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Welcome to the Department of Political Science


The faculty, staff and students of the Department of Political Science appreciate your interest in who we are and what we do.

As you browse this website you will see that we are a diverse group of people with a wide range of interests and skills.  What we share, however, is a commitment to inquiry and a passion to find out how our world works.  As faculty, we aim to stimulate the curiosity of our students by posing fundamental questions about the political character of society.  You will discover that answers to these questions are difficult to come by.  You will also discover that inquiry is a collaborative exercise involving not just the members of the faculty but your fellow students, your friends, family, and just about anyone else you might engage in conversation.  And, of course, you will discover the necessity of committing yourselves to a process of inquiry built upon a body of knowledge that has accumulated over many centuries of thinking and reflection.

We hope we take up this challenge.  Feel free to stop by my office and ask me more about the department, who we are and what we do.

Steve Hoffman, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
JRC 403
651-962-5723

POLS 404 students Kesha Berg, Karlie Eaton, Dr. High-Pippert, Senator Amy Klobuchar, John Lauer, David Brandes, and Nick Chang  
Spotlight



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Community Energy Research Project
The fragility of an energy system based upon fossil fuels seems to be ever more in evidence.  Collapsing coal mines, oil spills unrivaled in their economic and environmental costs, and 100-year floods that occur with regularity every few years are but some of the more obvious reminders that business-as-usual no longer acceptable. More...
LOTT Program
League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVMNEF) is seeking dynamic young women to become fellows for the Leaders of Today and Tomorrow (LOTT) Fellows Program.  The LOTT Fellows Program is an expansion of the very successful LOTT Women’s Leadership Conference, designed to inspire young women to become active citizens and envision themselves as future leaders.

Women interested in applying for the LOTT Fellows Program should visit the League of Women Voters Minnesota website for more information and application materials.