Student Research

Students in the department who become interested in a specific area of research may wish to work on an independent study or an honors project. Every project must be advised by a faculty member.

Independent Studies

Students should consult with a professor to make arrangements for an independent study at least one semester in advance; professors are limited in the number of projects they can direct each year. One semester of independent study work, at either the intermediate or advanced level, may be counted toward the major or minor.

Honors Projects

The department considers the honors paper an important challenge and stimulation to its students. A committee of faculty works closely with students in assisting them to pursue manageable topics and to obtain necessary research materials. The student will be expected to defend the thesis orally in the spring.

Details of the honors program are provided at a meeting of interested seniors in early September. Students seeking to graduate with honors in government and legal studies must fulfill certain requirements: They must receive grades of A in at least half of their government courses and have no more than one C in the major; write an honors paper, which is normally the product of two semesters of independent study work; and have that paper approved by the department.

View recent Government and Legal Studies Honors Projects

Theo Samuel Danzig ’22 Memorial Fellowship

The Government Department awards annually the Theo Samuel Danzig ’22 Memorial Fellowship, established in honor of the beloved student Theo Danzig, who passed away in the fall of 2021. The fellowship supports summer research in government, law, political theory, or related fields, on topics that have relevance for understanding contemporary issues in the United States or the wider world. The recipient of the fellowship will carry out their research under the supervision of a faculty mentor and ultimately deliver a public presentation of their findings in the following Academic Year.

The fellowship provides a weekly stipend as well as subsidized college housing. The term for the fellowship is 8-10 weeks; applicants should specify the term in their application. If you are applying for a summer fellowship through the Student Fellowships office, you are welcome to apply for the Danzig Fellowship as well. The financial package is identical.

Applications should contain a description of the research you intend to carry out over the summer (no more than 500 words). The description should include the question you wish to pursue as well as the steps you intend to take in answering it. Please indicate the faculty member you will be working with, from whom a supporting letter will be required. Both the application and the recommendation are due on February 24th. Please submit your application to Lynne Atkinson at latkinso@bowdoin.edu and ask your faculty mentor to submit a brief letter of support.

Student Research Stories

Students who pursue independent studies or honors projects work closely with a faculty mentor. Read about recent government advisee-advisor collaborations.

Deconstructing Deconstruction
Chengkai Gu ’24 is collaborating with professor Paul Franco on a paper titled “Deconstructing Deconstruction.”

Transboundary Air Pollution Treaties
This summer, Gavin Kursman ’24 is pursuing independent research on transboundary air pollution treaties within North America in Europe.

Want to do research?

Students get their inspiration for independent research projects from any number of sources—a class, a study abroad program, a summer internship, or simply chatting with a professor during office hours.

Bowdoin’s Student Fellowship and Research Office offers competitive fellowships to support students who wish to focus on research over the summer. To seek out this opportunity, a student’s first step is to gain the approval of a faculty mentor who can commit to advising a project. Please read these guidelines on how to submit an application.