John Moeller came to Luther College in 1981 after teaching at Texas Tech, Livingston University (Alabama) and Pan-American University (Texas). Moeller earned a B.A. from Lawrence University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from Duke University. He teaches courses in law (Constitutional Law, Introduction to Law, Civil Rights and Liberties), political theory (Political Thought, American Political Thought) and environmental politics. He has also taught a number of interdisciplinary courses (Caesars’ Coin, Moral Dilemmas in Literature, Social and Political Issues in Film and Fiction, Science and Politics of Global Warming). He is especially interested in making connections between political theory and political practice, and often combines social science writings with imaginative literature in his classes.

Moeller currently serves as chair of the Political Science Department and oversees Luther’s participation in the Lutheran College Washington Semester Consortium. In the past, he has also served as a director of the Environmental Studies Program. In 2006, he was appointed as director of the newly endowed Center for Ethics and Public Life for a five-year term. The goal of the Center is to place discussion of and concern for public issues at the heart of what Luther College students do. The Center develops this goal through a range of activities, including a public lecture series, residencies, reading and discussion groups, and summer programming for new students entering Luther.

Moeller’s research and writing has focused on the role of the Supreme Court in the American political system, political themes in the popular Western, the ideas of Alexander Bickel, and the jurisprudence of Justice John M. Harlan II.

Originally from small-town Iowa, Becky Bowman came to Luther in the fall of 2008. She received her B.A. from Yale University, and her M.A. from George Washington University before serving as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years in Turkmenistan. She received her J.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. Before coming to Luther, she taught a few courses at Cornell College. This year, Bowman is teaching Global Politics, Latin American Politics, and Paideia. Her research interests include higher education policy in Central Asia.

Michael Engelhardt arrived at Luther in 1988 after earning a B.A. from Hope College in 1979, an M.A. from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1980 and a Ph. D. from the same institution in 1984.

Engelhardt’s research interests are in the area of American foreign policy, with a special interest in military policy and nuclear nonproliferation. He is the author of several published articles in these areas as well as a co-author of a textbook on American politics. Some of the courses Engelhardt teaches are American Politics, Congress and the Presidency, Political Parties and Interest Groups, and Politics and the Media. Also, he has recently developed a course entitled Politics of the Middle East. In addition to leading a classroom, he coaches the Luther Mock Trial team and is the faculty sponsor of Luther College Republicans.

Paul Gardner came to Luther College in 1985 after teaching at Illinois State University. Gardner earned a B.A. in Sociology from St. Ambrose University, and an M.A. from Iowa State University and a Ph. D. from the University of Kentucky in Political Science.

Gardner’s course responsibilities include: Politics and Religion, Terrorism and Democracy, Introduction to the Politics of Social Policy, and American Politics. The attacks on America on September 11, 2001, and two previous trips to Northern Ireland have fostered an interest in the study of terrorism that resulted in the development of the course entitled Terrorism and Democracy. Gardner has taught in several interdisciplinary courses, including Luther’s Paideia program for first-year students.

In addition to his role as a professor, Gardner has directed Luther’s Nottingham Program and serves as the faculty sponsor of the Luther Democrats. During the fall of 2004, Gardner was a guest lecturer on terrorism and American foreign policy at Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego College in Krakow, Poland. His most recent scholarly publication is “Ronald Reagan and the Universality of Democracy.” Gardner’s essays have appeared in publications such as the Chicago Tribune and the Christian Science Monitor.

Jim Rhodes joined the Luther faculty in the fall of 1968 after completing graduate course work at the University of Michigan. After also earning an M.A. in English from the University of Arkansas, he went on to complete his dissertation in 1973.

Rhodes has served as chair of Political Science and as director of Luther’s International Studies program. He follows contemporary world affairs to update his academic and teaching fields of international relations (The Politics of War, Peace and International Relations) and comparative politics (Comparative Political Analysis, Politics of Africa, Asia, and Latin America). His main area of research started out in Latin American politics but has broadened to include most world affairs. Rhodes regularly contributes reviews to CHOICE, the American Library Association’s publication for college and research libraries, which has lately included a large number of books on China. He believes scholarship belongs not just in libraries but in the public square, as it is an essential part in developing and judging public policies. Rhodes develops his courses in such a way as to foster new perspectives that are not only aware and up-to-date on international events, but are also critical and independently minded.

Heather Frey is the new Administrative Assistant for the Political Science Department, as well as the Sociology/Anthropology/Social Work, History and Africana Studies Departments.  She began working with these depts. in August 2011.  Before moving to Koren, she spent 10 years working in the Admissions Office as an International Admissions Assistant.  She supervises 6-7 student assistants and has enjoyed getting to know each of them.  When not working at Luther, Heather keeps busy taking care of her three daughters and working a second job on weekends.  In her spare time, she enjoys being with family, laughing with friends, shopping, and traveling to warm weather destinations!  Heather is excited about her new position and looks forward to the challenges and opportunities this academic year will bring.