Politics is the study of the way in which power, authority, and values are defined, produced, and distributed.
Courses within the department focus on analyzing political processes at individual, local, national, and international levels through studying topics as diverse as political institutions, social movements, conflict, war, and diplomacy. By using a range of research methods and employing various forms of evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, students develop new ways of viewing the power structures inherent to our society.
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Phone: 207-786-8368
eseeley@bates.edu
Graduates from the Politics department embark on careers in a wide range of fields, including government, economics, and medicine. Students also go on to continue their education by attending law school and through post-graduate degrees in a variety of topics.
of 2020-2024 Bates graduates are employed and/or attending graduate school — settled into their next opportunity within 6 months of graduation.
“I majored in Politics and French with a concentration in Class, Inequity, Poverty, and Justice, and participated in the Bonner Leadership Program through the Harward Center. These academic and community‑based experiences shaped my commitment to education as a catalyst for expanding opportunity. As a teacher, I led a study abroad program to France for my high school students. I later transitioned into talent acquisition, focusing on recruiting educators for hard‑to‑fill roles in public schools. Today, I oversee educator pipeline programs and licensure compliance for DC Public Schools, serving over 50,000 students across 117 schools.”
— Nathalie Sharp ‘13
Studying Politics at Bates means engaging with an interdisciplinary approach and a variety of cultural perspectives through courses that include Latinx Politics, Feminist Political Thought, and Technology and International Conflict. The major stresses the importance of learning about a diversity of political experiences, giving students a well-rounded and international view on the subject matter. Students are encouraged to study abroad to gain new perspectives on their studies at Bates, and graduates leave with a fresh understanding of the world we live in.
Faculty members in the Politics department at Bates have studied at prestigious universities in both the US and abroad. They’ve published books and articles on a variety of topics, including nation-building in Turkey and Morocco and committee politics in the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition, faculty members have studied at the Brookings Institute, worked alongside politicians in the US and internationally, and served as diplomats.
Each year the graduating class at Bates picks a faculty or staff person to offer the Baccalaureate Address. The Class of 2026 selected Professor of Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies Stephanie Kelley-Romano.
On Sunday, May 31, 2026, 480 Bates students became Bates alumni, ready to face uncertainty with the support of the lessons they’ve learned at Bates, both in and out of the classroom.
The skies were changeable but the mood was resoundingly upbeat on Sunday, May 31, as 480 members of the Class of 2026 celebrated their Bates graduation surrounded by family and friends, and bolstered by speeches that dwelled on bright promises, both those already delivered and those to come.
