Associate Professor
Internship Director
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Political Science
405B Humanities and Social Science Building
981 Grant Street
Department of Political Science
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA 15705-1069
724-357-2290 (messages)
724-357-3810 (fax)
wheeler@iup.edu
Courses Taught
PLSC 101 - World Politics: Analysis of contemporary (post-1945) state system and forces shaping the world in which we live. Student is given a framework within which to analyze contemporary international politics.
PLSC 282 - International Relations: Provides a conceptual framework for understanding sovereignty, nationalism, power, security, dispute settlement, and diplomatic, legal, economic, and military relations of nation-states.
PLSC 387/587 - Political Systems of Latin America: An intensive, comparative study of the government and politics of Latin America.
PLSC 389/589 - Developing Nations: Suggested Political characteristics of emerging nations; impact of economic and social change upon political structure; evolving patterns of political development; and techniques of nation-building.
Areas of specialization
Latin American politics, family planning policies in developing countries, economic development strategies
Special projects
I have worked with the Indiana/Armstrong County ARC (Association for Retarded Citizens) in evaluating their programs. I will be presenting a paper to the Northeast Political Science Association on a comparison of family planning policies in Latin America. I hope to soon begin a research project to examine the attitudes of students involved in studying abroad toward basic political philosophies of communitarianism and individualism.
I recently attended a week-long conference on Student-Centered Learning at Millersville University, which was sponsored by the State System of Higher Education.