<p>I am really sold on UChicago. I really am. And I am seriously thinking about EA. I love the campus, the Core, the people, and pretty much everything else I can think of. Only this gives me pause:<br>
Being a rabid conservative who wants to major in poli sci, I went about checking around all of the schools on my list. For UChicago, I e-mailed a graduate poli sci student whose work I had read on the internet. I found his work well written, thoughtful, and relatively nonpartison. I asked two questions: whether the faculty is somewhat politically balanced, and failing that are they at least fair to conservative students. This person answered in the negative to both. In addition, he claimed that "They (faculty) work them (students) to death – but the faculty do not care about them. Every year students gripe about a paucity of classes for political science majors. I have indeed noticed this myself."
And almost more disturbing to me, as a person most infatuated with American politics, "Also – you should be aware that the U of C is EXCEEDINGLY weak in American politics. I did not come here to study American politics. I found my way into it after a brief flirtation with political theory. We have nobody who is a professional Congress scholar. No professional Presidents scholar. The guy who does political parties is the most junior of faculty."<br>
Please do not take this as the queries of someone who needs to be told to go to Bob Jones or BYU. I have fun debating liberals and being around them. I have no problem going to a left-leaning school (aren't they pretty much all now anyway?). But if the things this person claims are true, I'd be a bit concerned.
Despite the fact that this person's reply to me contained many characterizations and slightly off-the-wall statements about Chicago that I heartily disagreed with, it still concerns me. Any thoughts? Advice? This has been eating at my mind for a couple of days now, and I need some reassurance and/or common sense. Whatever needs to be said, say it. Help.</p>
<p>The perspective of a graduate student is going to be vastly different from that of a student in the College. The relationship between students and faculty at that level is much different than it is in the College, too, being much closer to an employee/employer relationship. So, take anything a grad student about "the department" with a grain of salt. Odds are they're involved at some level in intra-departmental politics.</p>
<p>That said, politics on campus is pretty muted. There are people of all political stripes, from Spartacists to Objectivists, and mostly nobody cares. Professers generally care if you can defend your position, not if it agrees with theirs. I can say that with rare exception I did not even know the politics of my professors.</p>
<p>Furthermore, it's worth noting that there are many public officials associated with Chicago on both sides of the aisle. If you're worried about being "demonoized" because you're a conservative then you definitely don't need to worry. People come in worry just as much about the "conservative" economics department, as if they're going to try to brainwash people into being Little CEOs, out to rape and pillage the countryside, or something.</p>
<p>The one thing that you must remember, however, is that you do not have the right to not be offended. You will be challenged in the classroom -- as everyone is -- by ideas that you might believe to be absurd or even repugnant. Have a thick skin and be able to argue your points well, and you'll do fine.</p>
<p>"The one thing that you must remember, however, is that you do not have the right to not be offended. You will be challenged in the classroom -- as everyone is -- by ideas that you might believe to be absurd or even repugnant."</p>
<p>I agree with that enthusiastically. Thanks for commenting, Diocletian, I was hoping to get you'd pop in here. Anyone else have something, especially concerning the supposed "paucity of classes for political science majors" and "EXCEEDINGLY weak in American politics"? I'm skeptical of these claims, but it would be nice to here it from someone else.</p>
<p>Why not just take a look at the course catalog or the time schedules for next quarter, and see if there are enough courses for your liking?</p>
<p><a href="http://coursecatalog.uchicago.edu%5B/url%5D">http://coursecatalog.uchicago.edu</a>
<a href="http://timeschedules.uchicago.edu%5B/url%5D">http://timeschedules.uchicago.edu</a></p>
<p>thanks, Libby....looks good to me</p>
<p>this is only concerned with research output, but since your source was a very disgruntled grad student, I think that this may put you further at ease.</p>