Welcome from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Politics! If you’re interested in any combination of domestic or global politics, governing systems, public opinion, political economy, campaigns and elections, foreign affairs, political philosophy, or issues of democracy, representation, and equity, then we’re the department for you. Our mission, quite simply, is to instill in students a theoretical and practical appreciation of the ideas, institutions, and history that shape political life.

Our faculty members have a wide range of expertise – both substantively and methodologically. Just take a look at our course offerings, research colloquia, and publications!

And we work hard to train students – undergraduate and graduate – to consume politics and political science with a critical eye, and to produce it with analytical rigor. You don’t have to take my word for it, though. Look around this site and you’ll quickly come upon examples of our students’ remarkable achievements and professional successes.

With more than 446 undergraduate majors, 65 graduate students, and 36 faculty members, the Department of Politics is a vibrant community. Even though the current circumstances don’t allow us to foster that sense of community in person, we’re doing all we can to grow it virtually. I invite you to read more about us on these pages, follow us on social media, and contact us when you have questions and suggestions.

Best,
Jen

Jennifer L. Lawless
Chair, Department of Politics
Commonwealth Professor