Why Politics Matters

Kevin L. Dooley is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Since joining the faculty in 2003, he has taught Comparative Politics, Ethics in International Relations, American Foreign Policy, and Early and Modern Political Theory courses. He received his Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 2004. Dr. Dooley's primary research interests include globalization, nationalism and terrorism. In addition to numerous articles, he is the author of POLITICS STILL MATTERS: GLOBALIZATION, GOVERNANCE, AND THE REVIVAL OF REGIONAL MINORITIES (2008) and ALLEGORIES AND METAPHORS IN EARLY POLITICAL THOUGHT: FROM PLATO TO MACHIAVELLI (2018). Dr. Dooley and his wife, Lauren, live in Brick, New Jersey, with their two children, Jack and Megan.Joseph N. Patten is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey, and also serves as adviser to the Policy Debate Team. He received Monmouth's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2009. Prior to joining the faculty in 2002, he was an Associate Professor of Political Science at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. Since earning his Ph.D. in Political Science from West Virginia University in 1996, Dr. Patten has taught American Government, American Congress, American Presidency, Ancient and Modern Political Theory, Civil Liberties, Policy Analysis and other courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. His primary research interests include U.S. Congress and American politics, and he has published articles in these areas. Dr. Patten and his wife, Veena, live in Howell, New Jersey, with their two children, Nikhil and Jaya.