David Bernell is an associate professor in the School of Public Policy at OSU and focuses on U.S. energy policy, international relations and US foreign policy, as well as Latin American politics.
What originally brought you to Oregon State?
I came to OSU in 2001 because my wife and I were both able to get jobs here as faculty, and Corvallis seemed like a nice place to live. We’re still here 25 years later. OSU and Corvallis are great.
Was there a particular event or public figure that first sparked your interest in U.S. foreign policy?
The event that first sparked my interest in global politics and U.S. foreign policy was the Iranian Revolution in 1979. I had learned about the American Revolution in school and here was a real live revolution going on at the time. Religious leaders were running the country, American diplomats were being held hostage in the US embassy in Tehran and there was a failed attempt by the US military to rescue them. It was all quite extraordinary.
What makes you passionate about higher education?
I like being at OSU because I get to work with undergraduate and graduate students who are smart, energetic, ambitious and eager to do something great, whatever goal they have settled upon. As a professor, I feel like my job description is to go learn about how the world works and then to teach and write about it. It’s a good gig.
What is the Monroe Doctrine and how has it changed over time?
The Monroe Doctrine was a statement of U.S. policy contained in President James Monroe’s annual message to Congress in 1823. Monroe warned European powers against further colonization or intervention in the Western Hemisphere, saying that these actions would be seen as hostile to the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt extended this policy in 1904 by saying the United States proclaimed a right to intervene as an “international police power” to “curb chronic wrongdoing” in the affairs of Latin American and Caribbean countries. This assertive policy soon led to the deployment of U.S. troops in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti, and a long period of American assertiveness and control in the region. The United States later invaded the Dominican Republic in 1965, and Panama in 1989 to put friendly governments in power, and during the Cold War it employed covert operations to overthrow governments in Guatemala and Chile. Cuba’s government has faced pressure from the United States for decades, including covert CIA operations to kill Fidel Castro, support of the Bay of Pigs invasion, and an economic embargo that is still in place. The term Monroe Doctrine continues to evoke the idea of American political, military, and economic domination in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. ouster of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro will most likely signal to countries in the Western Hemisphere that they could see a more assertive U.S. if their policies clash with Washington’s goals.
What advice would you give the younger version of yourself who was just starting college?
My advice to my younger self would be this: do that little extra bit of work in any task I’m engaged in. A little extra effort produces huge results. After all, at 211 degrees, water is really hot, but at 212 degrees it can boil water, and that can move a locomotive or spin a power plant turbine and provide electricity to millions. Our own lives can have big payoffs like that too.
Are there previous examples of American intervention in Latin America that you look to in trying to understand the current situation?
The repeated military interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean in the early 20th century, when the United States routinely carried out an imperialist foreign policy to secure American business interests and cement political influence in the region, offer a salient parallel to today.
As a professor of political science, how do you incorporate major breaking events into your classroom discussion or curriculum, and does it help engage students?
Current events always get incorporated into my classes. Sometimes we start class with questions on current events. I also incorporate these topics into lectures and class discussions. Talking about breaking news that the students are aware of makes for more engaging discussions. A lesson on the politics of tariffs is one thing. It’s a much more lively conversation when we’re talking about President Trump imposing a 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods coming into the United States.
What was your favorite course in college?
My favorite courses in college were American Foreign Policy and Human Evolution.
When international news breaks, what sources do you go to or experts do you consult to learn more during a volatile news cycle to gain perspective?
My go-to sources are The New York Times, Letters from an American (Substack by Heather Cox Richardson), The Economist and Thinking About…(Substack by Timothy Snyder).
What is your favorite nonacademic pursuit or passion?
My favorite things are sports (I go to and watch way too many games), running, reading and music. And I’ll drop just about any plans I have to hang out with my family.
