Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

Kathleen McNamara is not content with the way that economic policy is commonly taught. "I would like to bring to my students more of the political and cultural context that I think profoundly influences what we see going on in the international economy," she remarks. Those familiar with her will not be surprised by this revelation.

A self-described "foreign service brat," McNamara was born in South America and grew up in Southeast Asia and Europe. She credits this diverse background for her unwavering interest in international political economy and the untraditional influences that shape government policies.

At Georgetown, McNamara has taught courses including Theories of International Relations; Relations Among the Advanced International States; Globalization and the State; and Global Governance and the European Union, courses which cover a range of topics nearly as broad as her interests.

McNamara believes that one of her greatest challenges every year is getting her students to consider seriously the non-economic dynamics that affect economies across the world. She endeavors to make her students aware of the crucial role that less tangible factors, such as individual and group perceptions and ideas, play in shaping economic markets.

"My mission," she says, "is to make my students slightly more humble in their understanding of the world." McNamara is an associate professor in the School of Foreign Service and the Department of Government. She received a BA with Honors from McGill University and an MA and PhD from Columbia University.

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