Joel H. Westra
Assistant Professor, Political Science

(616) 526-6727
jwestra@calvin.edu
Office: DeVos Center 261-H

Weekly Schedule
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Educational Background

Professor Westra began his education at the University of Houston in 1993, graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts in political science in 1998. He also had minors in chemistry and mathematics. Soon after finishing his undergraduate degree in Texas, Professor Westra moved northward to attend The University of Chicago. He completed his M.A. in social sciences there in 2000 and went on to receive a Ph.D in political science in 2004. Professor Westra joined the faculty at Calvin College in the fall of 2007.

Academic Interests

International organization, international security, international law, international relations theory (classical and modern), US foreign policy, just war theory

Recent Activities

Professor Westra recently published his first book, International Law and the Use of Armed Force. The book explores, according to a summary at Informaworld, "how the UN Charter's prohibition of force restrains the actions of the major powers, treating the Charter as both an instrument of international peace and international order." He is also the newest member of the political science department, joining its ranks in the fall of 2007. He was recently appointed to be the Pre-law advisor. Professor Westra is currently working on an article entitled, "The Functioning of the UN Charter System: Cumulative Legitimation and Prudential Restraint as Means of International Order," and a book chapter called, "International Order the American Way: Selective Multilateralism and Prudential Restraint."

Hobbies

Traveling, reading, cooking

Additional Information

Curriculum Vitae (.pdf )

Personal Web site

Pre-law Web site