The Government Sophomore Tutorial takes an innovative approach to introducing sophomores to research in political science. Students choose a topic of interest while building on a common curriculum of learning how to write a research prospectus. The topics for Spring 2025 are listed below.
Logistics of Enrolling and Entering Section Preferences:
Sophomores (and other Government concentrators who haven’t yet taken Gov 97) should register for the course on my.harvard during the spring registration period (November 6-20 2024). In Spring 2025, Gov 97 will meet on Mondays, 3-5pm, and Tuesdays, 9:45-11:45am. Students will be sectioned to one of those time blocks based on their preferences. All Gov 97 seminar topics listed below will be available on either day, except for Economic Statecraft, which will only be offered on Monday. Gov 97 only meets in section; there is no course-wide lecture.
Sectioning is now open for Gov 97 and will close on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 11:59pm EST. Sectioning is not first come, first served. After Nov. 12th, we will use the my.harvard sectioning tool to allocate sections based on student interest and scheduling. Please make sure to take into account both your subject-matter interests and your availability at the times below when completing the section-preference form. See these instructions on how to indicate your section preferences. Note that while we will do our best to match students with sections of interest, we cannot guarantee that all students will receive their first choice.
Please do not enroll in any Spring 2025 classes that meet Mondays, 3-5pm, or Tuesdays, 9:45-11:45am, until you receive your Gov 97 section assignment.
Topics for Gov 97 in Spring 2025:
Click here for fuller descriptions of the topics offered in Spring 2025.
| Section | Topic | Instructor | Day | Time |
| D001 | The Mysteries of Public Opinion | Matthew Dardet | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D002 | The Mysteries of Public Opinion | Matthew Dardet | Tu | 9:45-11:45 a.m. |
| D003 | Political Geography | Noah Dasanaike | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D004 | Political Geography | Noah Dasanaike | Tu | 9:45-11:45 a.m. |
| D005 | Place, Race, and Power | Brian Highsmith | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D006 | Place, Race, and Power | Brian Highsmith | Tu | 9:45-11:45 a.m. |
| D007 | What’s Love Got to Do With It? Plato’s Symposium and Feminist Theory | Abbie LeBlanc | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D008 | What’s Love Got to Do With It? Plato’s Symposium and Feminist Theory | Abbie LeBlanc | Tu | 9:45-11:45 a.m. |
| D009 | Economic Statecraft: Geopolitics and the Global Economy | Taegyun Lim | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D010 | Democracy in Peril: Populism, Authoritarianism, and Political Parties in the U.S. & Europe | Ben TerMaat | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D011 | Democracy in Peril: Populism, Authoritarianism, and Political Parties in the U.S. & Europe | Ben TerMaat | Tu | 9:45-11:45 a.m. |
| D012 | Comparing Societies: Cross Cultural Approaches to Politics | Julio Solis Arce | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D013 | Comparing Societies: Cross Cultural Approaches to Politics | Julio Solis Arce | Tu | 9:45-11:45 a.m. |
| D014 | Intergroup Cleavages and the Politics of Inequality | Kiara Hernandez | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D015 | Intergroup Cleavages and the Politics of Inequality | Kiara Hernandez | Tu | 9:45-11:45 a.m. |
| D016 | Changing the Climate: How to Make Public Policy | Brandon Martinez | M | 3:00-5:00 p.m. |
| D017 | Changing the Climate: How to Make Public Policy | Brandon Martinez | Tu | 9:45-11:45 a.m. |