James C. Rhoads
Professor/Chair
Political Science Faculty
James C. Rhoads
About Me
James C. Rhoads is Professor of Political Science and the current Department Chair. He also serves as the Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice Studies and Sociology. Rhoads has been with Westminster College since 1992. His primary teaching responsibilities are in the areas of American Politics, Political Psychology and Methodology. He also teaches courses that examine the relationship between popular culture and the political realm. Rhoads serves as Westminster's Pre-Law Advisor, as well 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 twice the past 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 35 peer-reviewed publications and has made over 75 presentations at national or international conferences. He is co-editor of the 2022 book Cultivating Q Methodology: Essays Honoring Steven R. Brown.
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 252D: Political Assassinations
PS 301: Junior Seminar: Research Methods
PS 311: Campaigns & Elections
PS 411: Political Psychology
PS 601: Senior Capstone
INQ 111: Introduction to Liberal Arts
SSC 252: Data Analysis
SSC 253: Q Methodology
Research
Recent Publications:
Rhoads, J.C. (2025). Epilogue: The Future of Q methodology in the education sciences. In Brown, S.R. & Montgomery, D. (Eds.). Q Methodology and Education. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Baas, L., Old, J.P. and Rhoads, J.C. (2023). The Constitution in the public mind: New perspectives. Operant Subjectivity, 44. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.22488/okstate.21.100591
Baas, L., Thomas, D.B. and Rhoads, J.C. (2022). Academic narratives on the Obama legacy: Sorting out some early perspectives. Operant Subjectivity, 43. Retrieved from https://ojs.library.okstate.edu/osu/index.php/osub/article/view/9379
Rhoads, J.C., Thomas, D.B. and Ramlo, S.E., Eds. (2022). Cultivating Q methodology: Essays honoring Steven R. Brown. International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity: Columbia, MO.
Thomas, D.B., McKeown, B.F., Rhoads, J.C., and Sundblad, D. (2022). The operantcy of popular culture: Preserving, while measuring, key informants' subjectivity. In Rhoads, J.C., Thomas, D.B., and Ramlo, S.E., Eds. Cultivating Q methodology: Essays honoring Steven R. Brown. International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity: Columbia, MO.
Baas, L.R., Old, J. and Rhoads, J.C. (2022). The Constitution and the public mind: Stability and Change. In Rhoads, J.C., Thomas, D.B., and Ramlo, S.E., Eds. Cultivating Q methodology: Essays honoring Steven R. Brown. International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity: Columbia, MO.
Kinsey, D.F., Rhoads, J.C. & Thomas, D.B. (2021). Competing Perspectives on the NFL Anthem Controversy. International Journal of Sport and Society. 12(1). https://doi.org/10.18848/2152-7857/CGP/v12i01/1-16
Rhoads, J.C., Chapman, J. & Ramlo, S. (2021). Using Q Methodology in Criminal Justice Studies:Exploring Attitudes Toward the Relationship Between Mental Health and Incarceration. SAGE Research Methods Cases. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781529759761
Rhoads, J.C. & Aleprete, M.E. (2019). Q Methodology and the Study of Political Opinion: The Case of President Trump’s Foreign Policy Toward North Korea. SAGE Research Methods Cases. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526475275
Rhoads, J.C., Thomas, D.B. & McKeown, B.F. (2017). Rationality v. Rationale Among Trump Voters in 2016: What Were They Thinking? Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology, 39, 3/4, 60-80.
Rhoads, J.C. & Robison, K.M. (2018). Q Methodology and Exploring Popular Culture in a Sociology Classroom. SAGE Research Methods Cases. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526455833
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, 58-69.
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, 70-81.
Brown, S.R. & Rhoads, J.C. (2017). Bibliography of Single Case Studies. Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology, 39, 1/2, 98-100.
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.
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.