Joseph Patten, Ph.D.
- Professor
- Advisor, Debate Team and Washington Semester
Department: Political Science and Sociology
Office: Samuel E. and Mollie Bey Hall 246
Office Hours: Fall 2024
Monday: 11:30-12:30
Tuesday: First Year Advising, 1-2:30
Wednesday: 11:30-12:30
Thursday: 11:30-12:30
Friday: 11:30-12:30
Phone: 732-263-5742
Email: jpatten@monmouth.edu
Joseph N. Patten is a Professor of Political Science at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Since joining the Monmouth faculty in 2002, he has taught courses in American Politics and Public Policy. He currently serves as the faculty advisor to Monmouth University’s policy debate team and as the university liaison to the Washington Center Internship program. He received Monmouth’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2009. Prior to joining the faculty in 2002, he served as an Associate Professor of Political Science at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa from 1996-2002. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from West Virginia University in 1996. The 4th edition of his co-authored textbook Why Politics Matters: An Introduction to Political Science (Cengage Wadsworth Publishers) will be published in April 2024. He co-authored the book “Bait and Switch: How Student Loan Debt Stifles Social Mobility,” Palgrave Macmillan (Springer) Publishers, 2023. He also co-authored a number of articles and book chapters on the American Congress, Super PACs, and Policy Debate. He and his wife, Veena, have two children named Nikhil and Jaya and they live in Howell, New Jersey.
Education
Ph.D., West Virginia University
Research Interests
American Congress, Public Ethics, and American Politics.
Books
Why Politics Matter: An Introduction to Political Science, 4th edition (Wadsworth Cengage Publisher) 2024. (with Kevin Dooley)
Bait and Switch: How Student Loan Debt Stifles Social Mobility. Palgrave Macmillan/Springer Publishers, 2023. With Robert Scott and Ken Mitchell
Why Politics Matter: An Introduction to Political Science, 3rd edition (Wadsworth Cengage Publisher) was published in 2021. (with Kevin Dooley)
Why Politics Matter: An Introduction to Political Science, 2nd edition (Wadsworth Cengage Publisher) was published in 2021. (with Kevin Dooley)
Why Politics Matters: An Introduction to Political Science (Wadsworth Cengage Publisher) was published in 2012. (with Kevin Dooley)
Scholarly Articles
“SpeechNow But Not With a Bullhorn: Political Misinformation in the Age of Super PAC”s in Inequality and Governance in an Uncertain World: Perspectives on Democratic and Autocratic Governments. Co-edited by Saliba Sarsar and Rekha Datta, Lexington Books Publishers. Chapter 9. 2023
“Super Legal Corruption: Political Money in the Era of Super PACs” in the book, Scandal and Corruption in Congress 2023, edited by Michael J. Pomante (Emerald Publishing). (Chapter 3 55-80). 2023
“Intergroup Disparity Among Student Loan Borrowers” in the Journal “The Review of Evolutionary Political Economy” (May, 2022) with Robert Scott and Ken Mitchell.
“The Challenges of American Democracy” in Democracy in Crisis Around the World co-edited by Saliba Sarsar and Rekha Datta, Lexington Books Publishers, Roman & Littlefield Publishing Group. (Chapter 10, Pages 207-232). 2021
“Passport to the Future: Boosting Academic Outcomes and Citizenship Through Urban Debate” in Citizenship, Social and Economic Education, (vol. 20, pages 17-36) 2021. (with Stephen Chapman)
“Gone on Debating: University-High School Debate Mentoring Partnerships in New Jersey and India” in The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching, (vol. 1, Dec 2020).
Grants
$19,000 U.S. Department of State grant in summer of 2019 (with Dr. Rekha Datta). The grant funded a trip to Mumbai, India for MU debate students and faculty to teach debate to students in three Mumbai schools
TD Bank $7,000 Annual Grants (5 different grants) to fund Debate mentoring program between Monmouth University and Asbury Park High School
Courses
Recently Taught Classes
2025 Spring
- American National Government – PS 103
- Introduction to Constitutional Law – PS 311
- Introduction to Public Policy – PS 105
- Washington Center Course – PS 393
2024 Fall
- American National Government – PS 103
- Introduction to Policy Debate – PS 104
- The American Presidency – PS 306
- Washington Center Course – PS 393
2024 Summer D
- American National Government – PS 103
2024 Summer C
- Washington Center Course – PS 393
2024 Summer B
- Introduction to Public Policy – PS 105
2024 Spring
- Constitutional Law: CIVIL Rights – PS 312
- Introduction to Public Policy – PS 105
- Seminar in Political Science – PS 401
2023 Fall
- American National Government – PS 103
- Introduction to Constitutional Law – PS 311
- Introduction to Policy Debate – PS 104
- The American Congress – PS 305
2023 Summer C
- Washington Center Course – PS 393
2023 Summer B
- Introduction to Public Policy – PS 105
2023 Spring
- Introduction to Political Science: Power and Globalization – PS 101
- Introduction to Public Policy – PS 105
- State and Local Government – PS 202
- Washington Center Course – PS 393
2022 Fall
- American National Government – PS 103
- Introduction to Policy Debate – PS 104
- Introduction to Political Science: Power and Globalization – PS 101
2022 Summer C
- Washington Center Course – PS 393
2022 Summer A
- Introduction to Public Policy – PS 105
2022 Spring
Frequently Taught Classes
- American National Government (PS 103)
- Cooperative Education: Political Science (PS 388)
- Introduction to Constitutional Law (PS 311)
- Introduction to Policy Debate (PS 104)
- Introduction to Political Science (PS 101)
- Introduction to Political Science: Power and Globalization (PS 101)
- Introduction to Public Policy (PS 105)
- Seminar in Political Science (PS 401)
- State and Local Government (PS 202)
- The American Congress (PS 305)
- The American Presidency (PS 306)
- Washington Center Course (CO 393, PS 393, SO 393)