Associate Professor, History & Political Science
Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder, 2015
M.A., University of Colorado Boulder, 2011
Masters in International Sciences
and Diplomacy, Universidad de
Guayaquil, 2010
B.A., Centre College, 2005
I moved to the beautiful Berkshires and joined the MCLA community in 2015 after completing a Ph.D. in political science at the University of Colorado.
I am most at home in the classroom. This makes sense as my experiences as an undergraduate at a small liberal arts college are what first made me think about pursuing a career in academia. At MCLA, I teach an introductory course on comparative politics and offer a wide variety of upper-level courses covering everything from Latin American politics to civil war and terrorism to political and economic development. I also have the pleasure of leading MCLA's annual Model United Nations course and participation in the North American Model United Nations Conference in Toronto, Canada. Overall, my courses aim to highlight the fascinating challenges and complexity of international affairs. I work to prepare our students for the demands and opportunities of an increasingly globalized world. In addition to teaching the substantive content of each course, I prioritize skill development, including confident public speaking, clear and concise writing, reading comprehension, research, and critical thinking. My classroom often features simulations and structured debates, where students research and represent different roles as they confront a real-world challenge.
Professionally and personally, I have been heavily influenced by three-and-a-half years studying, teaching, volunteering, and researching in Latin America. The majority of this time was spent as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Guayaquil, Ecuador. In Guayaquil, I completed a Master’s degree in International Sciences and Diplomacy, taught social science courses at a local university, and was involved in many service activities, such as teaching in a low-income school, interning with a micro credit, and housing non-profit. I later returned to Ecuador for seven months of dissertation field research.
At MCLA, I have taken students to four different Latin American countries as part
of semester-long travel courses. These courses combine on-campus study of a particular
country's history, politics, economics, culture, and environment. Then, over 10-12
days, students visit the country and come face to face with many of the issues and
places they have been studying in the classroom. I use my own extensive experience
living and traveling in Latin America to run the trips independently and keep costs
down for our students. So far, my travel courses include Peru (2017), Cuba (2018),
Mexico, (2019), and Ecuador (2023). The itineraries for each of these trips have prioritized
destinations and activities that offer a mix of preserved history, cultural diversity,
and natural beauty. Highlights include Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands.
My research interests lie at the intersection of comparative politics and international relations. For example, my dissertation studies Latin American public opinion and elite rhetoric towards the United States and China. In doing so, it engages the literature from areas as diverse as Latin American political history, political psychology, international political economy, and soft power. Other areas of interest include post-conflict economic development and regional integration within Latin America and other developing regions. Recently, I have begun to involve students in my research to help them develop the relevant skill sets and knowledge while I also benefit from their insights.
Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, reading, playing and watching soccer, and spending time with my wife and daughter. Perhaps my favorite hobby is international travel, through which I have been fortunate enough to visit over forty countries on six continents.
Andy Baker and David Cupery (2023). “Animosity, Amnesia, or Admiration? Mass Opinion around the World toward the Former Colonizer.” British Journal of Political Science, pp. 1-18.
Cupery, David. 2016. "Yankee Go Home & The American Dream? Confronting the Puzzling Coexistence of Anti-American Elite Rhetoric and Pro-American Public Opinion in Latin America." The Latin Americanist 60(4): 473-496.
Baker, Andy, and David Cupery. 2013. “Anti-Americanism in Latin America: Economic Exchange, Foreign Policy Legacies, and Mass Attitudes toward the Colossus of the North.”Latin American Research Review 48(2): 106-130
Baker, Andy, and David Cupery. 2013.“Gringo Stay Here!” Americas Quarterly 7(3): 45-51.
spring 2024
Tuesday & thursday 10:30-12:00
