Dr. Joe Pateman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics.

Dr. Pateman joined the Department in July 2023 from the University of Sheffield, where he held the position of Teaching Associate in the Department of Politics and International Relations.

Dr. Pateman's main area of research concerns the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism. His research therefore encompasses the political ideas and activities of Karl Marx, Frederick Engels, and Vladimir Lenin, in addition to the figures, movements, and events that they inspired. A major focus of Dr. Pateman's research is the relationship between Marxism-Leninism and the Black liberation movement.

Research Interests

• Ian Tomlin Research Tri-Campus Award - 2021
• Michael Cowan Award - 2020

Approach to Teaching

My teaching philosophy combines a student-centred approach with the fundamentals of critical pedagogy. With the former, I place the student at the centre of their education. I encourage my students to take the lead in our social interactions, and to thereby determine the direction of their learning. I augment these strategies with a critical pedagogical perspective, which draws upon my theoretical training in Marxism-Leninism. Critical pedagogy is founded upon the premise that social class standpoints shape teaching and learning. The goal of my critical pedagogy is to help students identify the class character of the society in which they live, and to thereby develop their critical class consciousness of this society. By doing so, my teaching aims to provide students with the tools to independently identify and challenge the theory and practice of class oppression, including in academia.

Current Courses

Dr. Joe Pateman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics.

Dr. Pateman joined the Department in July 2023 from the University of Sheffield, where he held the position of Teaching Associate in the Department of Politics and International Relations.

Dr. Pateman's main area of research concerns the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism. His research therefore encompasses the political ideas and activities of Karl Marx, Frederick Engels, and Vladimir Lenin, in addition to the figures, movements, and events that they inspired. A major focus of Dr. Pateman's research is the relationship between Marxism-Leninism and the Black liberation movement.

Marxism-Leninism is the world's most significant communist ideology. At the height of its influence, Marxism-Leninism governed nearly half the world’s population. Today, Marxism-Leninism is still the official governing ideology of China, Cuba, Vietnam, and Laos. To understand the history of communism, it is essential to understand Marxism-Leninism.

My research examines the core figures, theories, practices, and movements within the Marxist-Leninist tradition. It does so not only to correct misunderstandings of Marxism-Leninism, thereby deepening our understandings of it, but to also assess its relevance in solving contemporary issues, most notably the struggle against class and racial oppression. For that reason, a core area of my research concerns the relationship between Marxism-Leninism and the liberation struggles of Black peoples.

Areas of research interest:

• Marxism-Leninism
• Political thought of V. I. Lenin
• North Korean politics
• Black liberation struggles
• Racism
• African socialism and communism
• Politics of public libraries

Degrees

Research Interests

Awards

• Ian Tomlin Research Tri-Campus Award - 2021
• Michael Cowan Award - 2020

Approach to Teaching

My teaching philosophy combines a student-centred approach with the fundamentals of critical pedagogy. With the former, I place the student at the centre of their education. I encourage my students to take the lead in our social interactions, and to thereby determine the direction of their learning. I augment these strategies with a critical pedagogical perspective, which draws upon my theoretical training in Marxism-Leninism. Critical pedagogy is founded upon the premise that social class standpoints shape teaching and learning. The goal of my critical pedagogy is to help students identify the class character of the society in which they live, and to thereby develop their critical class consciousness of this society. By doing so, my teaching aims to provide students with the tools to independently identify and challenge the theory and practice of class oppression, including in academia.

Current Courses