In one way or another, we are all interested in Political Science. We may not even know it or appear to personally disown politics as a whole. But even then, we are doing the work of political science by pointing out the parts that fail to work. But why do we have political systems anyway? Why do we have the idea that a government should be different or not exist at all? For insights into these questions and more, you don't have just your local library, website or the classroom you enter every week. Say you don't want to ask these questions but rather answer them? What if you want to tell, to someone as invested as you, what you think should be done with our leaders and the way they are chosen? The same answer goes for both questions: stop in at Longwood's Political Science Club.
Founded in November 2010 "s a group that wanted to "write and discuss politics," the Longwood University Political Science Club has blossomed into an organization of about twenty members and an expression of the Longwood student's tendency to create engaging forums outside of the classroom. Meeting in Ruffner 254 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the club has also had to slightly soften its grip for membership with the removal of writing requirements and the time to time showing of films. In addition, the club members take part in debates and the liberty of all free people to berate stupid politicians.
Available to speak on behalf of the Political Science Club was its co-founder and chairman Peter Martin. After realizing that "there wasn't anything else like it on campus," Martin got to work organizing the club from the ground up. He Describes its importance to the wider campus as "a great way for students to understand politics from both sides of the issue and for them to speak their mind about anything they want," and seems to have in the works an increasingly populist way of looking at an art that to most of us is the realm of pundits behind a television screen. With an easiness of tone and a light dabbling of humor behind a sort of curt responsiveness, this approach isn't hard to think of as one that Martin would use with any passion that he wants to spread to the wider populace.
With the same progressive - pun intended - outlook as any other club on campus, the Political Science Club is not content with the usual humdrum of weekly meetings. Martin shared that the club is planning on bringing a speaker to campus with the help of another club and furnishing trips to Washington D.C. for insight into the talks illuminating a national political atmosphere. With a climate as fever pitched as this, the club is sure to sit in on the noise of democracy at its loudest and most impressive.
The University's Weekly email explains the club meets "to discuss politics, socialize and support the community." The Political Science Club also accepts participation from non-majors. Their next meeting will be on Nov. 1 at 4 p.m.
