I've taken a couple of classes from Professor Norris and he honestly gets a lot more flack than he deserves. He's very passionate about what he teaches and makes his lectures very engaging. There is a lot of reading and most of it is very dense but he does his best to go over the main points. He's also always accessible outside of class.

One of the best professors at UCSB. Very demanding and expects a lot from students, but if you are taking a class to learn, then his are the best. Perhaps the most intelligent professor I've ever had.

This class was really hard! Not only do you have to do a lot of readings, but you have to understand dense political theory that may be somewhat over the average undergrads head. It's really helpful to get to know your TA! Sometimes there are quizzes in class, not worth anything, but just checking attendance, so I would go as much as you can. Typic

This class is terribly and painfully boring. Professor Norris seems to feel he is God's gift to the world and much smarter than any of the students. He requested the first papers to be emailed to him, then proceeded to print one out and rip it to shreds. There was no constructive criticism. He likes to hear himself talk. AVOID this class!

Perhaps the most rewarding class I have taken at UCSB. Explains the concepts and theories perfectly. Go to every lecture and take close notes and you'll be good for the papers and final, just skim the readings before class to be ready for the quizzes. I learned more from Norris than almost every other professor I've had combined. Norris rules!

He's a good professor and I learned a lot, but it was a lot of work. Reading is critical for the class so keep up on it! He'll suprise you with quizes on the reading every three classes or so. Also, go into the TA when writing the paper because they can really help you. Take really good notes in class and do not be afraid to ask questions. Good luc

He is very enthusiastic about political philosophy... however it is very hard to understand. There are 7 books that are required to read. 3 Essays (3, 5 & 7 pages). No midterm. Quizes throughout the quarter in lecture worth 15% of your grade. Very time consuming and a lot of work. If you take it Thomas Hughes is the BEST TA!

best prof ive r had. ppl complain about the grades but he just takes the class seriously. He wants to see you succeed and to help you genuinely understand content. Go to his (amazing) lectures, show up to office hours, and make yourself known - you will do well & learn. Its not an easy A but it is such a worthwhile experience.

I went to every lecture, took good notes, studied before every exam, etc. This man just likes to grade super hard for no reason and his class left me feeling very discouraged. Avoid if you can.

Norris is my favorite professor at UCSB. His classes are tough, but he is engaging and always willing to accommodate students for office hours. His lectures are so helpful and even though they're not mandatory, it's difficult to succeed without them. He is super self-deprecating but also clearly incredibly intelligent. Hard class but so rewarding.

If you don't take a class with Norris you are doing yourself a disservice. easily the best professor i've ever had. taking my second class with him now and wish i could take more. if you take it, apply yourself, do the readings and go to office hours consistently. hard but so worth it.

So many babies on here. Norris is a genuine intellectual and an incredibly talented lecturer. His depth of knowledge and ability to communicate ideas is one unmatched by other professors I've had. His classes are hard, hence the B+, but this is how college classes used to be. Holding students to a high standard isn't “condescending.”

A ball of contradictions. Very caring and nervous. Cares a lot about students. Also brilliant and condescending. Will diss u publicly for questions & being late. I've taken him for a whole year (most ppl do), but it's a love hate relationship. Short answer hw, dense & hard readings, not mandatory but highly recommended lectures. 10/10 lectures.

ppl say hes condescending but he lowkey isn't. hes goofy asf and anxious about being a good teacher. He answers questions super well and thoroughly. Honestly if you do the reading and pay attention it's not super hard, but sometimes grading is tough. Makes difficult content fun & made me actually enjoy political theory classes. love him!

Prof. Norris is passionate about what he teaches and genuinely wants students to succeed. The readings are dense but usually make sense after lecture. Norris created an optional discussion section when students expressed need for more clarification and keeps class interesting with his jokes. Definitely recommend taking his classes.

I really loved Norris. He is an engaging lecturer with a great sense of humor. The class was hard and there was a lot of reading, but most of the reading is decently easy to understand. He was very kind and accommodating whenever I emailed him or went to office hours. Essay prompts were clear and easy to write about. He is clear about expectations.

Genuinely an awful professor. Super condescending when questions are asked, gets sidetracked easily in lectures. The prompts on his essays are very complicated and confusing, and when you ask questions about the prompt he gives very vague answers. I very very rough grader, and his tests are so difficult. Honestly this was the worst experience.

Take this class if you hate yourself and you have an unshakeable sense of self-esteem when it comes to political theory. Initially, I loved this class but because Norris is a tenured professor he doesn't give a flying fadoodle about whether you stay or go. People who love theory hate this class, that should say enough.

Norris is a great professor. He cares about his student if you care about the class. Heavy read them and go to office hours a lot. If you try, you will succeed.

Norris is a great lecturer but presents confusing prompts regarding the papers. He expects a specific argument from the student without clearly stating his expectations. He is also a condescending professor. If you want more structured lectures, I recommend Norris, as he only uses the blackboard and gets sidetracked with questions.

I literally hate this man. Thinks he is one of the great thinkers and is super mean. Calls you out in front of the whole class if you get a question wrong even if you're trying. Grading criteria makes 0 sense and the TA's he provides are even worse than him. Not understanding in the least. HW is super hard and 0 credit if wrong. Don't take him fr

I LOVE Professor Norris. He's such a great dude, and his passion for philosophy is awe-inspiring. He's also adorable!! In his class, you'll work hard, learn a lot, and get a solid foundation for political philosophy, which has helped me in life areas other than politics. He's the best!!!!!!!

Prof Norris is such a nice guy and a great lecturer. Graded on weekly assignments that are not hard if you do the readings, midterm, final paper, and participation. No iclicker but he elaborates on everything in lecture so you should def go. Easy to stay engaged with his lectures, he is really funny. So glad I took his class!

Professor Norris is amongst my top 2 favorite professors at UCSB. No PS1 isn't easy, but it's enjoyable especially because Norris is so good at political philosophy. His lectures engage with the material enough to understand the material perfectly.