<p>Is there much political activism at Williams and how does it compare to Brown or Swarthmore?</p>
<p>Probably less. I can't think of many schools more politically active than Brown (maybe Wesleyan)</p>
<p>There are significantly more liberals than conservatives at Williams, but most of them are too busy doing athletics, studying, and freezing their behinds off to get involved in political activism. It is pretty hard to protest the Establishment when you are located in a dinky town with no one to listen to you other than retired sleepy townfolk.</p>
<p>My observation would be that Williams is less politically active than Brown or Swarthmore. Without doubt kids are engaged -- they vote, they protest, they canvas, they care -- but they are less ostensibly politically correct than they are at schools with more pronounced political profiles.</p>
<p>Williams, like most northeast colleges, is decidedly liberal, both in faculty and student body. It does not, however, lean as far left as Brown or Swarthmore. I think that the conservative faction would stand a better chance of expressing the right's point of view at Williams than they would at Brown or Swarthmore. The administration tries to provide a balance in scheduling speakers and several departments are actually known to have professors who vote Republican, an endangered species in American education.</p>
<p>Williams kids love to debate, but they are also respectful of others' ideas. They don't automatically make the assumption that everyone in their social circle holds the same political point of view.</p>
<p>From the perspective of a parent who visits a few times a year and regularly reads the Williams Record and checks the website, I agree with the above perceptions. The college offers a great guest speakers program, with all sides represented. They seem to be well-attended, but political activism as a group activity doesn't seem to be of much interest....not necessarily a bad thing on a small campus, IMO. Neither the College Dems nor the Garfield Republican clubs have updated their websites in two or three years, despite the recent presidential election. Issues of the day are definitely widely discussed, however, and I've been very impressed with the maturity with which the community has dealt with a number of hot-button socio-political issues that have popped up on campus during my 3-year tenure as a Williams-watcher.</p>