System Realist all the way! Do not let fall into his "charisma"

the new chair isn't Neo-wilsonian; He's modern marchiavelli

He represents the dark side of the IR school

Out of USC for four years, still ask him questions

Awesome Professor. A true gentleman and intellect. He cares about his students and makes sure that they understand the material.

His practical, case-driven upper division courses are x10 more useful than any of the theory-driven drivel I took. I still use the methods I learned in that class. He's hyped a lot, but I think deserves most of it -so long as you interact with him!

Very available, assigns lots of reading, but covers it well and the work is well worth it for those looking for an in depth, leave-no-stone-unturned intro to international relations or international politics.

Took two of his classes - both did not require reading all but the minimum (even though he assigns a lot). Very helpful for recommendations, suggestions. Great prof!

took Dr. Lamy a few years ago for IR 210 and he was instantly the best professor I've ever had in my life! he was so kind, very exciting in the classroom and just a cool guy (for a teacher.) workload wasn't too hard, fair grading system.

Prof. Lamy is the most amazing professor I've had at SC. He's proven to be substantially intelligent, thought-provoking, and has somehow managed to make me actually CARE about international relations, which is an amazing feat in itself. He's a great, great man.

Good teacher. Left lasting impression on me

An academic pillar of USC. Knowledgeable, wise, and understanding. Changed my life forever and unlocked my mind on some Obi Wan and Luke Skywalker tip.

Best class at USC with the best professor. Challenged how I thought about the world.

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Amazing Professor... I use what he taught me in all ways of life and in all different classes. He makes sense, he's through, and he knows your name even if you sit in the far left corner of the class... Definitely recommended!!!!

Amazing professor. The only teacher/professor I've ever had that actually gave me a thank you note for my class participation. He made a point to know everyone's name and included them in discussions. Highly recommended.

GREAT professor, but like everyone else he has his own agenda. If you don't like being preached to in a round-about way, skip it.

Best teacher I had in the five years I was there

Great professor!

I graduated several years ago, but Prof. Lamy was awesome. I went to law school after taking his case studies class. BTW, he's a lot nicer than a lot of law school professors even if the talk of the Socratic method sounds intimidating.

Professor Lamy was amazing. He embodies everything you want in an educator: somebody who is knowledgeable and passional about their field, interested in transferring that knowledge, and committed to his students. (By the thrid week of class he will have memorized several hundred student names and will remember details about you for years!)

Excellent professor! Very passionate about IR and each student's success. May seem intimidating but very approachable and funny.

He's a comedian at heart - and what a big heart he has! He really goes out of his way to help students that want to succeed. For instance, he holds four extra hours of review every week! Even more in preperation for midterms and finals! The only weakness tends to be in communication with TAs. information seems to get lost in the chain of command

I attended USC 25 years ago and Steven Lamy was my favorite professor. I went on to be a psychotherapist rather than continue in IR. But I continue to quote Dr. Lamy and he continues to influence my world view! Talk about INFLUENCE! Best instructor I have ever seen. CARES about his students!

The class is a lot of work but it pays off at the end. He is a very hard grader but he rewards students who work hard. He also has a lot of extra credit opportunities. At the end of the day if u attend class, know him personally, and try your hardest, u will get at least an A- in the class.

the class is annoying and tedious at some points, so many assignments and a lot of busy work. lamy is pretty good overall. it amazed me that even though i sat in the back corner of a 250 person class, he knew my name when i passed by him at school! take this class with lamy rather than with anyone else

Prof. Lamy is the most amazing professor I have had. For the past 2 years, he has been an incredible mentor for me. He has been one of the greatest sources of encouragement and inspiration at USC. He is so deeply invested in his students, and he treats you as an equal. I recommend him 110%. He loves his job, loves teaching, and loves his students.

Attended SC in the 90s. Lamy was my favorite professor of all time. He assigns LOTS of reading, but he is very informed on his subjects. I always felt like he cared about me. Even remembered I was a Saints fan! I was one of the few working students at SC, so he gave me some slack from time to time. Now working in DC with the World Bank. Fight On!

Lamy is a dedicated guy; funny, knows everyone, and if you are willing to put in the time to go to all his reviews you will do great in the class. That being said, the subject is hard, he expects a lot (which is hard considering how lttle time we all have), and he can be somewhat condescending to girls. Take from that what you want.

Lamy is really smart, talks super fast, & has high expectations for his students. Can be annoyingly unhelpful, condescending towards girls, but overall, full of knowledge. Had diff trying to get ahold of him after finishing his class, even tho he says he wants to be a mentor to students and offer advice. Class is diff but rewarding. lots of work

The material can be difficult if you don't take time to study and learn it and he doesn't cover readings much in class but it's still a good prof

To ppl complaining that Lamy is unavailable or "cuts you off after 5 min" in office hours--you do realize he has hundreds of other current & former students vying for his attn? And he is a vice dean doing the work of 2 people, plus teaching, plus his life outside the univ. He is incredible & does everything he can w/ the time/energy he has left.

BEST PROFESSOR! He cares so much more than other professors and it shows. People who complain about his class didnt take advantage of all his extra help. Go to all extra review sessions and get to know him. He is very understanding and has a great heart. He wants to interest people in IR but it requires some reading. Well worth the time.

COOL!!!! BUT TOO HARD...

He's one of my favorite professors here. The readings aren't that important, if you attend and listen you'll get most of what you need. He gives tons of chances for extra points or makeups. Definitely one of the best.

Hands down the best professor I have ever had. His class, even on a Friday morning at 9am, was totally worth going too. I learned a lot, and can't wait to take another course taught by him- even if it is not a part of my major!

Prof. Lamy is a very interesting and intelligent professor...but he is also incredibly pompous. Some may think that he deserves to be this way, but it's too much at times. However, this was a great class overall. It is certainly daunting at first (especially in terms of the readings), but certainly doable. Work hard and you'll get at least a B+/A-.

Very funny professor, keeps you awake with jokes here and then, if you manage to do some readings, then you will understand a lot more. Definitely should get to know him in person, he will remember you. The assignments are not hard, some are time consuming. Only negative is that his lecture notes are very unorganized.

Lamy is a great teacher, and if you are going to take IR210 DEFINITELY take this class. He is a great resource and a very helpful, caring professor.

Prof. Lamy will take the time to learn all your names and whether you attend class. Effort is key for him. Unfortunately, he is not structured and throws around too many random factoids and his assignments are menial with very little purpose/direction. I thoroughly despised this class ; its mandatory for IR students but avoid Lamy!

Very time consuming class necessary for all IR majors & minors. Heavy reading and assignments really take up more time than necessary to learn concepts. Despite that, Lamy is brilliant and class provides an excellent frame-work to analyze the complicated world of International Relations. The "A" is possible if you take class very seriously.

The class is a ton of work, but he definitely wants to help you learn the material. Very informative class. Make sure you take a class with him if you can.

Prof. Lamy is a highly competent and knowledgeable prof who clearly loves what he is doing. He will even make it a point to memorize your name out of 300. But after your class with him is over, he is rude, condescending and arrogant. He trained his assistant to tell him after 5 mins a phone call is waiting (3 month wait period 2 c him). Very sad

I graduated quite a while ago and I still hold this man in top regard. Never met a professor who cared more or worked harder for his students. I took several courses with him and loved every minute. Find him too gruff in class? I did at first. Find a (good) reason to drop by his office hours and talk with him. I guarantee it'll change your mind.

enthusiastic about course material, very passionate. will memorize your name in a class of 200. but he's kind of all over the place, hard to keep up with him at first. very knowledgeable and est. in IR field but is condescending and often arrogant. avoid challenging him in any way bc he will shoot you down no matter what.

Engaging lecturer. Somehow manages to remember everyone in a class with 200+ people. Really makes effort to know each student. Highly recommend.

I am still surprised as to how he knew who I was. I never speak in lecture or put those annoying name tags up. I recommend visiting him during office hours. The class is difficult in terms of how it is structured. The work load, I would say, is medium to low. Not that hard to get a B+/A-. Probably curves at the end depending on your improvement.

Awesome guy, instantly knew who everyone was, but definitely does not tolerate people being off-task in his class. The class is pretty interesting, plus he lets you out a half hour early, unless you need to ask questions!

Most passionate and knowledgeable professor I have had. Did not go into his class as an IR major, but learned so much and gained a greater understanding of the world. Truly life-changing class. Try to sit in the front row everyday, ask lots of questions in the TA discussions and truly be interested to get an A.

Lamy is very knowledgeable and always looks out for his students. Take a class with him whenever possible!

Great professor, but I didn't really like the learning environment since if you tried to speak up and said something wrong he will poke fun at you or just shun you. An okay overal class.

BEST. CLASS. EVER. I love Lamy, he loves his content and wants everybody to learn. Goodhearted guy who wants you to learn and mentors kids in what little free time he has. Heavy reading course, all necessary. Will learn a lot. Lecture not mandatory but HIGHLY encouraged to gain best understanding. Lamy is literally the best. 100% recommend

Lamy is an excellent professor and a great guy. His lectures are fairly big yet he learns everyone's name and has the final word on grading every assignment. A down to earth hilarious professor; taking his class in the future and learned a lot more from his Friday discussions on life than I did in other classes. More than a professor, a mentor.

Best professor ever!! He is incredibly intelligent and interesting to learn from... Tip for getting a good grade - GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS!! It isn't an easy A but I went to his office hours every week, worked hard and got an A. Even though it is a difficult class, it is worth it to learn from Lamy.

Lamy was a GREAT professor, however he expects A LOT out of his students. There is a lot of reading and often prior knowledge is assumed. Every assignment counts since there are only 100 points in the class. Not necessary, but expected to do all the reading, I got by without opening one of the required textbooks and got an A, so it is possible.

Attending lecture and paying attention is necessary, as he gives opportunities for a little extra credit and hints for the final exam. If you don't have an IR background knowledge like me, I recommend doing the readings. Lamy really cares about his students and wants them to do well. Take advantage of his office hours and review sessions.

Lamy's class was a great introduction to International Relations! There's a lot of material to cover and a lot of reading to do, but if you go to class and make an effort he'll notice. He also holds optional review sessions twice a week for IR 210 students to come and ask questions, and if you do he'll like you a lot. Would highly recommend!

He's the God!

There's not much to say about Lamy that hasn't already been said. He can be kind of mean sometimes, he's hard to get a hold of, and he expects a lot from his students. That said, his lectures normally kill it, he's a basically a walking IR encyclopedia, and I would be pretty surprised if we had a better IR professor on faculty

Professor Lamy teaches with a lot of readings. The class is covers a large amount of material & you need to read and come to lecture. However, he gives you every opportunity to get a good grade with 2 discussion sections led my himself a week & plenty of review sessions before the midterm & final exam. Learned more in this class than any other.

The best teacher I have ever had. His lectures are amazing and interesting and he is basically a walking talking I.R. encyclopedia. He is one of the smartest and most knowledgeable people I have ever met. He really cares about his students. His assignments are clear and straightforward. He is a fair grader but his tests are hard to study for.

Amazing teacher. Inspirational, brilliant, charismatic and funny. Personally grades every student's work to make sure the T.A.s grade fairly. Runs 2 weekly voluntary discussion groups that are very helpful. Holds midterm and final review sessions. Case studies are interesting. Try to get Alex as your T.A. he is great.

Inspirational - gives great lectures. However, he doesn't post slides online so beware of skipping class. Probably one of the smartest IR scholars out there. Gives one midterm and one final.

Ok so this is the first time I rate professors here, but Lamy is the best both in class or in daily life. He is respected, and cares his student more than any other professor does. If you are USC student, you should take his class for life-time experience.

Lamy is an amazing professor but his class is really hard. He's not teaching IR 210 anymore but when I took it, I took it as a GE and it was far too much work for a GE.

The best professor out there! Have taken two of his classes and wish I could take more. Will respect you if you respect him and put in the work for the class. Inspiring guy with great stories.

If you can handle his jokes and are comfortable throwing one or two back, Lamy is the best professor you'll ever have. You'll never learn more in a single class than what you'll learn from him, and he won't just show you, he'll bring it out of you. I'm honestly a better person for having known Professor Lamy.

This class is all about reading and understanding the case studies and actively participating in the discussion. It is time demanding and a lot of work, but you will learn a lot. Lamy is a great teacher and truly cares about his students, not an easy grader, though. If you are interested in this class and prepared to work you will learn a lot.

Lamy is extremely good at immersive learning. His class is discussion-based and you must be prepared everyday, but you will learn more from him than you could imagine. I took this class my sophomore year and it prepared me to excel in the rest of my IR courses. If you love a good story, this is your guy. If you want an easy upper div, don't bother.

Lamy is a great professor. Super funny, enthusiastic, and knowledgable about his field. Outlines the class clearly, content is more abstract and doing well is more about application. lots of weekly homework which can be tedious but is an opportunity to bump your own grade. overall one of my favourite professors at USC.

Lamy is clearly very knowledgeable about what he is talking about, but the way he organizes his lectures can be confusing. He tends to repeat info or skip from topic to topic which can make studying difficult. He assigns a lot of readings and expects you to know them all. He is a nice guy but he has very high expectations for his students.

Professor Lamy is highly respected and by far one of the best professors you could take. He teaches you for life not for a test. There is no midterm or final but the class is a lot of work and participation and attendance in every case study (around 16) is mandatory. He knows all students by name and remembers students from years ago.

Lamy is a great professor and lecturer; PowerPoints can be a little unorganized though. The class has a good amount of assignments and case studies but you can do well if you spend time on them and apply ideas from lecture to the assignments. I was able to get an A without doing any of the readings; just apply info from class to the tests and hw.

Professor Lamy is respected/so well-connected and IR341 is probably my favorite class that I've taken at USC. The case study style is engaging, keeps you on your toes and teaches you so much that is applicable to the real world. The final assignment is writing a case study of your own which was so much work but also fantastic/rewarding.

He's pretty much a genius and probably has photographic memory. His classes are not something you can skip. He will notice. But, he's an amazing lecturer and you will definitely learn a lot from him no matter the class.

Professor Lamy is a well respected genius. However, do not take this class if you are not willing to work hard. Every assignment is challenging, especially because there is never any clear right answer for this class. I often felt like I was guessing when I wrote papers for this class! I did well though because I worked hard and Lamy noticed.

I took Lamys IR210. This class has lots of homework and reading. attendance is not taken but he knows and will give you a worse grade if you dont come to class. overall i liked him, he calls students out but its funny if its not you.

Very knowledgeable and you will have to know the course content and readings for an A. But he wants everyone in his class to succeed

Professor Lamy is one of the most engaging professors I've ever had. If you're taking him for an easy A, don't. But, if you're interested in learning a lot about foreign policy, he will be an incredible professor. I'm not an IR kid, and I've learned so much from him. Professor Lamy puts in the work, so he expects you to do the same.

Professor Lamy cares so much about his students and pushing us to have ambitious goals and apply to fellowships. His teaching style incorporates case studies and problem-based learning. I've never had a professor that facilitated such thoughtful discussion. After taking this class, I feel exposed to new ways of thinking.

Professor Lamy is amazing. His lectures are great because he knows so much and has a wealth of experience he wants to share.

This class was very boring, to be honest, but I feel like I got a lot out of it as well. I really valued getting to hear his perspective on IR issues. He acts like a tough grader but I honestly don't think it's that hard to do well in the class, as long as you put effort into the essays/projects, participate, and show up to most lectures.

Prof is a very well-connected and knowledgeable guy. He tries to tell a lot of jokes in lectures and keep them interesting, but it's hard to follow if you have no prior IR experience. Extremely disorganized agenda but he will keep repeating the stuff he wants you to remember. He seems to have a lot to offer and is willing to help if you reach out.

Professor Lamy was always super kind and willing to help students out if they showed interest in the class. Even if you aren't right about something you say, as long as you are participating consistently and put at least a little effort into assignments, you will get an A in this class. No devices are allowed in class!

LOVE LAMY! very smart man that knows his stuff. beware that attendance is mandatory and he will remember who u are if u do not attend class. he will know ur name, major, and everything by the second week of classes. he likes to call u out if u slack off! but i learned a lot and very interesting lectures where he answered a lot of questions

Hard, critical thinking-heavy class, but Lamy clearly cares about his students even if he is a little sassy sometimes. There's required textbooks, but all pirateable. TA sessions are helpful for understanding the heavy lecture content. He got us free IR shirts, held extra discussions on Friday (optional, helpful) and 2 extra credit opportunities!

Professor Lamy is great, knowledgeable Professor. I don't think there is a better option for 210. Yes, the midterm and finals were a little difficult and sometimes he was vague, but just paying attention, asking question, he will help you. A lot of reading, but you could lowk bs it.

Lamy is the GOAT! His lectures are long but interesting. If you keep up with global affairs this class should be a breeze. Midterm and Final were fine, you get to choose from a pool of questions. Lamy is a great connection to have for future reference. He is old school, but he genuinely cares about student success. Overall mentally stimulating!

Lots of reading for an introductory level class, be prepared. He is a great professor, but his assignments & grading are unpredictable. Definitely a class that every single one of my classmates was worried about in terms of receiving a grade. Show up to every single lecture as he notices who attends and who doesn't. Sit in the front if you can.