The Department of Politics and International Relations is housed in the
Wilbur D. Mills Building. Mills
was a Hendrix alumnus and Chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means
Committee from 1958-1975. In keeping with this rich heritage, the scope of the Politics
and International Relations Department at Hendrix College transcends that of a traditional
political science department. Students are introduced to the scientific method as
a way of analyzing political behavior, along with historical and theoretical approaches.
The Department offers two majors: Politics and International Relations. The faculty
offer a wide range of courses in American government and politics, political theory,
international relations theory and history, foreign policy, area studies, and topical
courses covering such issues as political economy, global HIV/AIDS, and the politics
of gender and sexuality. The department also provides opportunities for hands on
learning that is linked to coursework, in courses such as Arkansas Politics and
Model United Nations.
The curricula of the Politics and International Relations majors are based on
the conviction that the best undergraduate education joins analytical rigor and
passion. The best analysts of politics are those whose passions have pulled them
into venues where they gain distinctive learning experiences; and, the most effective
activists have this key ability to step back and objectively analyze the work at
hand making smarter decisions to the benefit of the cause about which they feel
passion.