Comparative Cultures and Politics

Comparative Cultures and Politics, an interdisciplinary major in James Madison College, addresses one of the major challenges facing public and international affairs specialists in the 21st century: the need to understand the complex relationships between international affairs and culture. The major draws on the expertise of the Madison faculty to take up such questions as:

• What is the role of culture in contemporary politics across the world?
• What is the impact of globalization on cultural identities and inter-cultural relations?
• How do different societies — and different groups within societies – understand and articulate cultural identities and diversities?
• How and when do cultural representations and practices become politically salient?

"The interdisciplinary nature of CCP has enabled me to think more creatively on issues that face the modern world. Being able to 'connect the dots' between various disciplines will no doubt assist me as I transition to the next step in life." Jeremy Blaney, Class 2010

The curriculum will be explicitly comparative, examining the dynamic of politics and culture within specific political regimes. But students will also learn that cultures do not exist as isolated, autonomous entities; they bump up against one another and transform each other, and transnational institutions, actors and processes affect cross-cultural interactions. Comparative Cultures and Politics promotes the mission of James Madison College, to provide a liberal education in public affairs by preparing students with the intellectual and analytic tools to address cutting edge political and policy questions. But it also provides a real innovation in undergraduate education—approaching the study of culture and politics through systematic interdisciplinary study across the social sciences and humanities. Faculty participating in this major come from the fields of cultural studies, economics, English and film studies, history, political science, and sociology. Courses in this major advance new ways of seeing and analyzing culture and politics across the world and equip students to make substantial contributions to international affairs, public policy and public life.