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Staff Profile

Dr James Bilsland

Senior Lecturer

  • Address: Room 4.14
    Politics Department
    Henry Daysh Building
    Newcastle University
    NE1 7RU
Background

Qualifications

PhD in Politics, University of Glasgow

MSc in International Politics (Research) with Distinction, University of Glasgow

MA Hons (Social Sciences) in Economics, University of Glasgow

Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy


Research Interests

US Foreign Policy; the US Presidency; US Politics; the Cold War; Foreign Policy Analysis; International Relations Theory


Recently Published

Feklyunina V, Robertshaw S, Bilsland J. (2025) "Militarization of History and Mnemonic Habits in Putin's Russia: Pedagogy of War." Post-Soviet Affairs, epub ahead of print.


Bilsland, J., Feklyunina, V. and Wheeler, C. (2023) “Engaging with Research Methods in Comparative Politics Courses: Practicing Skills, Questioning Data, Reflecting on Positionality.” European Political Science 22 pp. 228-242


Bilsland, JR (2015) The President, the State and the Cold War: Comparing the Foreign Policies of Truman and Reagan (London: Routledge)

http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138818316/


Bilsland, JR and Feklyunina V. (2015) "Three reasons why Russia should not be called the greatest threat to the USA". The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/three-reasons-why-russiashould-not-be-called-the-greatest-threat-to-the-usa-45257

    

Research

Research Interests

US Foreign Policy; the US Presidency; US Politics; the Cold War; Foreign Policy Analysis; International Relations Theory



Teaching

Teaching Awards and Nominations

Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy, 2023

Nominated for the Newcastle University Student Union Teaching Excellence Awards in the category of 'Outstanding Contribution to Teaching (HASS)’ (2022/2023).

Nominated for the Newcastle University Student Union Teaching Excellence Awards in the category of 'Outstanding Contribution to Teaching (HASS)’ (2021/2022).

Shortlisted for the Newcastle University Student Union Teaching Excellence Awards in the category of 'Outstanding Contribution to Teaching (HASS)’ (2020/2021).

Nominated for the British International Studies Association-Higher Education Authority Award for Excellence in Teaching International Studies by a Postgraduate Student 2014

Nominated for the Newcastle University Teaching Excellence Award for Contribution to Outstanding Feedback 2013

Nominated for the Newcastle University Teaching Excellence Award for Innovative Teaching Method of the Year 2013

Nominated for the Newcastle University Student Union's Learning and Teaching Excellence Award for Contribution to Outstanding Feedback 2012


Undergraduate Teaching

POL2022 Government and Politics of the USA (module leader)

POL3046 Dissertation - I am particularly happy to supervise undergraduate dissertation students on any aspect of US foreign policy


Postgraduate Teaching

POL8020 American Foreign Policy (Module Leader)

POL8099 Dissertation - I am particularly happy to supervise MA dissertation students on any aspect of US foreign policy

Publications