同性恋色情 Judy Genshaft Honors College affiliate faculty member Dr. Arman Mahmoudian is breaking down the globe鈥檚 most pressing conflicts in the classroom, exposing students to international politics and the psychology underlying conflict, trade disruption, and civil unrest. From covering Russia鈥檚 history and leadership during the invasion of Ukraine to unpacking misinformation and propaganda during the evolution of social media, Mahmoudian鈥檚 teaching aims to inform and prepare the next generation of student leaders for a political landscape that requires rational and level-headed decision-making.
鈥淚 NEVER HAD A PLAN TO TEACH鈥
Mahmoudian grew up in Iran, a 鈥渃ountry where political struggle has been a prime part
of its identity since the dawn of its history,鈥 he said. When he was 18, he began
reading about surrounding conflict in the Middle East and Russia, which inspired him
to begin writing for reformist newspapers like Shargh Newspaper and Etemad Daily.
After writing his first piece for a newspaper, Mahmoudian was overjoyed to receive
his first-ever paycheck. He passed a pizza place on the way home to celebrate with
his family and used his hard-earned money to pay for dinner.
鈥淭he pizza itself tasted like crap, but my parents were so full of excitement and
a sense of pride that, for some reason, it became a great deal of motivation for me,鈥
said Mahmoudian.
With a career in politics on his horizon, Mahmoudian began his professional life seeking
a career in law, but he soon found that he was better suited for other pursuits.
鈥淚 realized that it was not my thing, that it wouldn't fit my character,鈥 said Mahmoudian.
鈥淪o, I decided to get into politics, not as a practitioner, but as a political analyst
for think tanks.鈥
After finishing his law degree in Iran, Mahmoudian moved to Russia to pursue a master鈥檚
degree in international relations from Russian People鈥檚 Friendship University. His
firsthand experience in the country would later inform and ground his teaching at
同性恋色情.
When Mahmoudian began his PhD in politics and international affairs at the University
of South Florida, his mentor recommended he teach classes at the Judy Genshaft Honors
College. Though apprehensive at first, Mahmoudian began to enjoy seeing students walk
away from his courses with new knowledge that they could take with them.
鈥淚nitially I never had a plan to teach,鈥 said Mahmoudian. 鈥淚 began teaching within
my first month at 同性恋色情, and I found that if after class the students added one more
line to their knowledge, it was very fulfilling. I just stuck with it.鈥
COURSES ROOTED IN REAL-WORLD ISSUES
Mahmoudian has taught more than 20 courses at the Honors College, with topics covering
war, propaganda, Russian politics, human psychology, and more. A common thread across
his courses is their connection to global conflicts and political movements unfolding
around the world.
Mahmoudian taught his Rise of Authoritarian Russia course during Russia鈥檚 invasion
of Ukraine. Students were challenged to interact with the news critically and expand
their perspective on the global event.
Caroline Pope and May Birch share their classroom experiences in the Honors College video studio.
鈥淲e would start off class by sharing what we read on the news that week, and it really
encouraged me to actually read the news,鈥 said Honors student Caroline Pope. 鈥淲e read
updates about the Ukraine invasion, read articles, and had daily presentations from
students.鈥
In another course, Misinformation, Disinformation, and Propaganda, students were challenged
to examine how world powers used manipulative communication strategies to alter the
public鈥檚 perceptions of political decisions and national identities. For Honors student
May Birch, she was able to apply the concepts she learned in class not only to her
interest in international affairs but also to how she engages with social media.
鈥淚 honestly didn't know the definition of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda
before the class because you think that you know the definitions, but they're used
pretty interchangeably in media today,鈥 said Birch.
Mahmoudian鈥檚 current spring 2026 course, Politics and Human Nature, dives into the
psychological aspects of human decision-making.
"It鈥檚 the only course that so far I'm planning to teach twice without any changes.
Among the 20 courses that I taught, this is my favorite one because this course is
a crossroad of almost all the fields that I like,鈥 said Mahmoudian. 鈥淲e discuss why
we as humans 鈥 and why politicians as humans 鈥 behave in certain manners.鈥
CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Mahmoudian鈥檚 experience growing up in Iran increased his attention to ever-shifting
news. He said his grandfather maintained an idealistic view of Iran鈥檚 political affairs,
and that this prompted him to realize the two different ways people can respond to
what they hear in the news.
鈥淸My grandfather], like all of us, was at the crossroad of choosing between one of
these two fundamental questions: Are you planning to listen to the news? Or are you
planning to listen to what you want to hear? And these are very different,鈥 said Mahmoudian.
He brings this lesson to the classroom as he encourages students to balance idealism
with rationalism.
鈥淚 hope that my students walk away from the classroom with two understandings: first,
we are a product of our environment and our history, and second, keep your aspirations
to change the world, but in doing so, don鈥檛 neglect the realities.鈥