Erica B.

Private tutor in Berlin, Germany

Education

Oxford University, UK. Doctorate (D.Phil) in Political Theory (1993) Oxford University, UK. Master's (M.Phil) in International Relations (1987) Tulane University, U.S. B.A., English and Russian Major (1985)

Experience

Former lecturer and professor at Oxford University (UK) London School of Economics (LSE) Central European University Yale University Part-time EFL teacher (1980-84) in Oxford, UK and Tokyo. I was born in Japan and grew up there. I have wide teaching experience with international students and native English speakers. I left full-time teaching to write books. My first books were mostly for academic readers. Now I also write books for everyone. I like to find creative new ways to make politics, world history, and philosophy come alive for readers of all ages. My last published book was a lively biography of a famous political writer set in Renaissance Italy. I'm just now finishing a book about democracy. It has short chapters on questions like: What's the ideal leader for democracies? Is competition good for democratic health? Can education make democracy stronger? My first book was on nationalism and national identity. I've taught basic Intro courses on all these subjects to students from all over the world. Now I tutor because I love helping students see how political studies, history, and philosophy relate to their own lives and interests. I prefer tutoring to large classes, since tutors can discover what each student needs and enjoys and help them find their own unique way into a subject.

Subject Expertise

Philosophy, Political Science, The Modern World, World Civilization, World History, World Literature

Availability

Any day

Can Meet

Up to 20 minutes away for no additional charge, Up to 20 minutes away for no additional charge

Hobbies

When I'm not writing books, I sing in choirs or with my friends. I sing in the British Embassy choir in Berlin. But since we've not been allowed to sing together during the Covid restrictions, some friends and I started a virtual singing group. The final mixes aren't always tip-top quality, but it's a great way to do things together when we're not in the same room or country. One of my friends, an opera singer, is giving me singing lessons at the moment. I'm still not very good, but it's never too late to try and try again... My favourite films are epics with lots of freedom-fighting. I am a big fan of ancient history, western and eastern, and also TV dramas about politics and history. I love swimming, hiking, everything in nature, all animals, and interesting photography. Everything in nature makes beautiful art if you look at it from a good angle. I enjoy seeing the world, talking to people from everywhere, and finding out how we humans - interesting creatures that we are - live and think. Two memorable trips were to Southern Africa, and up and down Mexico. My next dream travels are to Siberia, Mongolia, China, and Korea, and India. The rest of Africa would be wonderful too. It's hard to travel freely now, but we have to keep dreaming. One of my most interesting trips was to Russia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan when the Soviet Union was still around. I was at university studying Russian, and liked to explore things on my own though solitary travellers weren't encouraged at the time. So I left my tour group and met people who were curious about this foreign-looking girl wandering about on her own. They showed me secret mosques that the government pretended not to know about, cafes and nightclubs that played banned videos of Michael Jackson's Thriller, and other below-the-surface things.