Jim Rhoads is Professor of Political Science and the current Program Coordinator. He has been with Westminster College since 1992. His primary teaching responsibilities are in the areas of American Politics and Political Psychology. He also teaches courses that examine the relationship between popular culture and the political realm. Jim serves as faculty advisor to Westminster's Mock Convention (the 2nd oldest in the nation), a two-day campus-wide event that simulates a presidential nominating convention. Rhoads's research interest is in subjectivity. He is the past and current president of the International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity and serves on the Editorial Board of Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology. Rhoads has published numerous articles and has made well over 50 presentations at national or international conferences.
Courses Taught:
PS 101: Introduction to Political Science
PS 102: Introduction to American Politics
PS 212: The Congress
PS 213: The Presidency
PS 215: The Politics of Rock & Roll
PS 252A: Political Films
PS 252B: Trials of the Century
PS 301: Junior Seminar
PS 311: Campaigns & Elections
PS 411: Political Psychology
PS 601: Senior Capstone
INQ 111: Introduction to Liberal Arts
SSC 252: Data Analysis
Recent Publications:
Rhoads, J.C. & Robison, K.M. (2018). Q Methodology and Exploring Popular Culture in a Sociology Classroom. Sage Research Methods Cases -- Sociology. (online)
Rhoads, J.C. (2017). Investigating Political Types, Part I: A Study of "Phil", the Political Agitator. Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology, 39, 1/2, (online first)
Rhoads, J.C. (2017). Investigating Political Types, Part II: A Study of "Cole", the Political Administrator. Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology, 39, 1/2, (online first)
Thomas, D.B., McKeown, B.F. & Rhoads, J.C. (2016). Social Media in a Subjective-Science Mode: The "Facebook Likes" Study Reconfigured with Self-Reference. The Journal of Social Media in Society, 5, 1:111-136.
Baas, L., Rhoads, J.C. & Thomas, D.B. (2016). Are Quests for a "Culture of Assessment" Mired in a "Culture War Over Assessment: A Q-Methodological Inquiry. Sage Open. DOI: 10.1177/2158244015623591
McKeown, B.F., Thomas, D.B., Rhoads, J.C. & Sundblad, D. (2015). Falling Hard for "Breaking Bad": An Investigation of the Subjectivity of Audience Response to a Popular Television Series. Participations: Journal of Audience & Reception Studies. 12, 2: 147-167.
Rhoads, J.C. (2014). Studying Audience Subjectivity: Reactions to "Death of a President" in Jason Zenor, Ed., Parasocial Politics: Audience, Pop Culture and Politics. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
Rhoads, J.C. (2014). Q Methodology. Sage Cases in Methodology [online]. London: Sage Publications. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/978144627305014534166
Robinson, K.M. & Rhoads, J.C. (2014). Using Popular Culture in the Classroom: Views of the Film, "Manic" Among Students of Juvenile Delinquency. Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology, 37, 1/2: 31-40. [online] DOI: 10.15133/j.os.2014.005
Rhoads, J.C. & Kinsey, D.F. (2013). "The King of Pop": Attitudes Toward Michael Jackson in the Aftermath of His Untimely Death. Journal of Human Subjectivity,11, 111-133.
Thomas, D.B. & Rhoads, J.C. (2012). Exploring the "Inner Game" of Video Game Enthusiasts. Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology, 35, (3): 129-159.
Aleprete, M.E. & Rhoads, J.C. (2011). U.S. Foreign Policy: Structure of Elite Opinion. Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology, 34, (4): 247-270.