighborhood Planning in Seattle, WA: The Possibilities of Incremental Change.” ‘Race + Class, Space and Design’ panel, Smith College, Northampton, MA, February 2017.
“Exclusive Inclusion: Sustainability in Seattle, WA.” Kahn Institute, Smith College, Northampton, MA, December 2016.
“Immigrant Sanctuaries.” Faculty Friday talk, Mount Holyoke College, April 2016.
“The Model Migrant and Multiculturalism: Analyzing Neoliberal Logics in US Sanctuary Legislation” (co-author Olivia Lawrence-Weilmann). American Association of Geographers conference, San Francisco, CA, March 2016.
“‘Global/Local’ Community-Based Learning: Engaging Students in Community Solidarity and Co-Labor” with Kirk Lange. American Association of Geographers conference, San Francisco, CA, March 2016.
Panelist for “Profiling, B/ordering, and the Political Work of Pedagogy” session. American Association of Geographers conference, San Francisco, CA, March 2016.
“New Lands Farm Collaborations” with Sara Tower. Five College CBL Faculty Development Event, Mount Holyoke College, January 2016.
“Qualitative Research Methods.” Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School Strategic Action Planning Committee, South Hadley, MA, December 2015.
“Conversations on American Studies” podcast interview. Posted August 2015. Available at: http://blogs.umass.edu/acolman/
Panelist for “Powerful Objects: Theory-making through Objects, Bodies, and Feelings” session. Critical Geographies conference, Philadelphia, PA, November 2014.
“Spaces of Justice? The Politics and Prevalence of Immigrant Sanctuaries.” Association of American Geographers conference, Tampa, FL, April 2014.
Panelist for “Challenging Borders and B/ordering Mechanisms” session. Association of American Geographers conference, Tampa, FL, April 2014.
“Urban Exclusions and Inequalities: Examining Public Space and Segregation.” Cities conference, Wilbraham-Monson Academy, Wilbraham, MA, April 2014.
“Masking Inequities, Promoting Growth: Urban Entrepreneurialism and the Creative Class in Seattle, WA.” Association of American Geographers conference, New York City, NY, February 2012.
“The Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI): Racialized Practice in Seattle, WA.” Association of American Geographers conference, Seattle, WA, April 2011.
“Revitalizing and Redefining the City: Seattle and its Sustainability and Social Justice Endeavors.” Association of American Geographers conference, Washington, DC, April 2010.
“Methodologically Becoming Two/Too: Collaborative Knowledge Production and ‘Team Ismaili’” (co-authors James McLean, Jennifer Hyndman, and Arif Jamal). Association of American Geographers conference, Boston, MA, April 2008.
“Whiteness in the ‘City of Destiny’: Power, Privilege, and Mixed-Race Households in Tacoma, Washington.” Association of American Geographers conference, San Francisco, CA, April 2007. Session co-organizer.
“Racializing Place and Placing Race: Neighborhood Narratives in Tacoma, Washington.” Race, Ethnicity, and Place conference, San Marcos, TX, November 2006.
“Racializing Place and Placing Race: Neighborhood Narratives in Tacoma, Washington.” Place Matters: Seeking Equity in a Diverse Society conference, Seattle, WA, October 2006.
“Work Together, Live Apart? The Immigration Debate” with Richard Wright. Dartmouth Los Angeles “Oh the Places You’ll Go” Celebration, Los Angeles, CA, August 2006.
“Becoming Ismaili: Scales of Identity” with Jennifer Hyndman, Arif Jamal, and James McLean. Pacific Northwest Immigration Symposium, Vancouver, BC, May 2006.
“Methodologically Becoming Too” with Jennifer Hyndman, Arif Jamal, and James McLean. Pacific Northwest Immigration Symposium, Vancouver, BC, May 2006.
“Spatial Stories: The Racial Discourses of Mixed-Race Households in Tacoma, WA.” Association of American Geographers conference, Chicago, IL, March 2006. Session co-organizer.
“Places of Possibility: Where Mixed-race Partners Meet” (co-authors Richard Wright, Mark Ellis, Steven Holloway, and Margaret Hudson). Association of American Geographers conference, Denver, CO, April 2005.
“Strange Bedfellows? A Civil Union of Queer Theory and Mixed-Race ‘Het’ Household Geographies.” Association of American Geographers conference, Philadelphia, PA, March 2004.
“Contextualizing the Migration ‘Crisis:’ Patterns, Practices, and Protests.” Sterling College, Craftsbury Common, VT, October 2018.
“Telling Stories of Territory: Mapping US Sanctuary Legislation.” Nordic Geographers Meeting, Stockholm, Sweden, June 2017.
“The Ordinary and Extraordinary: Producing Migrant Inclusion and Exclusion in US Sanctuary Movements” (co-author Charlotte Morse). American Association of Geographers conference, Boston, MA, April 2017.
Panelist for “Women Leading the Movement for Change” session. BOOM Conference, Mount Holyoke College, March 2017.
“Neighborhood Planning in Seattle, WA: The Possibilities of Incremental Change.” ‘Race + Class, Space and Design’ panel, Smith College, Northampton, MA, February 2017.
“Exclusive Inclusion: Sustainability in Seattle, WA.” Kahn Institute, Smith College, Northampton, MA, December 2016.
“Immigrant Sanctuaries.” Faculty Friday talk, Mount Holyoke College, April 2016.
“The Model Migrant and Multiculturalism: Analyzing Neoliberal Logics in US Sanctuary Legislation” (co-author Olivia Lawrence-Weilmann). American Association of Geographers conference, San Francisco, CA, March 2016.
“‘Global/Local’ Community-Based Learning: Engaging Students in Community Solidarity and Co-Labor” with Kirk Lange. American Association of Geographers conference, San Francisco, CA, March 2016.
Panelist for “Profiling, B/ordering, and the Political Work of Pedagogy” session. American Association of Geographers conference, San Francisco, CA, March 2016.
“New Lands Farm Collaborations” with Sara Tower. Five College CBL Faculty Development Event, Mount Holyoke College, January 2016.
Panelist for “Powerful Objects: Theory-making through Objects, Bodies, and Feelings” session. Critical Geographies conference, Philadelphia, PA, November 2014.
“Spaces of Justice? The Politics and Prevalence of Immigrant Sanctuaries.” Association of American Geographers conference, Tampa, FL, April 2014.
Panelist for “Challenging Borders and B/ordering Mechanisms” session. Association of American Geographers conference, Tampa, FL, April 2014.
“Urban Exclusions and Inequalities: Examining Public Space and Segregation.” Cities conference, Wilbraham-Monson Academy, Wilbraham, MA, April 2014.
“Masking Inequities, Promoting Growth: Urban Entrepreneurialism and the Creative Class in Seattle, WA.” Association of American Geographers conference, New York City, NY, February 2012.
“The Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI): Racialized Practice in Seattle, WA.” Association of American Geographers conference, Seattle, WA, April 2011.
“Revitalizing and Redefining the City: Seattle and its Sustainability and Social Justice Endeavors.” Association of American Geographers conference, Washington, DC, April 2010.
“Methodologically Becoming Two/Too: Collaborative Knowledge Production and ‘Team Ismaili’” (co-authors James McLean, Jennifer Hyndman, and Arif Jamal). Association of American Geographers conference, Boston, MA, April 2008.
“Whiteness in the ‘City of Destiny’: Power, Privilege, and Mixed-Race Households in Tacoma, Washington.” Association of American Geographers conference, San Francisco, CA, April 2007. Session co-organizer.
“Racializing Place and Placing Race: Neighborhood Narratives in Tacoma, Washington.” Race, Ethnicity, and Place conference, San Marcos, TX, November 2006.
“Racializing Place and Placing Race: Neighborhood Narratives in Tacoma, Washington.” Place Matters: Seeking Equity in a Diverse Society conference, Seattle, WA, October 2006.
“Work Together, Live Apart? The Immigration Debate” with Richard Wright. Dartmouth Los Angeles “Oh the Places You’ll Go” Celebration, Los Angeles, CA, August 2006.
“Becoming Ismaili: Scales of Identity” with Jennifer Hyndman, Arif Jamal, and James McLean. Pacific Northwest Immigration Symposium, Vancouver, BC, May 2006.
“Methodologically Becoming Too” with Jennifer Hyndman, Arif Jamal, and James McLean. Pacific Northwest Immigration Symposium, Vancouver, BC, May 2006.
“Spatial Stories: The Racial Discourses of Mixed-Race Households in Tacoma, WA.” Association of American Geographers conference, Chicago, IL, March 2006. Session co-organizer.
“Places of Possibility: Where Mixed-race Partners Meet” (co-authors Richard Wright, Mark Ellis, Steven Holloway, and Margaret Hudson). Association of American Geographers conference, Denver, CO, April 2005.
“Strange Bedfellows? A Civil Union of Queer Theory and Mixed-Race ‘Het’ Household Geographies.” Association of American Geographers conference, Philadelphia, PA, March 2004.