If you want to understand humanity and effectively address the most pressing problems our society faces, look no further than Kaleidoscope's live virtual Social Sciences for Social Problems class. Guided by an experienced teacher and recent Yale graduate, and in the company of a global community of peers, you'll use the social sciences to go beyond the headlines on issues you care about—systemic racism, immigration, climate change, and more.
This two-week live virtual seminar is designed to help future leaders find their paths to impact and gain the disciplinary knowledge needed to address the real-world problems they care about. If you want to explore an interest in the social sciences before arriving at college, more deeply understand a social justice issue you care about, or are passionate about applying academic ideas to tackle real-world problems, this is the class for you.
IN SOCIAL SCIENCES FOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS, YOU WILL:
- Begin to develop an understanding of why our world is the way it is & how we can improve it
- Learn what each of the major social sciences—economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, & political science—is, what they focus on, and how to apply them as lenses to understand social issues you care about
- Apply the lenses of the social sciences to develop a more nuanced understanding of an issue you care about
- Be part of a global classroom, where students from around the world learn from each other
HOW THE CLASS WORKS:
- Each day Monday-Friday, we’ll have a two-hour Zoom session where we discuss rich, carefully chosen course materials, reflect on their implications on our lives and on the world, and learn from each other in a collaborative, challenging environment
- We’ll spend six days on intros to the major social sciences—economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, and political science
- Each day, we’ll introduce a discipline, learn about its methods, sample interesting texts from the field, and discuss how the discipline links to careers
- We’ll spend three days applying the lenses we’re learning to important issues, like climate change and systemic racism
- On the final day, we’ll apply social sciences lenses to pop culture, and you’ll have a chance to share your project
- For your project, you will apply the lenses of the social sciences to a problem you care about (of your choosing!)
- Top projects are designated as ?starred projects ?, a designation students can add to their resumes
WHAT SOCIAL SCIENCES FOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS ALUMNI SAY:
"This class was extremely insightful and strategically structured. I learned so much and genuinely feel like I've grown as both an intellectual and an individual."
--Jadyn Lewis, East High School (Denver, CO), Kaleidoscope ’22
"I chose my major because of Kaleidoscope."
--Giovanna Eichner, Kaleidoscope ’18, Boston College ’23 (and History major!)
“I would definitely recommend this class if you have a natural curiosity about how and why the world works.”
--Malia Chavinson, Menlo School (Atherton, CA), Kaleidoscope '22
