Andrea Moe

A passion for politics

Andrea Moe’s interest in politics came early in life, long before she started at Dal. Growing up in Saint John and Halifax, she became instantly hooked while watching such events as the end of the Cold War and the death of the Meech Lake Accord unfold on TV.

“For me, nothing can match the excitement of being able to study the economic, social, political, and philosophical forces behind these types of events,” she says. “In high school I had an outstanding political science teacher who went beyond teaching us about institutions and introduced us to ideas like justice, democracy, and freedom.”

When it came time to decide on a university and major, there was no question—and no regrets—about what path she would take.

“I love the Maritimes and I wanted to stay here for my undergrad,” she says. “I thought Dal was the best choice for the Political Science program and the great range of electives available. I adored my time there. My courses were interesting and challenging, and the faculty is excellent and very approachable.”

Andrea’s main interest in the program was political theory. She still remembers her favourite course: Political Thought from Hobbes to Marx, with Dr. Katherine Fierlbeck.

“I adored everything about that class,” she says. “The pre-PowerPoint lectures, the readings from the original texts, and especially learning about the development of modern ideas—such as individual rights and freedoms—that we view as common sense today. Prof. Fierlbeck and that class inspired me and nurtured an excitement that I carried through my undergraduate and two graduate degrees.”

Andrea went on to complete her master’s and PhD in Political Science before working as a policy analyst for the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education and a policy and planning officer for the Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection. She now works as a research officer for the Nova Scotia Department of Intergovernmental Affairs and still draws upon what she learned during her undergrad years.

“For me, government policy work and research is a perfect fit,” she says. “It’s demanding but also rewarding, fast-paced, interesting, and relevant. My experience at Dal honed the analytical and critical thinking skills that are so important to my job. It helped me become a clearer thinker and writer, and prepared me for public speaking. It also laid the foundation of my knowledge of specific things like Canadian political institutions and more abstract ideas such as justice and democracy.”