Statement of Principle

he Department of Social and Cultural Analysis (SCA) is transdisciplinary in nature, combining topics and methodologies drawn from the humanities and social sciences. Its faculty and students work in a broad range of fields, analyzing the social and cultural relationships between individuals, groups, institutions and governments. In the department, a commitment to deep historical inquiry coexists with applied knowledge about such modern developments as intensified urbanization, transnational trade and exchange, and migration of peoples.

SCA houses and integrates the activities of six interdisciplinary programs--Africana Studies, American Studies, Asian/Pacific/American/Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Latino Studies, and Metropolitan Studies—along with the range of degrees and concentrations offered in these programs. In their teaching and research, SCA students and faculty are encouraged to make intersectional links between the areas of interest on which the programs focus. New York City is a crucible for the department’s work, both in its community orientation and its connections to global networks.