Throughout my studies I have specialized in Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics, and research methods. I am thus apt at teaching students in any introductory course on each of these three topics. I am also qualified to teach courses associated with my research interests, which include political behavior, elections, public opinion, political culture, political parties, Canadian politics, as well as research methods.
Below you can find a sample of classes I have taught in the past, as well as their course objectives and syllabi.
Concordia University, Spring 2018
POLI 488 - Voting Behaviour and Electoral Systems
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course aims to familiarize students with the literature surrounding the conduct of elections in Canada and in comparative perspective. The course is broadly divided in three topics: vote choice, electoral participation, and electoral systems. The course is structured as a seminar. Readings are crucial to succeeding in the class, and most of class time is dedicated to discussion among the students on the content of the readings. Discussions will include both theoretical and methodological concerns pertaining to the readings. Real world cases are welcome to fuel discussion and illustrate the concepts seen in class.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the term, students will:
1. Develop an understanding of the literature on vote choice;
2. Develop an understanding of the literature on turnout;
3. Develop an understanding of the literature on electoral systems;
4. Demonstrate the ability to read a text analytically and critically;
5. Demonstrate the ability to present the result of this analysis to a group in a seminar setting;
6. Write a policy recommendation document based on the knowledge they acquired.
Concordia University, Winter 2018
POLI 393 - Advanced Empirical Research Methods
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces students to the logic of quantitative research designs generally and survey designs specifically. The course briefly surveys epistemological considerations related to the challenge of making causal inferences. This is followed by the introduction of research designs and methodology as the solution to overcome these challenges. A large component of the class is practical. Students are invited to pursue their own research interests using the methodology taught in class. In order to accomplish this, students are also taught how to use statistical software during the course of the class.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the term, students will:
1. Develop an understanding of the difficulty of making causal inference in political science;
2. Learn about research designs and statistical methods commonly used in the conduct of political science;
3. Demonstrate an ability to conduct original research using statistical methods in a topic of their choosing.
Concordia University, Fall 2017
POLI 392 - Survey and Research Methods
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces students to the scientific approach to the study of politics. The course surveys epistemological considerations related to political science, especially the challenge of making causal inferences. This is followed by the introduction of research designs and methodology as the solution to overcome these challenges. Broadly speaking, the course discusses techniques that belong to the qualitative and quantitative traditions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the term, students will:
1. Develop an understanding of the difficulty of making causal inference in political science;
2. Learn about qualitative methods commonly used in the conduct of political science as well as their strengths and weaknesses;
3. Learn about quantitative methods commonly used in the conduct of political science as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
The syllabus for the course can be found here.
Concordia University, Fall and Winter 2017
POLI 204: Introduction to Canadian Politics
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is an introduction to Canadian politics. It presents students with essential knowledge on topics such as the Canadian Constitution, Canadian political institutions, the electoral environment in Canada, interest groups, and ongoing debates that animate Canadian public life.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the term, students will:
1. Develop an understanding of the institutions that structure and influence Canadian politics;
2. Develop an understanding of the actors and features of electoral competition in Canada;
3. Develop an understanding of the issues surrounding diversity and representation in Canadian politics;
4. Develop an understanding of the debates surrounding Canada’s Constitution and how they affect Canadian politics today.
The syllabus for the course can be accessed here.
University of Toronto, Summer 2017
POL222: Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning I
Quantitative empirical analysis has become an increasingly important part of political science research — and social sciences in general — and public policy debates. The results of statistical analysis on quantitative data, such as opinion polls, election results, frequency of armed conflicts, and incidence of violence can be seen in many research articles and books on political science and various reports on divergent policy issues published by governments, think tanks, non-profit organizations, and news media. The ability to properly understand and critically assess the results of quantitative statistical analysis has become an invaluable asset for any individual interested in a wide range of political, economic, social, and policy issues.
By the end of this course, students are expected to have developed a basic understanding of:
1. The characteristics of the scientific studies of political science, especially those employing quantitative empirical analysis, and the inherent difficulties of establishing a causal relationship between the political/economic/social/policy outcomes of interest;
2. Representative empirical research strategies to investigate the causal relationship of political/economic/social/policy phenomena of interest (a.k.a. research designs), and various threats to the validity of different research designs; and
3. How to use descriptive statistics and visualization tools to summarize and interpret the nature of a political/economic/social/policy phenomenon or characteristic of interest and the relationship between two or more of them.
The syllabus for the course can be accessed here.
Ryerson University, Fall 2016
POG446: Voters, Elections and Parties
This course is concerned with elections, electoral behaviour and electoral systems. The course focuses on three particular aspects of the above themes: 1) Electoral systems, the institutions that determines how votes are cast and counted during an election, 2) turnout, that is, why voters choose to vote or abstain and 3) vote choice, that is, why voters vote for a particular candidate or party. The class will rely on literature and examples from the Canada, the United States, and the Comparative literature.
The syllabus for the course can be accessed here.
Online Presence
You can find more about Maxime Héroux-Legault on the following websites: