Political Entrepreneurship: The Democratization of Influence - led by Karin Agness

The first week will be an introduction to political entrepreneurship. Students will consider a case study in different ways that people, and particularly young people, are exerting influence in politics and culture, historically and today. The class will consider how technological trends are democratizing political influence—giving more people the opportunity to shape the national political discussion. The first class will set the stage for the balance of the course—including an overview of the different sectors where political entrepreneurs are active in making a difference, such as traditional electoral politics, non-profits and social change organizations, advocacy and activism, writing and commentary, investigative reporting, and the public policy sector. Students will be encouraged to identify challenges or problems that they wish to solve—which we will return to throughout the course—and be invited to develop plans or strategies for a political entrepreneurship project to make a difference. Students will also be provided with professional networking opportunities to explore ways to become involved with politics and social change.

Room: Littauer 166

***All study groups are off-the-record and not for media coverage***