Overview

During the Politics program of The New School students analyze old debates, examine current issues, and develop a commitment to critical thinking. Our objective is to contribute to the formation of critical thinkers who are also passionate actors in the polity that they inhabit.

To study politics is to study power, authority, and decision making in all their forms and locations, from large national institutions to neighborhoods and families. Who has power? Who has authority? How are both used and contested? As a Politics student at Lang, you investigate historical and contemporary arguments and initiatives involving values and forms of government. You blend empirical, historical, and theoretical work with interdisciplinary perspectives from fields such as philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and economics.

Politics students gain in-depth knowledge of areas including:

• Civic engagement and political action

• Law and political institutions in comparative perspective

• Theories of political processes and institutions

• Global politics

• The politics of difference and inequality

• Government, markets, and regulation in making and implementing public policies

Career Paths

The Politics major prepares students to pursue advanced study and careers in many fields, including national and international public service, education, journalism, activism, law, and entrepreneurship. Above all, it prepares you for a lifetime of critical and constructive engagement with your communities and the world.