Too Much Influence?

Every year in papers written for research methods I have at least one student write about how higher education inculcates liberal value and behavior in students creating likelihood of higher educated individuals being more liberal.  I usually read this offering with some chagrin as I am highly conservative and teach research methods.  But, I must recognize the impact of what I teach on how my students change or evolve in thinking about the world.  I, like my mentors, work in the tweener world intersecting international security issues with intra-state (comparatively speaking) issues of domestic level inputs.  Now I see my students applying ideas that I teach in international relations classes to domestic level studies in research methods.  Particularly interesting is TM's use of the security dilemma to understanding Hispanic self-identity in relation to political efficacy in the U.S.  I may be confused or too tired, sometimes these are the same, but interesting none the less that what I have taught in one course comes back to be used in another in a seemingly unrelated area of material coverage.

So for my two cents, yes professors do have an impact on their students.  We are elements of political socialization.  And yes, I hope to create progeny in the academic industry.  But, I can care less about the arguments about liberal vs. conservative in higher education, because I honestly believe that none of my mentors ever tried to inculcate anything more than sound, logical reasoning in me during my studies and research.