Is Mamdani’s win indicative of a new wave in national politics? Not likely says Cornell expert
New York City is too unique for Mamdani's victory to mean much for national politics, says professor of government Richard Bensel.
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The department of government offers students a variety of opportunities to engage with politics and political science, beginning in the classroom, with the chance to work one-on-one with faculty; by participating in internships, and by drawing on the department's ties with programs across the College of Arts and Sciences.
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Alumni Profile: Ethan Felder '09
Ethan Felder is an associate at the labor law firm Koehler & Isaacs LLP. Ethan represents public and private sector labor unions and their members in all aspects of their employment. He handles contract grievances, unfair labor practices cases, disability hearings, federal litigations in New York City and across the metropolitan area. Ethan completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University (major: Government) and his graduate studies in law and business at Washington University in St. Louis. When not on the job, Ethan is also a community activist having organized a half dozen solidarity rallies in his hometown of Forest Hills, Queens.
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Government News
How hundreds of letters home connect a Cornellian family
A student chronicled her life in the ’50s and ’60s—then shared those memories with her daughter and granddaughter – who's now an A&S alumna.
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Lund debate kicks off yearlong conversation on foreign aid 
Faculty members discussed the value of international aid in the wake of the Trump administration’s policy that froze foreign assistance.
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SNAP benefit lapse: U.S. ‘officially losing’ war on poverty
The loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits November 1 if the government shutdown holds benefits will have profound repercussions for democracy, says government scholar Jamila Michener.
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Your October 2025 reads
This month’s featured titles include short stories, a fantasy book for tweens, and a scholarly look at Carmen adaptations – all by Arts & Sciences alumni and faculty.
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U.S. returning to ‘familiar pattern’ of interventionism in Latin America
Trump's move to cut aid to Columbia and enact tariffs is the latest in a string of escalating tensions between the U.S. and countries in Latin America, says Cornell government professor Ken Roberts.
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Gaza ceasefire shouldn’t be considered a “peace deal”
Uriel Abulof, a visiting professor in Cornell University’s government department, calls it “a survival pact for leaders who thrive on conflict and enmity."
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Hot-mic moment with President window into ‘transactional foreign policy’
Trump has turned U.S. foreign policy into a tool for petty corruption and insider deal-making instead of supporting U.S. national interests, says a Cornell government faculty member.
Read more“The leadership experience I was afforded as co-editor of the Cornell Progressive and president of the Cornell Democrats helped me,” he said. “I was getting people to feel like they were a part of something and had a common cause, and motivating people to work when there were a whole lot of other things they could be doing on campus.”