James Fielder

James 'Pigeon' Fielder is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Colorado State University. A retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and former Associate Professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, he holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Iowa. His research examines trust, emergent political processes, and cyber-mediated interactions through gaming and simulations.

Research Interests: Fielder's interdisciplinary work merges political theory with ludology, focusing on:

• Design of educational and strategic wargames
• Trust dynamics in digital environments
• Crisis simulation methodologies

Publication Trends: His recent articles (2019-2025) explore pedagogical innovations in political science, emphasizing game-based learning and conflict simulation. Over 70% analyze how games model real-world political behavior.

Grants & Recognition: Serves as a Non-Resident Krulak Fellow at Marine Corps University (2021-2026) and directs game design for Mobius Worlds Publishing. TEDx speaker on game-based learning.

Teaching & Advising: Develops courses like POLS 131 (Current World Problems) and publishes on classroom game design. No named advisees listed.

Professional Service: Managing editor of Active Learning in Political Science and associate editor for Simulation & Gaming.