Peter Katzenstein - Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Professor: Peter Katzenstein

Department: Political Science

College: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1817
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Absolutely loved Katzenstein's class. Even though I am a Hotel student, I took his Intro to IR class in my freshman fall and it is still my favorite class to this date. Would recommend anyone to take a course taught by Katzenstein.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

I regret taking this class. All the other hype about PK from the reviews is extremely misplaced. As a junior, I've had much better professors than him. His lectures are irrelevant to the tests (and boring) and you can skip. The amount of reading is atrocious and the sections can barely cover it. The TA's are hard graders as well

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1817
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

An incredible scholar. It was an honor to have been taught by him. His analyses on readings - both simple and dense - provide you with depth and very necessary clarity. This is NOT AN EASY class. You have to be willing to read, read and read! If you are interested in IR, this class is a must. He loves his students and wants everyone to succeed!!!!!

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Katzenstein changed my life. This class changes your perspective on the whole world and teaches you to think in a completely new way. PK teaches you to think, read, and write critically. This course is a lot of reading and is challenging, but you will come out of it feeling so rewarded. TAs were all ridiculously smart and extremely helpful.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GOV2817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Didn't know what to expect from this course, having heard all the hubub from its appearance on Fox News, but each lecture left me thoroughly impressed. PK is a great lecturer and brings an interesting perspective to pol. That being said, we need more TAs!!! Sections were way too large and made it difficult to feel comfortable speaking during them.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

PK is a fabulous professor, the best I've come across so far at Cornell. He changes the way you perceive the world, doesn't force you to agree with him, has a fabulous sense of humor and teaches you to think critically. I recommend everyone at Cornell to take at least one of his classes. The skills he teaches are useful in practically every field.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GOVT2817
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Wonderful professor - I appreciated how insightful his lectures were, and how often he gave us a chance to share our thoughts and opinions on a given topic. The material he covered was very interesting, and the readings often pretty thought-provoking. Overall not too difficult of a class, and I definitely appreciate taking it.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GOVT2817
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This was probably one of the best classes that I've taken in my university career. PK is truly a fantastic professor that invests a lot of thought into designing his classes and knows exactly what he wants students to take away from them. This being said, class would greatly benefit from having more TAs and smaller sections!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1817
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He often speaks without a microphone a bit too softly to understand with his accent. When you can hear him though, Professor Katzenstein comes across as an incredibly humble, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic professor. Makes lots of jokes during lectures, and cares passionately about what he teaches. I learned A LOT in this class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

The course is hard because the material is hard, and he views his students as intelligent and capable, so he has high standards. He is an excellent professor, truly inspiring. He says for the first half of the course lots of things won't make sense and he's right, but by the end he's right that it does make sense and changes world views.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

AMAZING CLASS. There's a lot of reading, have never seen so much in my life. However, this class does make you critically think. Everyone at Cornell should take one of his courses. He makes the class fun, even though itll consume a lot of your time. He's also very funny. Great fashion sense, lots to turtlenecks.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

one of the most amazing academic experience I have ever had.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This class is truly challenging but rewarding. Definitely expect a lot of readings but I learned how to skim by the end of the semester. PK is very knowledgeable and the classes is very organized. One of the best classes I took at Cornell.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Professor Katzenstein is truly an incredible professor, deserving his fame. Lectures can be dense at times, just like the readings, however, they are still incredibly insightful. The course is an insane undertaking, but if you put in the time, the gains are incredible. PK is also extremely accessible, and office hours are extremely fun and valuable

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

A lot of hype around PK. As you see by other ratings, people view him as an amazing professor although most all of the teaching happens with your TA. PK even says he's the last resort when you have inquiries, consult every TA first. Lectures lack structure and connection to readings is extremely weak. Readings unreasonably hard for an intro level.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1817
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

PK made the lectures very interesting and helpful. I found that discussion led by the TA's was the most helpful part of the course and helped explain the readings. The lectures are amazing, but be prepared to read like crazy. If you are willing to put in the work this class will reward you.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great teacher, great class. If you get the chance, take it, because I learned a lot (but be ready to read a lot for homework). If you do the readings, the class isn't that difficult, definitely not too stressful. You can get away with not buying/reading the Drezner book, but it may help you understand the concepts a little better.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Katzenstein is a wonderful professor, and I greatly enjoyed the time I had taking Intro to IR. The course itself is a very difficult course without question, but it does a good job of paving new ways for you to think and analyze the world. Katzenstein has a great approach of placing students first and being a guide through this course.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

PK is the someone I'd want as an interesting grandpa, but not really as a professor. This class is completely different from what I expected of the title (Making Sense of World Politics) I almost feel more confused. It is without a doubt that I've learned a huge amount of material, but how I actually feel about the material is hard to answer :/

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GOV1817
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

PK is a gem. He is a master conversationalist and a gifted speaker. He cares about what you think and isn't afraid to say what he feels. He is biased toward his school of theory, but can provide explanations in many. I can't recommend him enough.

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