The Division of Social Studies offers academic programs in anthropology, economics, history, philosophy, politics, religion, and sociology. Additional courses of study are available through interdivisional and area studies programs and concentrations. Students are encouraged to take courses from multiple fields in the division in order to develop an interdisciplinary perspective on fundamental questions about the human experience that is historically rooted but geared toward contemporary issues. Students draw on the interpretive strategies and analytic methods of multiple disciplines to develop a critical perspective on various aspects of society, politics, thought, and culture. Although the main emphasis in the division is interdisciplinary, students are encouraged to design programs of study that address particular areas of inquiry that are personally meaningful and can also provide pathways for graduate or professional work or a future career.
Photo by Karl Rabe
Our Programs
The Division of Social Studies includes the following academic programs:
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Economics and Finance
- Historical Studies
- Interdisciplinary Study of Religions
- Philosophy
- Politics
- Sociology
Coursework and Requirements
Typically, courses in the Upper College are seminars, in which the student is expected to participate actively. Advisory conferences, tutorials, fieldwork, and independent research prepare the student for the Senior Project. The Senior Project may take any form appropriate to the student’s field, subject, and methodology; most are research projects, but a project may take the form of a critical review of literature, a close textual analysis, a series of related essays, or even a translation.
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Levy Economics Institute of Bard College
The Levy Economics Institute of Bard College is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization that encourages a diversity of opinion in the examination of economic issues. The Institute offers graduate programs in economic theory and policy, as well as 3+2 and 4+1 dual-degree options for undergraduates. Bard undergraduates also have the opportunity to meet the prominent figures who serve on the Levy Institute’s research staff and attend its conferences. Integrated activities of the Institute and Bard College include the Levy Economics Institute Prize, awarded annually to a graduating senior; annual scholarships for students majoring in economics; and an endowed professorship, the Jerome Levy Professor of Economics.
Social Studies News and Events
Featured News
Daniel Mendelsohn Interviewed in the New York Review of Books
Mendelsohn discussed his new translation of Homer’s Odyssey for the University of Chicago Press.
Daniel Mendelsohn Interviewed in the New York Review of Books
Daniel Mendelsohn, Charles Ranlett Flint Professor of Humanities.
Post Date: 05-13-2025
Recent News
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Drew Thompson Appears in the PBS Documentary Mr. Polaroid
Drew Thompson Appears in the PBS Documentary Mr. Polaroid
Associate Professor Drew Thompson will appear in the PBS Documentary Mr. Polaroid, premiering May 19 on American Experience. Mr. Polaroid tells the story of the inventor of the Polaroid camera Edwin Land, who released his first instant camera in 1948. Long before the smartphone, the Polaroid “would launch not only instant photography mania but also become the model for today’s Silicon Valley tech culture.”Professor Drew Thompson. Photo by Alessandro Fresco
Thompson has written about the Polaroid Revolutionary Workers’ movement which opposed Polaroid’s use in apartheid South Africa’s passport system. Caroline Hunter and Ken Williams, two employees at Polaroid, cofounded the movement to pressure the company to acknowledge its involvement in apartheid. Through archival research and speaking with Hunter, Thompson learned how PRWM used Polaroid’s marketing against them and ultimately pressured them to end their business in South Africa.
Post Date: 05-13-2025
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James Romm in Conversation with Leon Botstein at Plato and the Tyrant Book Launch on May 13
James Romm in Conversation with Leon Botstein at Plato and the Tyrant Book Launch on May 13
James Romm, James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College, will take part in a conversation with Bard president Leon Botstein to discuss Romm’s new book, Plato and the Tyrant: The Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece, at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck. In the book, Romm refers to a little-known set of Plato’s personal letters to reintroduce the philosopher and to explore the formation of his most famous work, Republic. The event takes place on Tuesday, May 13, at 6 pm and is free and open to the public. Visit here for more information.
In the second half of his life, an already famous Plato involved himself in the affairs of the two Dionysii, a father and son who ruled Syracuse, at that time the greatest power in the Greek world. Plato and the Tyrant explores how Plato’s interventions in the violent contest between Dionysius the Younger and his brother-in-law, Dion—with whom Plato may have had a long love affair—were the backdrop and perhaps the motivation for his masterwork. Romm reveals how Plato’s experiment in enlightened autocracy spiralled into catastrophe and offers a new account of the origins of Western political philosophy.
James Romm is the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College and editor of the Ancient Lives biography series from Yale University Press. He is the author of several books, including Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero and Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire. He has edited numerous translations of ancient Greek texts, including the Anabasis of Arrian for the volume The Campaigns of Alexander in the distinguished Landmark Series of Ancient Historians. His reviews and essays have appeared in the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, the London Review of Books, the Daily Beast, and other venues. He has held the Guggenheim Fellowship (1999-2000), the Birkelund Fellowship at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Writers and Scholars at the New York Public Library (2010-11), and a Biography Fellowship at the Leon Levy Center of the City University of New York (2014-15).
Leon Botstein is president of Bard College and Leon Levy Professor in the Arts and Humanities. He is the music director and principal conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra (ASO), founder and music director of The Orchestra Now (TŌN), artistic codirector of Bard SummerScape and the Bard Music Festival, and principal guest conductor of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra (JSO), where he served as music director from 2003 to 2011. He is editor of The Musical Quarterly and of The Compleat Brahms (Norton); publications include Jefferson’s Children (Doubleday), Judentum und Modernität (Böhlau), and Von Beethoven zu Berg (Zsolnay). Honors include an American Academy of Arts and Letters award, Carnegie Foundation Academic Leadership Award, National Arts Club Gold Medal, Leonard Bernstein Award, Bruckner Society Medal of Honor, Alumni Medal from the University of Chicago, and Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art. President Botstein is also chancellor of the Open Society University Network and trustee emeritus, Central European University (board chair, 2007–22; board member, 1991–22) and Foundation for Jewish Culture.
Post Date: 05-01-2025
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Bard College Celebrates Student Achievements at Undergraduate Awards Ceremony
Bard College Celebrates Student Achievements at Undergraduate Awards Ceremony
Faculty, staff, and students gathered at Blithewood Manor for this year’s Undergraduate Awards Ceremony, which was held on Monday, April 28. The annual ceremony is a celebration of the incredible talent and dedication showcased by Bard students, as well as the unwavering support and guidance from esteemed faculty and staff at the College. The evening's awardees, who were nominated by faculty from across the four divisions of the College, represent excellence in the arts; social studies; languages and literature; and science, mathematics, and computing. Among the awardees were students in the Bard Baccalaureate, a program for older students returning to college to finish their undergraduate degrees.Sierra Ford ’26 receives the inaugural Betsaida Alcantara ’05 Pioneers for Progress Award. Photo by Joseph Nartey ’26
The event featured remarks and award presentations from key figures, including President of the College Leon Botstein, Dean of the College Deirdre d'Albertis, Dean of Studies and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs David Shein, and Bard Alumna Cara Parks ’05. A special highlight of the evening was the announcement of a newly established award in memory of a beloved Bardian, Betsaida Alcantara ’05, by the Class of 2005, family, friends, and loved ones who knew her. The inaugural Betsaida Alcantara ’05 Pioneers for Progress Award, in memory of Betsaida Alcantara '05 (1983–2022), who exemplified the best of Bard's hope to inspire people to be passionate agents of change, pioneers for progress, and advocates for justice for those most in need was given to Sierra Ford ’26 who has demonstrated strong leadership skills, a commitment to public service, and support for open societies.
The presentation of awards was a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and commitment demonstrated by Bard students. It was a testament to their hard work and perseverance, which defines the spirit of Bard College and serves as an inspiration to us all.
Many of the undergraduate awards are made possible by generous contributions from Bard donors. Thank you to all our supporters for believing in the value of a college education, and for investing in the future of Bard students.
Post Date: 04-30-2025
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Omar G. Encarnación Reflects on the Legacy of the First Latin American Pope
Omar G. Encarnación Reflects on the Legacy of the First Latin American Pope
For Time magazine, Omar G. Encarnación, Charles Flint Kellogg Professor of Politics at Bard, considers the legacy of Pope Francis after his passing on Easter Monday. Although Francis did not reverse the decline of Catholicism in Latin America, as the Vatican had hoped, he did transform the Church in the image of Latin America, writes Encarnación. In his first papal announcement, Francis denounced the twin evils of poverty and inequality, citing “idolatry of money” and criticizing “unfettered capitalism as a new tyranny,” ideas drawn from Liberation Theology, a progressive philosophy originating in Latin America that married Marxist critiques of capitalism with traditional Catholic concerns for the poor and marginalized. The Argentine pontiff’s second legacy, informed by an understanding of the devastating impacts of Amazonian deforestation especially on vulnerable populations, was that he “unambiguously aligned the Vatican with the fight against climate change.” Pope Francis’s third and most surprising legacy, asserts Encarnación, was his support of the LGBTQ community’s struggle for dignity and respect, a perspective shaped by the divisive culture war over same-sex marriage in Argentina, the first country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage in July 2010. “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” the Pope once said when asked about homosexuals in the Catholic clergy. Encarnación writes, “he made the Church more progressive at a time when the far-right is ascendant around the globe. Whether that direction continues will be up to the next Pontiff. But one thing is certain: Francis will be a tough act to follow.”Pope Francis. Photo by © Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Post Date: 04-23-2025
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Bard Student Able Bloodgood ’25 Wins Peace Corps Fellowship
Bard Student Able Bloodgood ’25 Wins Peace Corps Fellowship
Bard High School Early College graduate and Bard student Able Bloodgood ’25, a politics major, has been selected for a prestigious Peace Corps Fellowship in Sri Lanka. Starting in September, Bloodgood will undertake an intensive language training program to study Tamil and Sinhala, over a 27-month period, before being stationed in a town where he will coteach and lead English language courses for students of all grades. “I’m super excited to have been given this once in a lifetime opportunity to work with the Peace Corps,” said Bloodgood. “Thank you to my friends, family, and the Bard faculty for helping me through the application process.” The Peace Corps, founded in 1961, aims to assist developing countries by providing skilled workers in fields such as education, health, entrepreneurship, women's empowerment, and community development. Since its inception, more than 240,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps and served in 142 countries.Able Bloodgood ’25.
Post Date: 04-15-2025
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Ella Walko ’26 Recognized for Voter Registration, Education, and Turnout Efforts
Ella Walko ’26 Recognized for Voter Registration, Education, and Turnout Efforts
Ella Walko ’26.Walko ’26 Is One of 232 College Students Nationwide Recognized for Their Nonpartisan Voter Registration and Turnout Successes in 2024
Bard College and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) honored Ella Walko ’26 as part of the fourth annual ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The 2025 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll recognizes college students at participating campuses who have gone above and beyond to advance nonpartisan student voter registration, education and turnout efforts in their communities. Ella Walko ’26 is one of 232 students who mobilized their fellow students to make their voices heard in a historic election cycle. At Bard, Walko is majoring in politics with a concentration in gender and sexuality studies. She is actively involved with Election@Bard, a student-led initiative that helps students register to vote, provides information about candidates, hosts forums in which candidates and students can meet, and protects the rights of students to vote and have their votes counted.
“The Bard Center for Civic Engagement chose to honor Ella on the All-In Student Honor Roll because she exemplifies all of the best qualities of a Bard student,” said Sarah deVeer ’17, Bard CCE Outreach Coordinator Special Events Administrator. “Ella is a dynamic and consistently hardworking leader, who has risen to meet the needs of her generation through her work on the Election@Bard team. Ella is one of the most communicative, intentional, and collaborative forces of a student that I have had the pleasure of working with. We look forward to seeing where Ella's post-Bard journey takes her.”
“I am honored to receive this award, but what is even more gratifying is working alongside my peers and team members to build an informed, engaged, and civically active community,” said Walko. “I’m so proud of our efforts this past year and all we’ve been able to accomplish!”
“Whether they hosted nonpartisan voter registration drives or early voting celebrations, the students honored today made sure their peers did not sleep in on Election Day,” said Jen Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “With 100,000 local elections happening across the country in 2025, ALL IN students continue to ensure that everyone on their campuses has the information they need to cast their ballot. The 232 Student Voting Honor Roll honorees lead by example, making nonpartisan voter participation a lifelong habit for themselves and their peers.”
A recent survey from CIRCLE found that 48% of under-35 youth who did not vote in 2024 heard little or nothing at all about how to vote, compared to the 15% of under-35 youth who cast their ballots. By integrating nonpartisan voter registration and education into campus life, colleges and universities can have a measurable impact in encouraging students to become active and engaged citizens.
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student civic engagement. With the support of the ALL IN staff, campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, voter participation and ongoing engagement in our democracy on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge engages more than 1,000 institutions enrolling over 10 million students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join ALL IN here.
Post Date: 04-10-2025