Dr. Russell is amazing! He presents the material in an energetic and entertaining way while staying on topic. His exams are written and he marks very fare. Attending class is not always mandatory but I would recommend going as it makes preparing for his exams much easier.

dope professor, takes forever to hand test marks back

Nestar is by far one of my fave profs so far in my uni degree. He makes every single lecture interesting and engaging, and he's such a funny guy with some unbelievable stories! The tests are fairly easy, I managed to cram for the midterms in one day and got an A. Would definitely recommend Nestar for this class, I'm hoping to take more with him!

Great prof! Probably the best Soci prof I've had so far. His lectures are really interesting and easy to follow, it makes you want to attend class! Also, really approachable and nice. His exams are written exams and not multiple choice, but pretty easy as long as you attend class and do the readings. I got an A without even really studying much.

Dr. Russel is a really interesting professor! He really tries to make his lectures engaging and tries to promote class involvement which is really nice. You don't know what to expect going into exams which can be stressful, but as long as you attend classes and listen carefully you will be fine. Funny, caring and thought-provoking professor overall

Great if you're looking for a light work-load. Show up to lecture, take good notes and read the textbook and the exams are more than fair. Skipping lecture and relying on his slides + textbook will only get you 75% of the grade, at best. He stresses that he "likes to reward those who turn up to lecture." 2 S.A./M.C midterms (25% ea.) All M.C. Final

Prof. Russell is really funny and I really liked his lectures and that made it easier to learn the material. Although, I found the exams a little difficult and I wasnt really able to progress my grade throughout the term. All the info is pretty much from the textbook so make sure you read it

He's a great prof. I found his lectures to be more entertaining than anything else. I was too cheap to get a textbook and memorized the slides that he posted online and would go over in class, if you do that I think you will do fine as his slides are literally summaries of the chapters on the textbook. Didn't rlly explain what tests would be on tho

Super amazing lectures w/ really interesting material, definitely important to show up to lectures! Very enthusiastic & caring. Dr. Russell gives us all the information in order to get A's we just have to put in the time and work in order to achieve it. Genuinely cares if we do well and makes himself available for any questions we may have. Cheers!

Amazing and engaging lectures. He made content relatable and simple to follow. Textbook was expensive, even to rent. Very fair marker and would remove questions from exams if he felt it may have been unfair. Amazing human and prof.

Amazing prof... absolutely no complaints and his accent makes it easy to recall material you've heard before haha

Awesome prof! Super interesting to listen to, easy marker. One midterm, short written assignment and final. All are very fair and easy if you pay attention in class, skim the textbook and go over the slides. Really interesting class, would 100% recommend

One of the most inspirational profs that I've had within my degree. He's really passionate about his area of focus and leaves students just as passionate. Readings are a definite must, but it makes sense. This is a class to really learn rather than an easy A.

For an online class in the spring due to Covid-19, it was well done. He seemed like a nice guy who cares about his students success, he is also very passionate about the topic, which made it even more interesting than it already was. Final was super easy, you need to read the textbook but its interesting in my opinion so it was okay.

He's a soci prof from New Zealand and his lectures are really interesting and funny! He tells you which lectures will be on the test and which ones you don't really have to go to, and the content is easy but interesting! There is a textbook but he usually tries to make sure there's copies in the library.

Nestar is by far my favourite professor at UofC. He clearly cares about his students. Final exam was open book. Several students complained about the TA's marking and Nestar did not hesitate to curve the grades. He's passionate about what he's teaching and he makes the lectures interesting! Will be taking another class with Nestar. Easy MC exams!!!

This is my second class with Nestar, and I took this class specifically because he was teaching. He is phenomenal. Two midterms and a final, all open book. Nestar wants his students to do well and his teaching reflects that. Course material is simple, but readings are mandatory. Provides sample tests before midterms to give an idea of questions.

Nestar is a one of a kind prof. His lectures are so clear cut and he explains concepts really well. You can reach him at any time and he responds quickly. He doesn't give a crazy amount of readings, and his assessments are mainly midterms. If you watch the lectures and read the readings, you will get an A+. Trust me, you want to take his class!

This was one of the best classes I have taken in university thus far. Lectures were extremely interesting. As long as you watch the lectures and do the readings you'll get an A!

I had him for soci 327 for fall 2020 and he was such a great prof! Some of his lectures were a bit long, but he made up for it by recording shorter lectures for other days! All of his lecture notes and lectures were very easily understandable and he did test out of the textbook. Overall had really funny jokes, 10/10 would recommend!

One of the best profs Ive ever taken. He makes the class and material entertaining. Multiple choice tests and all open book. Do the readings and take good notes and you should do well in the class. Very accommodating and wants students to do well. Dont hesitate to take this class, 10/10 one of the best classes Ive taken and its because of him.

Prof Russell was seriously such an awesome professor, he completely sparked my interest in criminal justice and made me think outside of what was just required for class. Good to have the textbook for tests, but really he provides most of the info. Tons of supplementary videos and stories, really interesting guy and would definitely recommend.

Nestar is an excellent professor who is so passionate about what he teaches, and motivates his students to really think about things. His classes are a must-have and definitely add breadth to any university degree. Do not miss up an opportunity to be in one of his amazing classes!

This was my third time have Dr. Russell, and he was amazing yet again. The only real issue i had with this course was that we were required to buy 2 books for this course with the 2 books costing a total of $200 for one course.

Great course, well put together.

Nestar was a real gem. Straightforward exams and insightful lectures. You can tell he really cares about his students and his job. We only had a midterm, a final and a small assignment worth 10% but it was all open book due to asynchronous delivery. It is an easy A as long as you watch all the lectures, do the readings and watch documentaries!

Professor Russel is by far my favourite professor I've ever had. His lectures were very interesting and he incorporated a lot of fun videos to break up the notes. There was not a lot of opportunities for marks as there was only a midterm, final, and small project but if you attend lectures and do all the reading you will be fine.

His lectures are great and despite long, they don't feel long as time flies when watching them. Gives lots of documentaries and various clips and TV snippets from shows like "the wire" in lectures. Exams are very heavy on the textbook however, so make sure you do all readings. We were graded on 3 exams.

Absolute class act of a professor. Lectures are very entertaining and he makes dry topics fascinating. His tests are really textbook heavy however and you have to thoroughly read it to get a good grade on the quiz. No assignments, just quizzes worth 25,35 and 40 percent.

Dr. Russel is great, Ive had him for two SOCI option classes now and they have both been amazing. This guy knows what he is talking about, he also brings great insight to every lecture which makes them very enjoyable. We were graded on three tests that were all very easy as long as you watched the lectures and read the textbook! 100% recommend :)

I loved this class! Russell is clearly passionate about his work and he greatly cares about the students. Tests were fairly easy as long as you watched the lectures and read the text. Highly recommend taking a class with him!

This guy is the goat. I have never watched a youtube video in one sitting for more than an hour but his lectures were genuinely interesting. I learned a lot from this class regarding criminal justice. Absolute star. I wish his advanced courses didn't have that many prerequisites so I can take more classes with him in the future.

I never really was had been intrested in criminal justice before but ended up learning a lot about how the Canadian justice system works. His lectures are fairly straight forward, and the textbook readings didn't take up a lot of time. Tests were pretty easy as long as you have a general idea about the lecture content.

Russel was awesome. His classes were thorough, informative, and though they dragged on a bit at times, the subject matter was presented in an interesting way. He is very accommodating, you can tell he cares a lot about his profession & students. A lot of the examples he used were quite opinionated though - he made his stances very clear.

one of my fav profs ! as long as you watch lectures and do the readings you'll automatically be among the A range -- will not test/mark you on anything other than what he teaches. would def take again !!

Great professor! I looked forward to watching his lectures, the content was really interesting. The tests were easy and all multiple choice which I appreciated. Highly recommend taking his classes.

Amazing class with an amazing professor, his tests are extremely fair and his lectures are engaging. He does not try to trick students or stress them out.

Russell was a great online prof. You have to watch his lectures and take notes because he tests on things he says that aren't written on slides, but he tells you that at the start of sem. Documentaries were always relevant and intriguing. Tests were extremely fair and had a pretty equal balance of lecture-based and textbook-based questions.

One of the best professors I’ve had my entire university career. Hands down. I took this course Fall 2021 while it was accessible online and it was an amazing course. Lecture materials are straight forward and so are the exams (lecture based) with minor required readings.

Dr. Russell is a tough but very fair professor. The majority of the mark (45%) was based on a single paper that he had clear expectations for. The two midterms were very easy and minimal reading ensured success in them. Staying on top of lectures and reading while being a good writer will make this class easy and enjoyable.

I love this prof so so much. I'm taking another one of his classes next semester and I genuinely cannot wait. one midterm in-person open book and one final online and open book. he is still very aware of covid so gave our class the option to remain online which was much appreciated

loved this prof. clearly loved what he was teaching. I felt some of the midterm questions were really specific details and pretty difficult, but he made the final very easy. Wish there were a few more grading criteria as the few were heavily weighed. Overall, loved how accessible and kind he is. Take lots of notes on what he says, you'll do fine.

Amazing prof, he provides clear instructions in terms of how to succeed in the class and his exams and assignments are very fair. He offered in-person and online classes and was always willing to help out. Would definitely take another class with him!

Just a really chill professor, who is very enthusiastic about what he is teaching. Attendance was not mandatory as lectures were posted online as well as offered in person. The lectures were engaging, so the content itself was certainly bearable. If you have the option to have Professor Nestar Russel for a required class, he is a great option.

Dr. Russell is an amazing professor. He is super caring and is willing to give you feedback. He is extremely knowledgeable in his area of expertise (genocide and terrorism). He can seem tough but he's honestly a gem. I took 2 classes with him (425 and 421) and they were my favourite courses. He's made my university experience spectacular.

The best prof ive had by far. Great at his job, and makes the material interesting to learn.

Dr. Russell is awesome! This class was interesting, he taught it in a clear way. He also records his lectures, so if you do not want to attend in person this can be done as an online class! 3 tests, all open book, first one is in person, so be sure to buy a physical copy of the textbook! Test questions are challenging ish but do-able if prepared.

This is my second class with him and he is super fair. His lectures are genuinely interesting and I always learned something new and interesting. There is a midterm which is in person but he lets you use a textbook and set of notes and the final exam is online and open-book. There is also an assignment which is worth 10% and its easy to get an 80%

Really great professor! All his lectures are posted online, so you don't have to attend in person. Class consisted of an in-person midterm( which was really easy, cause he let you bring as much material you wanted to), video quizzes, short assignment and online final exam. Definitely recommend.

Awesome professor. All the lectures are posted online so you don't have to attend in person. The online midterms and online final exam were easy as they are open book and are given over 3 hours to complete them. Even the in person midterm was simple cause he lets you bring as much material as you need.

I wish all my professors were like Nestor Russell. His lectures were actually interesting, with helpful videos and commentary. All the lectures were available online if you couldn't make it to the in-person classes and the tests were online. GOAT professor and I wish he taught all my courses

Dr. Nestar Russell is the sweetest man ever. He is such an amazing prof and has honestly made me glad I chose soci as my degree. He's not scared when it comes to giving feedback which is what makes him so helpful. The classes are very interesting I've taken 3 with him so far. If you are willing to do the lecture and write notes you'll do well.

Best sociology professor ever. If you can, TAKE HIS CLASS, ANY SOCI. His tests were straight from the notes, open book. Open book was not hard as it is in other courses. Do not fear the large distribution of grades (40% midterm and 50% final) as the tests are not hard. He also cares for his students and provides feedback and help outside of class.

Dr. Russell's pedagogy, a blend of passion and precision, deserves a resounding 7 stars. His exams, masterfully aligned with his lucid notes and textbook, virtually guarantee A+ grades as long as your Control and F keys are functioning. His enthusiasm and approachability elevate him beyond a mere educator to a mentor of the highest caliber.

All the good stuff: Amazing prof, easy and open-book assessments, you can do all lectures from home and still do as well in the class, he is so nice by email, low workload; attend lectures, have the tb, make good cheat sheets and you will do amazing. The bad stuff: You need to buy the textbook. BEST PROF AT UOFC HANDS DOWN. EASY A I LOVE DR RUSSELL

One of the clearest professors i've ever had. His class was a delight, i looked forward to it and it was an amazing break from my other classes. Midterm and Final were open book so it is easy to get a high grade, but honestly the way he structures the questions you don't need to use the text alot. If you have the chance TAKE THIS CLASS

As a non-soci major, Dr. Russell is an extremely caring and interesting lecturer. Watch all of his lectures at least once and you will pass this exams with A+. His exams are very fair and based on the textbook and lectures combined so I strongly recommend the textbook as mandatory.

Excellent prof. Lectures are really engaging and feel like you learn a lot from him. He was super supportive and encouraging with the research paper. If you spend the time and effort to reach out to him and ask questions you will definitely excel in his courses

Pretty chill class. I will say despite having my notes in front of me for the midterm, the questions were definitely more difficult than expected (I also literally did not study lol)

Just a loss for words. Best prof with the best course delivery, and content really makes you question the justice system and its many flaws but also appreciate it. Dr Russell is top tier. Took this class as an option and I definitely recommend doing every soci class you can with him. Only bad thing was buying the textbook, otherwise perfect!

Haven't taken a test yet, but lectures are great and the tests are open book. Fairly interesting lectures and you can tell he cares about what he's teaching. Great course to take for easy credit, but if you're looking to learn more about the justice system I'd think about it. Professor is shamelessly biased but does look at interesting topics.

This year, Professor Russell taught LWSO 201. He is so funny and always keeps the class engaged. He asks meaningful questions and gives important feedback and advice. I learned a ton in his class that i am able to apply to the real world now and it was super interesting to be there. (He is also quite good with responding to emails & concerns!)

You might see reviews here shining him in a negative light however these people are just displaying their irgnorance. The professor is clear from the start that if you want a good grade, read from the textbook. He is very straightforward on what you need to do well in the course. His lectures are entertaining and he engages the class well

I personally found Professor Russell to be a great professor who is entertaining in his lectures. While some think he's passive aggressive, I think he's delightful and very nice to interact with after lectures. Just read and annotate the text book, as all exams are open book, and you'll do fine. It's very straightforward work :)

One of the few professors that truly care. His mode of teaching is really accessible, and he makes it even more easy by uploading every lecture online. I lost someone close to me during the school year, and he was one of the professors that completely made my life easier. Please give him a chance. His grading scheme isn't difficult, either.

He depended a lot on the textbook for lectures and exams. He showed concern for his students by discussing in the exams and ways to improve in class. His lectures were engaging and exams not too difficult, the coursework is pretty heavy and requires extensive reading to succeed. He did excellent despite the heckling and disruption from this class.

Super easy tests, completely open book. He gives opportunity to learn in and outside of the class, online lectures for all content. Would take a class from him again :)

Very entertaining to sit in his class

Russell is outstanding. His classes are very heavy on readings, but everything is open book, and he gives out all the resources he can, plus additional sources to help our understanding of material. His classes are easily accessible with videos, too. People just like to whine about everything. Reading is a part of uni!

The lectures were maybe a tad dry but nonetheless crystal clear. The tests are completely fair and quite easy if you prep notes and read your textbook. Once or twice he shared a (relevant) political opinion of his, but he made it very clear that it was just his perspective, making it fine IMO. A good prof and an easy A (if you work for it).

Dr. Russell is my all time favourite prof!! He's super enthusiastic about the material and teaches it in a very engaging way. He clearly cares a lot! The lectures are mostly based on the textbook + other pieces of important information, and the midterms and final are all open book! Such an interesting guy, I cannot recommend him enough!

To get a high grade in this class you absolutely need to get a physical copy of the textbook.

The course was based on three open-book exams, which at first sounded like a breeze, but most definitely was not. The second exam left everyone in shambles, with a grade nearly impossible to recover from. His lectures were great and he was quite a fair and kind person, but his exams take a lot of work and often tested on the most obscure details.

Probably my fav professor, taken 4 classes with him so far and I love him. He cares about his students learning and is easily accessible after class/office hours/over email if you need clarification. Asynchronous lectures as well as fully open-book tests. As long as you attend class and read the textbook, its easy to get an A.

I have taken two classes with Dr. Russell, and without a doubt I would take another. He is so passionate, high-energy, friendly, and I think he cares deeply for his students and tries to keep the course challenging but not brutalizing. This course actually felt easy most of the time, too. He is one of the best U of C has to offer in SOCI, I think!

He knows his material well and wants his students to succeed. His lectures are very information heavy. But questions on exams are straightforward and manageable if you attend lectures

I genuinely felt bad for the professor and the cohort of students he got stuck with for the first time teaching this course. Only 2 or 3 students *consistently* engaged in a meaningful and constructive way. Compared to other first year classes, this one was extremely easy. Anyone who did bad in this class only has themselves to blame.

His lectures were actually very interesting and engaging. The textbook is super dry but other than that I loved this class. Tests are reasonable as long as you actually study and show up to class, they were also all completely open book.

His Lectures are very engaging and I enjoyed them a lot! Though it does feel kinda limiting to have your entire grade depend on 2 midterms and a final, them all being open book helped a lot. It's clear that he wants his students to success and is very interested in what he teaches.

Lectures were engaging and topics covered were relevant. Buy the textbook because you can bring it into the midterms and final. The tests have quite a bit from the textbook so read through and know little details

He did give us a lot of readings near the end of the semester; yet was very kind, passionate and excited by teaching us about deviance. Going to class is not necessary, because he posted his previous class lectures via video on D2L. I would still recommend showing up because the tests had questions that were only brought up during class lectures.

I took SOCI 425 and SOCI 421 with Dr. Russell during the 2023-2024 school year. He posted lectures online, and his tests were open-book. He is incredibly passionate, and invested in helping students succeed. - (He even came to SLSA events a few times!) Would highly recommend taking a class with Dr. Russell.

Nestar is a great prof! He covers any gaps or biases found in the textbook and is very approachable. I would recommend attending the lectures as he mentions side facts that appear verbatim on the exams. Also, bring the textbook and your practice questions to the exam, as it's an open-book exam, which makes it easier to find the correct answer.

He's an amazing prof. He's so incredibly kind, caring, and approachable. A little number heavy when it comes to exams but their open book. Imo, you have zero reason to complain/give a bad rating. He posts his lectures from covid, so attendance isn't mandatory and he really cares about his students. Overall an amazing professor

this class was pretty easy if you just put the work in. there wasn't much work anyways and he is a pretty organized person. you know when everything is coming and he doesn't change the dates on anything really. it is funny some times and makes sure to explain everything without taking too much time.

This teacher teaches well and seems to actually like his job. He makes the lectures easy to understand and the exam are fair. I really appreciate how much he posts on D2L as well, it makes it easy to study and catch up if you miss class. I recommend this class to any soci student.

If you don't have any aspirations to go peruse anything law related or don't like reading too much don't take this course. It may seem like an easy choice for a "grade booster" but its not. It requires a lot of reading and paying attention in lectures. So if you miss one you might not know questions on the test because some are VERY specific.

Ya get 3 tests, all open book. If you know how to make an amazing cheat sheet without technology, you don't even need to open the textbook. Slides are rly important to go over, and you NEED to show up to class to catch certain metaphors he uses and then puts on the test. He's super nice and rly chill!

Class consisted of two midterms and a final (all open book and MC). I really enjoyed this class, material was super interesting and you could tell Nestar was passionate about it. You MUST read the textbook as he pulls questions specifically from it, but if you put in the effort it wasn't difficult. Excited to take another class with him soon

If you want a good grade, have Nestar as your prof.

Great prof but since this is a 200 level class he is pretty lazy with the exam questions. Not necessary to read textbook, just use the index/glossary during tests. Go to his lectures bc he will mention things that are not on slides. During open book tests, print out the slides. Also no trick questions so dont choose that for an answer on tests

Fun prof. It's an open-book class, so the tests are super easy. Lectures are relatively engaging. He does include some stuff on tests that is not on lectures, so attend class. any questions which say "trick question" as an option are not trick questions, don't fall for that, 10/10 prof though!!!

Amazing professor; tests are heavy, but open-book, so as long as you come prepared, it isn't difficult. Attendance isn't mandatory, but I recommend attending anyway, as some of what he says may end up on the exam, and his lectures are pretty engaging. Buy the textbook, you'll need it.

He seems like a nice person, and he makes the 'boring' lectures entertaining with his little jokes; however, there is a lot of reading, and you have to have the textbook to do well.

I was told this class was a GPA booster. I did well, but it won't be easy if you do not put the effort. Go to lectures, take notes, and read the textbook and you will succeed. Professor Russell is understanding, and wants his students to do well and actually take something away from this class. Effort pays off.

Graded on 3 open book quizzes, they are not insanely difficult but there will be some challenging questions. You need to read the textbook diligently. Pay attention to every small detail, numbers, dates and stats both in the textbook and lectures. I learned a lot about the criminal justice system, and the professor is very kind and accommodating.

Prof was good, tests were pretty easy you didn't really have to ever come to lectures since the tests we're all open book and he read of the slides--- you could really just find the answer in the textbook.

Great prof, tests are easy, I would go to lectures even if he mostly reads off the slides, use the index of your textbook for the final it'll be your best friend