Program Information
Join us for Engaged Citizenship: Yale Summer Session's Program in Politics— a five-week, cohort-based experience that brings together college students and advanced high school students eager to understand the political forces shaping our world! Immerse yourself in Yale's vibrant intellectual community as you live and learn alongside peers who share your passion for political debate and civic leadership. Through two dynamic seminar courses led by Yale faculty—along with guest speakers, field trips, and film screenings— students will explore the pressing issues, historical debates, and global perspectives that define the political landscape today. Whether your future lies in public service, policymaking, advocacy, or engaging as an informed voter, this program empowers students to think deeply and critically about complex issues, to communicate their ideas with clarity and purpose, and to contribute meaningfully as engaged citizens.
[point] All program participants enroll in two courses: Writing about Politics and Democracy and Nationalism.
ENGL S1021: Writing About Politics
Course Description
How did politics begin? Aristotle suggested that the answer ought to be self-evident—at least to a noble audience. Citing the poet Hesiod, he also placed a priority on “speaking well.” But what if one has not been blessed from birth with noble station? And how do we decide what amounts to speaking well? Welcome to Writing About Politics! In this class, you will experiment with several forms that writers on politics have made their own over time. Profile writing, opinion-driven analysis of empirical trends, and satire will all be part of the mix. We will look at some ideas from antiquity and the Enlightenment before settling into a particular focus on the post-WWII United States. Writers whose work we will consider range from Voltaire to Sontag, from W.E.B. Du Bois to William F. Buckley, Jr., and beyond.
Faculty Bio
Bio
PLSC SXXX: Democracy and Nationalism
Course Description
Description
Faculty Bio
Bio
Reasons to Participate
Dive deep into politics and writing about politics - Take two coordinated Yale courses that bridge academic insight with engaged citizenship.
Live and learn in community - Study, discuss, and collaborate with motivated peers who share similar interests.
Engage with scholars - Learn directly from Yale faculty who have expertise to share with you and are eager to challenge you.
Build practical skills - Strengthen your analytical writing, persuasive speaking, and critical thinking through dynamic discussion, writing, and projects.
Experience Yale - Immerse yourself in the intellectual energy of Yale University, living on campus, accessing Yale's libraries and campus resources, and participating in fun summer activities!