PhD in Comparative Studies - Culture, Society and Politics in Florida United States | Florida Atlantic University

The Culture, Society and Politics specialization within the Ph.D. Program in Comparative Studies promotes cross-disciplinary and multi-field research across social sciences. This program enables students to gain profound knowledge in either sociology, anthropology, or political science while encouraging dialogue between these disciplines and other academic fields beyond conventional social science boundaries. Central to this program is the conviction that comparative research methods generate distinctive breakthroughs in knowledge creation while enhancing understanding of broader societal impacts.

As an interdisciplinary initiative, the Comparative Studies: Culture, Society and Politics concentration leverages the expertise of departments within the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters and other graduate programs at Florida Atlantic University. Key focus areas encompass: (Anthropology) cultural anthropology, medical anthropology, biological archaeology, ethnographic archaeology, animal remains analysis, and primate studies; (Sociology) research on gender, farming practices, life stages from childhood to adulthood, racial dynamics, socioeconomic factors; (Political Science) cross-national political systems, U.S. government, global affairs, policy-making, legal studies, peacebuilding, democratic transitions, voter behavior, and statistical analysis.

Students follow a structured curriculum combining interdisciplinary social science foundations with two customized specialization areas, potentially spanning multiple disciplines. The program fosters examination of cultural, societal, and political matters through diverse lenses, aiming to synthesize these viewpoints via interdisciplinary methodologies.