Samuel Bagg

Teaching Experience

University of South Carolina (as faculty)

Contemporary Political Theory (undergraduate) — 2024 Fall — see syllabus
Social and Political Philosophy (undergraduate) — 2024 Fall — see syllabus
Social and Political Philosophy (undergraduate) — 2023 Fall — see syllabus
Capitalism and Democracy (undergraduate) — 2023 Spring — see syllabus
Contemporary Political Theory (undergraduate) — 2022 Fall — see syllabus
Social and Political Philosophy (undergraduate) — 2022 Fall — see syllabus

Oxford University (as departmental lecturer)

Core Seminar in Critical Theory (graduate) — co-instructor (2022) — see syllabus
Research Design Seminar (graduate) — instructor (2022)
Theory of Politics (undergraduate) — regular lecturer (2020-2022)

McGill University (as postdoctoral instructor)

Liberal Political Theory (undergraduate) — instructor and course designer (2019) — see syllabus
Capitalism and Democracy (undergraduate) — instructor and course designer (2018) — see syllabus

Duke University (as graduate TA)

Introduction to Political Science (undergraduate) — teaching assistant (2017)
Political Science Honors Thesis Seminar (undergraduate) — instructor (2015-2016)
Ethics of Violence and War (undergraduate) — teaching assistant (2014)
Challenges of Living an Ethical Life (undergraduate) — teaching assistant (2014)
Introduction to Political Philosophy (undergraduate) — teaching assistant (2013)

Selected Student Comments

From Contemporary Political Theory (South Carolina)

“Out of my classes, this was generally the one leaving me with something to talk about.”

“The readings were the most engaging I have ever had in a course. Professor Bagg's lectures were also very engaging and helpful to understanding the content of the course.”

“He could rattle his lectures off in his sleep. He is just that good.”

“He does an amazing job of putting the readings into context. Some of the readings are very lengthy, and some were very difficult to understand, but he made sure to discuss all of them in detail. He always tried to prompt discussion among the class to hear everyone's thoughts, and was glad to hear thoughts that disagreed with his own.”

“He’s very empathetic and forgiving. Concise and clear.”

“I think the content of your courses (both this one and political and social philosophy) have provided the most nuanced and enjoyably complex content of my college career. I know students may complain about the difficulty, but I want to thank you for being willing to continue to offer interesting and higher-level readings and themes in your courses, as they have influenced my thinking and analysis skills in a very positive way.”

“The congruence of the readings flowed well, and each piece added to the broader puzzle of contemporary political knowledge. Exams were fair and often encouraged new thinking all on their own. This is one of the most impactful courses I've ever engaged in.”

From Social and Political Philosophy (South Carolina)

“Honestly this course changed my outlook on the world. Every piece was valuable and every topic restructured my entire way of thinking about deep discussion. It also made me hone in on what I wanted to do with my future.”

“I think that overall Dr. Bagg was one of the best professors I have had.”

“The breakdown of complex material from the readings in class was very nice and succinct, and so too was the encouragement of dissenting opinions.”

“I really appreciated the way he organizes his lecture slides. It is very easy to follow in class and take notes on. He is good at balancing being serious and "professor"-like while also being entertaining/funny enough that I want to pay attention.”

“The instructor is extremely knowledgeable, and meshes the ideas discussed together better than any other professor I've thus far had”

“Prof. Bagg's greatest strength is his ability to spur critical thought through teaching abstract and often difficult concepts in a way that's easy to understand. He knows exactly how and where to challenge students and helps us gain greater appreciation and knowledge about the subject at hand.”

“I wish every professor was so thorough.”

“I really enjoy lectures and am often sad when they are over.”

“I feel like I learned so much it affected my existential evaluation of the society we exist in and made me reconsider my relationship with it.”

“This class was incredible.”

From Liberal Political Theory (McGill)

“Best class I have taken at McGill. Superb lectures, ideal slides, interesting readings.”

“Samuel Bagg does an amazing job of making the material engaging, rooting it in a fascinating historical context, and providing enough information for me to be able to take the ideas of the course and run wild with their potential applications. Truly an amazing set of lectures.”

“Though unwaveringly strict, his policies are incredibly clear and one will never be confused about why they are in error. Bagg has an incredible mastery of the material and a very clear presentation style.”

“Arguably the best professor I've had at McGill! His attention to the learning of his individual students was remarkable, and uncommon at the school. A great professor who seems to have the best interests of his students in mind. Lectures were insightful and interesting, and his passion for the subject was contagious.”

“Dr. Bagg's teaching of political theory is of the highest quality: his course has been compelling and challenging throughout the semester, both in the lectures and the reading material. But what I found most interesting was the way in which he tailored the papers to fit the aim of this class: with the subjects he proposed for each of them, I believe that Dr. Bagg was able to strike the perfect balance (if there's such a thing...) between knowledge and reflection. I would recommend this course to anyone that's not afraid to do a little reading and a lot of thinking.”

From Capitalism and Democracy (McGill)

"I did not consider myself a political theory sort of person before taking this class. Only while in the class did I realize how interesting the subject is, how important it can be, and how much I'd like to study it again. Dr. Bagg did an excellent job of planning course material to create a causal story / argument. Going to class each day feels like reading a paper with the thesis 'Democracy and Capitalism matter' and each class is a different author-based paragraph supporting the argument."

"This was the best course I have done in my entire degree, and it's thanks to Dr Bagg. He is passionate and engaging. His style of teaching is really good, one does not get lost in the course and he covers every inch of the material. I was very impressed by Dr. Bagg and the effort he put into this course."

"I really loved this course. It has been, week after week, a real pleasure to come to class."

"I really enjoyed this course, it has been of one the most transformative and engaging I had the chance to take at McGill. Dr. Bagg is a fascinating and committed professor, and he is very rigorous intellectually."

"This is truly an excellent course - thought provoking and really useful for any studies relating to political sciences. I found myself thinking about it constantly throughout the semester, as it related to other classes and the world around me."

"Dr. Bagg was unusually helpful and meticulous. I don’t think I’ve ever had a professor who demonstrated such meticulous attention to each individual student."