philosophy phd princeton

Ph.D. in Public Affairs

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Clusters of Study

This five-year program is designed to prepare Ph.D. students for rigorous, policy-relevant research on the major threats to international and national security and the relevant strategies, institutions, and capabilities that will be needed to confront those threats.  

The cluster combines social science training in international security and national defense policy, focused study of specific regions of the world, and exploration of the technical and scientific aspects of proliferation, weapons innovations, terrorist and counterterrorist operations, and insurgency and counterinsurgency warfare. This is an in-residence program, though absences may be taken for approved field research.  

Areas of concentration include:

• Grand strategies
• Great powers and stability
• Civil-military relations
• Humanitarian intervention
• Arms control and proliferation
• The threat and use of force
• Cyber warfare
• Biological and chemical weapons
• Terrorism and civil conflict

For more information on program and curriculum specifics, visit the Security Studies page .

The STEP curriculum helps practitioners develop a deeper understanding of the nature of scientific and technological problems and opportunities, the specialized methods used for analyzing scientific and technological issues, and the dynamics of science and technology development and application. The course of study for a STEP Ph.D. student is developed by each student, working closely with a faculty advisor.  

The STEP group focuses on applications of natural and social science methodology in the policy arena. Emphasis also is placed on the interactions among natural and social science in policy analysis.  

• Global climate change
• Air pollution
• Conservation biology
• Tropical disease transmission
• Information technology
• Nuclear power
• Renewable energy

For more information on program and curriculum specifics, visit the STEP page .

At SPIA, we see our diversity as a strength. Having varied perspectives, diverse races and ethnicities, different abilities, cultures, and gender identities in the classroom not only enriches conversation, but it also prepares students to evaluate an issue from multiple angles to help develop thoughtful and effective policy. We welcome people from small towns and big cities, from the United States and different countries all around the world, from large public schools and small private ones, as well as individuals with a whole host of distinctive lived and experienced realities. All are welcome here.

Other schools ask you to invest in your education. At SPIA, we invest in you. If you are accepted into one of our programs, then you are eligible for full financial support for tuition and required fees plus a generous living stipend. There is no extra essay or separate application process.

Our Ph.D. Students

Department of Psychology

Graduate program.

Graduate work in the Department of Psychology is designed to prepare students for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and a career of productive scholarship in psychological science.

The program offers specialization in diverse areas, including behavioral economics, cognitive neuroscience, culture, developmental science, diversity science, emotion, language and communication, learning and memory, perception and cognition, the psychology of inequality, social neuroscience, social psychology, and systems neuroscience.

Ph.D. Program Requirements

Graduate students complete at least 5 courses during their first year, and then focus on research and teaching. In particular, students carry out independent research, write a research paper and theory paper as part of their general examination, write a dissertation proposal, take advanced seminars, and present their dissertation to our departmental community.

Applying to the Graduate Program

Applications to the Ph.D. program should include a statement of purpose, resume/CV, transcript, and 3 letters of recommendation. Applicants may also submit an essay about how their academic interests or life experiences help fulfill Princeton’s commitment to diversity.

Graduate students take 5 core courses: a seminar focused on cognitive psychology, a seminar focused on social psychology, two semesters of statistics, and a course on responsible conduct of research. Students enroll every semester in a lunchtime seminar where they hear about the research of both local and visiting scientists. Optional courses are offered regularly, including a course that informs students about current trends in statistics.

In the first year, graduate students take courses and carry out independent and collaborative research. At the beginning of the third year, students submit a research paper and a theory paper, and discuss their work with a committee as part of the general examination. During the fourth year, students propose their dissertation research. At the end of the fifth year, students present their dissertation research to our departmental community.

Prospective graduate students should reach out to one or more relevant advisors prior to applying. Students are admitted with the intent of working with a particular faculty member as their primary advisor, and must select a secondary/co-advisor by the end of the first year.

See our directory of current graduate students and their year of study.

On the Job Market

Each year we have a number of emerging scientists on the job market for tenure-track positions, other academic positions, and industry positions. See our current graduate students and postdocs who are in the job market.

VIEW DETAILS

• GRADUATE TEACHING

Born and raised in Australia, Michael Smith studied philosophy at Monash University (1972-1979), and then became an English and Politics teacher at Melbourne Boys High School (1980-1981). The award of a Commonwealth Overseas Scholarship enabled him to continue his studies at Oxford University (1981-1984). While at Oxford, Smith read for the BPhil and DPhil in philosophy, working closely with R. M. Hare , Jennifer Hornsby , and Simon Blackburn . Blackburn supervised his DPhil thesis, so on Philosophy Tree his heritage traces back, via Blackburn, to Casmir Lewy, G. E. Moore, Ludwig Wittengstein, and Bertrand Russell.

After a period as Stipendiary Lecturer at Wadham College during his final year at Oxford, Smith went on to teach philosophy at Monash University (1984-5), Princeton University (1985-9), and Monash University again (1989-94), before moving to a full-time research position in philosophy at the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University (1995-2004). (The latter move occasioned his then-colleague at Monash, Richard Holton , to write some amusing doggerel for him .)

Appointed initially to a Senior Fellowship in RSSS, Smith became Professor of Philosophy at RSSS in 1997, and Head of the Division of Philosophy and Law at RSSS in 1998. He was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Humanities in 1997, and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia in 2000. In 2003, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and humanities in the study of philosophy.

In 2004, Smith returned to teach at Princeton, where he was named McCosh Professor of Philosophy in 2009, and served as Chair of the Department 2012-18. (You can find out a little about McCosh's own philosophical work by reading David Sanford 's very funny introduction when Smith gave the Claire Miller Lecture at Chapel Hill in 2011. Whatever you make of his philosophical achievements, as Princeton’s eleventh president (1868-88) McCosh was a vocal critic of slavery and the Confederacy, so much so that he clashed with white southern students attending the college after the Civil War .) In 2023 Smith received Princeton's Howard T. Behrman Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities .

At Princeton, Smith is also Associated Faculty Member in the Department of Politics ; a member of the Executive Committee of the University Center for Human Values 2004-present, serving as Acting Director of UCHV 2020-21; and a member of the Committee for Film Studies 2014-present, serving as Chair 2019-2021. Smith was elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2013. In 2016 he received the Distinguished Alumni Award for the Faculty of Arts at Monash University where is currently Adjunct Professor in the Philosophy Department, a position he will occupy until the end of 2025.

Smith's current research focuses on topics in ethics, moral psychology, philosophy of action, political philosophy, philosophy of law, and aesthetics. His John Locke Lectures, given at Oxford University in 2017 , span all these topics, and those lectures will appear in due course under the title A Standard of Judgement . Smith is also the author of The Moral Problem (1994) (which won the American Philosophical Association Book Prize), and Ethics and the A Priori: Selected Essays on Moral Psychology and Meta-Ethics (2004) (which was the subject of an off-beat review by Constantine Sandis ). He is also the co-author of Mind, Morality and Explanation: Selected Collaborations (2004), a collection of papers written in various combinations by Smith and his two long-time colleagues, Frank Jackson and Philip Pettit (whose collaborative work inspired David Estlund to make a morphing gif of the three of them ).

Smith has been known to sing and play guitar at Philosophy Department parties, events elsewhere on the Princeton campus, and at various philosophy conferences. Here is a video of him singing and playing his wife's favorite song at Princeton's Reunions long weekend in 2015. This musical Reunions' event was organized by his colleague Robby George, with whom Smith has co-taught and played guitar for many years . Here is a video of them playing together. A video of him accompanying Nomy Arpaly can be seen here .

For more information about Michael Smith, see the entry about him in Companion to Philosophy in Australia (2010), or the interview with him in The Antipodean Philosopher Volume 2: Interviews with Australian and New Zealand Philosophers (2012). A video of his talk at Reasons and Rationality: Epistemic and Practical , a workshop held at St Andrews, Scotland, in 2013, can be seen here . His Philosophy Alumni Lecture, given at Princeton via Zoom in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, can be seen here . A larger format version of Smith's homepage photo can be found by clicking here .

Graduate Teaching

AY 2012-13 PHI524 Systematic Ethics: Seminars on topics in Moral Psychology, Meta-Ethics, and Normative Ethics, co-taught with Frank Jackson and Philip Pettit (Fall 2012) AY 2011-12 PHI523 Problems of Philosophy: Topics in Normative Ethics, Meta-Ethics, Moral Psychology, and Moral Methodology (Spring 2012) AY 2010-11 on leave AY 2009-10 Readings for Judith Jarvis Thomson's graduate seminar (Fall 2009) PHI523 Problems of Philosophy: Topics in Normative Ethics, Meta-Ethics, Moral Psychology, and Moral Methodology (Fall 2009) AY 2008-9 PHI524 Systematic Ethics: Themes from Setiya, Bratman, and Dancy (Fall 2008) AY 2007-8 PHI524 Systematic Ethics: Themes from Railton, Raz, and Scanlon (Fall 2007) AY 2006-7 PHI599 Dissertation Seminar (Fall 2006) PHI524 Systematic Ethics: Themes from Velleman, Herman, and Langton (Fall 2006) AY 2005-6 PHI524 Systematic Ethics: Themes from Darwall, Wallace, and Watson (Spring 2006) AY 2004-5 PHI524 Systematic Ethics: Themes from Copp, Sayre-McCord, and Wolf (Spring 2005)

"Parfit's Mistaken Metaethics" in Does Anything Really Matter? Parfit on Objectivity edited by Peter Singer (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017) pp.99-119. 2016 "Function and Truth in Ethics" in The Philosophy of Philip Kitcher edited by Mark Couch and Jessica Pfeifer (New York: Oxford University Press, 2016) pp.253-267. 2015 "Religion and Metaethics" in Handbook of Philosophy of Religion edited by Graham Oppy (London and New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis, 2015) pp.305-315. 2014 "Desires...and Beliefs...of One's Own" in Rational and Social Agency: Essays on the Philosophy of Michael Bratman edited by Manuel Vargas and Gideon Yaffe (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014) pp.129-151 (co-authored with Geoffrey Sayre-McCord) 2013 "The Ideal of Orthonomous Action, Or: The How and Why of BuckPassing" in Thinking About Reasons: Essays in Honour of Jonathan Dancy edited by David Bakhurst, Brad Hooker, and Margaret Little (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), pp.50-75. "A Constitutivist Theory of Reasons: Its Promise and Parts" in LEAP: Law, Ethics, and Philosophy (1) 2013, pp.9-30. 2012 "Agents and Patients, Or: What We Learn about Reasons for Action by Reflecting on Our Choices in Process-of-Thought Cases" in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society , CXII, 2012, pp.309-330. "Naturalism, Absolutism, Relativism" in Ethical Naturalism: Current Debates edited by Susana Nuccetelli and Gary Seay (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012) pp.226-244. "Four Objections to the Standard Story of Action (and Four Replies)" in Philosophical Issues , 22, Action Theory, 2012, pp.387-401. 2011 "Deontological Moral Obligations and Non-Welfarist Agent-Relative Values" in Ratio , XXIV, 2011 pp.351-363 "Beyond Belief, Desire, and Rationality, Or: The Unsettling Truth about the Conditions of Responsibility" in Compatibilist Responsibility: Beyond Free Will and Determinism edited by Nicole Vincent, Ibo van de Poel, and 3 Jeroen van den Hoven (New York: Springer Publishing, 2011) pp.53-70 "Scanlon on Desire and the Explanation of Action" in Reasons and Recognition: Essays on the Philosophy of T.M. Scanlon , edited by Samuel Freeman, Rahul Kumar, and R. Jay Wallace (New York, Oxford University Press, 2011) pp.79-97. "The Value of Making and Keeping Promises" in Promises and Agreements: Philosophical Essays , edited by Hanoch Sheinman (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011) pp.198-216 2010 "On Normativity" in Analysis , 70, 2010 pp. 715-731 "Moral Obligation, Accountability, and Second-Personal Reasons" in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research , 81, 2010 pp.237–245 (coauthored with Jada Twedt Strabbing) "Beyond the Error Theory" in A World Without Values: Essays on John Mackie's Moral Error Theory edited by Richard Joyce and Simon Kirchin (New York: Springer, 2010) pp.119-139. 2009 "Reasons With Rationalism After All" in Analysis Reviews , 69, 2009, pp.1-10. "Consequentialism and the Nearest and Dearest Objection" in Minds, Ethics, and Conditionals: Themes from the Philosophy of Frank Jackson edited by Ian Ravenscroft (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009) pp.237-266. "The Explanatory Role of Being Rational" in Reasons for Action edited by David Sobel and Steven Wall (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009) pp.58-80. "Two Kinds of Consequentialism" in Philosophical Issues , 19, 2009, Metaethics, pp. 257-272. "Desires, Values, Reasons, and the Dualism of Practical Reason" in Ratio Special Issue: Parfit's On What Matters edited by John Cottingham and Jussi Suikkanen, 22, 2009, pp.98-125. 2008 "The Truth About Internalism" in Moral Psychology Volume 3: The Neuroscience of Morality: Emotion, Brain Disorders, and Development edited by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008) pp.207-215 2007 "Is there a Nexus between Reasons and Rationality?" in Moral Psychology edited by Sergio Tenenbaum (Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2007) pp.279-298. (The published version of this paper is garbled for some reason, so I am making the proofs available instead.) 2006 "Is That All There Is?" in The Journal of Ethics (10) 2006, Special Issue on Joel Feinberg, pp.75-106. "Moore on the Right, the Good, and Uncertainty" in Metaethics After Moore edited by Terence Horgan and Mark Timmons (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006), pp.133-148. "External Reasons" in McDowell and His Critics edited by Cynthia Macdonald and Graham Macdonald (Oxford: Blackwell, 2006) (coauthored with Philip Pettit) pp.140-168. "Absolutist Moral Theories and Uncertainty" in Journal of Philosophy , 103, 2006, pp.267-283 (co-authored with Frank Jackson). 2005 "Metaethics" in Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Philosophy edited by Frank Jackson and Michael Smith (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005) pp.3-30. 2004 "Instrumental Desires, Instrumental Rationality" in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume (78) 2004, pp.93-109. "The Truth in Deontology" in Reason and Value: Themes from the Moral Philosophy of Joseph Raz edited by R.Jay Wallace, Philip Pettit, Samuel Scheffler and Michael Smith (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), pp.153-175 (co-authored with Philip Pettit). "The Structure of Orthonomy" in Action and Agency (Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplement: 55) edited by John Hyman and Helen Steward (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004) pp.165-193. "Humean Rationality" in The Handbook of Rationality edited by Alfred Mele and Piers Rawling (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), pp.75-92. 2003 "Neutral and Relative Value after Moore" in Ethics , Centenary Symposium on G.E.Moore's Principia Ethica , 113, 2003, pp.576-598. "Is There a Lockean Argument Against Expressivism?" in Analysis , 63, 2003, pp.76-86 (co-authored with Daniel Stoljar). 2002 "Which Passions Rule?" in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research , 65, 2002, pp.157–63. "Bernard Gert's Complex Hybrid Conception of Rationality" in Rationality, Rules, and Ideals: Critical Essays on Bernard Gert's Moral Theory edited by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Robert Audi (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2002), pp.109-123. 2001 "Immodest Consequentialism and Character" in Utilitas , Special Issue on Consequentialism and Character edited by Julia Driver, 13, 2001 pp.173-194. "Some Not-Much-Discussed Problems for Non-Cognitivism in Ethics" in Ratio , 14, 2001, pp.93-115 (starred contribution). "Irresistible Impulse" in Intention in Law and Philosophy edited by Ngaire Naffine, Rosemary Owens and John Williams (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2001) pp.37-56. "Responsibility and Self-Control" in Relating to Responsibility: Essays in Honour of Tony Honore on his 80th Birthday edited by Peter Cane and John Gardner (Oxford: Hart Publishing, 2001), pp.1-19. "The Resentment Argument" in Exploring Practical Philosophy edited by Dan Egonsson, Jonas Josefsson, Björn Petersson, Toni RønnowRasmussen (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2001), pp.109-122. 2000 "Global Consequentialism" in Morality, Rules, and Consequences: A Critical Reader edited by Brad Hooker, Elinor Mason and Dale E. Miller (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2000) pp.121-133 (co-authored with Philip Pettit). 1999 "Search for the Source" in Philosophical Quarterly 49, 1999, pp.384-394. "Morality and Law" in The Philosophy of Law: An Encyclopedia edited by Christopher B.Gray (New York: Garland, 1999) pp.567a-570b. "The Definition of 'Moral'" in Singer and His Critics edited by Dale Jamieson (Oxford: Blackwell, 1999) pp.38-63. "The Non-Arbitrariness of Reasons: Reply to Lenman" in Utilitas , 11, 1999 pp.178-193. 1998 "Global Response-Dependence and Noumenal Realism" in The Monist , Special Issue on Secondary Qualities Generalized edited by Peter Menzies, 81, 1998, pp.85-111 (co-authored with Daniel Stoljar) "Galen Strawson and the Weather Watchers" in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research , 58, 1998, pp.449-454 "Response-Dependence Without Reduction" in European Review of Philosophy , Special Issue on Response-Dependence edited by Roberto Casati and Christine Tappolet, 3, 1998, pp.85-108. 1997 "Synchronic Self-Control is Always Non-Actional" in Analysis , 57, 1997, pp.123-131 (co-authored with Jeanette Kennett) "How not to be Muddled by a Meddlesome Muggletonian" in Australasian Journal of Philosophy , 75, 1997, pp.511-527 (co-authored with John Bigelow) 1996 "Normative Reasons and Full Rationality: Reply to Swanton" in Analysis , 56, 1996, pp.160-168. "The Argument for Internalism: Reply to Miller" in Analysis , 56, 1996, pp.175-184. 1995 "Reply to Ingmar Persson's Critical Notice of The Moral Problem " in Theoria , 61, Part 2, 1995, pp. 159-181. "Internal Reasons" in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research , 55, 1995, pp.109-131. 1994 "Why Expressivists About Value Should Love Minimalism About Truth" in Analysis , 54, 1994, pp.1-12. "Minimalism, Truth-Aptitude, and Belief" in Analysis , 54, 1994, pp.21-26. 1993 "Colour, Transparency, Mind-Independence" in Reality, Representation, and Projection edited by John Haldane and Crispin Wright (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993), pp.269-277. 1992 "Valuing: Desiring or Believing?" in Reduction, Explanation, and Realism edited by David Charles and Kathleen Lennon (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992), pp.323-360. 1991 "Realism" in Companion to Ethics edited by Peter Singer (Oxford: Blackwell, 1991), pp. 399-410. 1989 "Dispositional Theories of Value" in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume (63) 1989, pp.89-111. 1987-8 "Reason and Desire" in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society (88) 1987-8, pp.243-256. 1987 "The Humean Theory of Motivation" in Mind (96) 1987, pp.36-61 1986 "Peacocke on Red and Red´" in Synthese 68, 1986, pp.559-576. 1983 "Actions, Attempts, and Internal Events" in Analysis 43, 1983, pp.142-146. 1980 "Did Socrates Kill Himself Intentionally?" in Philosophy , 55, 1980, pp.253-254. 1978 "Descartes, God, and the Evil Spirit" in Sophia , 17, 1978, pp.33-36 (co-authored with Robert Elliot). 1977 "Individuating Actions: A Reply to McCullagh and Thalberg" in Australasian Journal of Philosophy , 75, 1977, pp.209-212 (co-authored with Robert Elliot).

Mailing address: Department of Philosophy 1879 Hall Princeton University Princeton, NJ 08544-1006

E-mail: [email protected] Office location: Room 113 1879 Hall Office telephone: +1-609-258-4306 (recorded messages are e-mailed) Department telephone: +1-609-258-4289 Department fax: +1-609-258-1502

Princeton University Department of Philosophy Princeton University Home Page

Department of Religion

Philosophy and Religion

Associated Faculty:

Leora Batnitzky

Andrew Chignell

Gabriel Citron

Eric Gregory

Work in this area is centered on relations between religion and philosophy, including religious uses of philosophical ideas, philosophical criticisms of religion, and philosophical issues in the study of religion. Critical attention is given to theories of knowledge and meaning, social-scientific theories of religion, and to problems of historical understanding and textual interpretation.

The General Examination in this field normally consists of four parts, all of which may be article-length papers, including one unit on a classic text written before 1900 treated in its historical context, a review essay on an important recent book in the field, a unit on a conceptual problem, and a unit administered outside the Department, most often by a member of the Department of Philosophy. Students are expected to gain familiarity not only with recent developments in Continental and British-American philosophy, but also with historical materials from both Western and non-Western traditions. Students in Philosophy and Religion draw on resources throughout the humanities departments, especially in the  Department of Philosophy , which includes many distinguished figures.

Before completing the General Examination, a student in this field is required to demonstrate reading knowledge of two modern foreign languages relevant to his or her doctoral research. In most cases, this means, at a minimum, passing approved six-week intensive courses in two of the following languages: French, German, and Spanish. Students are also expected to learn whatever languages are essential for completing the dissertation project in a respectable way. For example, a student proposing a dissertation on Augustine would normally be expected to learn Latin (as the language of the primary sources) in addition to French and German (as the languages most heavily represented in the secondary literature).

Academic Fields

Asian Religions

Religion, Ethics, and Politics

Religion in the Americas

Religions of Mediterranean Antiquity

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Doctoral Degree

Doctor of philosophy (ph.d.).

The departmental Ph.D. program complies with the regulations of the Graduate School. This is a full-time program only . In addition to the information contained on this website, the Graduate School Catalog should be reviewed by all prospective applicants. This program is aimed at Ph.D. research and training students for careers in research and teaching.

All non-native English speakers who have not received a university-level degree from a U.S. college or university must pass the University's mandatory English Language Program by the end of their first year of study. Incoming students will be tested upon arrival, and may be required to participate in further English study. Students who do not pass by the end of their first year will not be readmitted.

Incoming students are assigned a first year academic adviser, who may or may not become their research adviser. During their first year students are expected to talk with faculty and secure a research adviser by the end of the academic year.  The department requests students identify an adviser by March 15th of the first academic year, and if more time is needed, to contact the graduate administrator to discuss the situation.

Teaching experience is considered to be a significant part of graduate education. All Ph.D. candidates are required to assist with course instruction for the equivalent of two terms.

All students must fulfill the competency requirements .

The general examination , taken during year 2, consists of a research seminar prepared under the supervision of a faculty member, followed by an in-depth oral examination on the contents of the seminar and the associated general area of research. Original research results do not have to be presented, but problems whose solution may lead to a thesis should be discussed. In many cases, the student's thesis is in the same area as the research seminar, but this is not required.

A final public oral examination (FPO) is required of all Ph.D. candidates. The FPO is taken after the candidate's dissertation has been accepted, and is primarily a defense of the dissertation. In preparation for the FPO, a preliminary FPO (pre-FPO) is held six months before the expected completion date. It covers results to date and planned research, and serves as a preliminary critique of the proposed dissertation.

Graduate School

Classical Philosophy

General information, program offerings:.

• Certificate

Department for program:

Affiliated departments:, director of graduate studies:, graduate program administrator:.

The graduate certificate in classical philosophy provides training, special skills, and knowledge equipping students for scholarly work and teaching that involve classical philosophy. It is designed to recognize students who have gone beyond their own departmental requirements for a Ph.D. and done significant work in classical philosophy, but who are not enrolled in the Ph.D. Program in Classical Philosophy . The certificate offers students in departments other than classics and philosophy the opportunity of taking seminars in those departments as a substantial part of their regular course of study. They will thus be able to improve their knowledge of the classical languages, extend their acquaintance with classical literature, history, and culture, and do intensive work on classical philosophical texts. In addition, students enrolled in the Certificate Program are expected to attend the Classical Philosophy Reading Group (which meets once a week during term time), and will be invited to attend the Program’s workshops (including the Summer Workshop in Greece sponsored by the Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies) and colloquia.

All students interested in the program should contact the Director of Graduate Studies or support staff within the Departments of Philosophy or Classics.

Students cannot be admitted to Princeton University through the Graduate Certificate in Classical Philosophy Program since it is not a degree program. The certificate does not appear on the official transcript.

Program Offerings

Program offering: certificate.

This certificate does not appear on transcripts.

Program description

To earn the certificate, graduate students must be enrolled in a Ph.D. program other than the Ph.D. program in Classical Philosophy and must complete three requirements: (a) pass two sight exams in Latin and Greek respectively; (b) pass two examinations on reading lists of Greek and Latin authors respectively; and (c) take at least three graduate seminars on Classical Philosophical subjects in the Classics and Philosophy Departments (at least one in each department).

• Applicants must possess a basic knowledge of Greek, up to the level of Plato's Socratic dialogues, and are recommended to have comparable abilities in Latin. The two sight examinations will text that knowledge.
• The two examinations on reading lists of Greek and Latin authors will test the student’s knowledge of texts which have been specially chosen to meet the student’s interests and aptitudes.
• The three graduate seminars in Classics and Philosophy (at least one in each department) must be approved by the Classical Philosophy Program Director for the student’s course of study. Each department home to a student pursuing the certificate may choose to allow them to incorporate the fulfillment of the certificate requirements into the fulfillment of their general departmental requirements in a suitable way. Alternatively, students may fulfill the certificate requirements separately from completing their departmental requirements.
• Hendrik Lorenz

Executive Committee

• Joshua H. Billings, Classics
• Mirjam E. Kotwick, Classics
• Melissa Lane, Politics
• Hendrik Lorenz, Philosophy
• Benjamin C. Morison, Philosophy

For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website.

Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination

Greg Yudin is a Professor of Political Philosophy and an MA Programme Head at The Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences. He studies political theory of democracy with the special emphasis on public opinion polls as a technology of representation and governance in contemporary politics. His interests include plebiscitary democracy. populism, history of mass suffrage. He holds a PhD in Philosophy from Higher School of Economics, Moscow with a dissertation on Edmund Husserl’s phenomenology of science. Currently he obtains a second PhD degree in Politics at The New School of Social Research in New York. His book Public Opinion: The Power of Numbers was published in Russian by The European University Press in 2020. He was also the editor of a collective volume Living in Debt on the effect of consumer credit on the life of communities in Russia (Saint Tikhon University Press, 2020). He teaches political philosophy and social theory at Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences and Higher School of Economics (Moscow). He also regularly contributes to major Russian and international media, such as Open Democracy and Republic.

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University of Idaho

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University of Idaho is truly a school that invests in its students. Despite its large size, the university manages to create a “personalized learning experience” for all undergrads. Idaho also provides numerous “networking opportunities” for their students. One lucky beneficiary explains, “Being here at UI, I’ve had the chance to meet many people in industry, which helped me land an internship at NASA JPL this past summer.” Academically, Idaho offers students a wide range of stellar departments. However, undergrads especially like to tout the fantastic “engineering, agriculture, business, and law programs.” Fortunately, no matter what you choose to study, the university is “incredible at creating an environment [in which] to build great relationships between professors and students.” Though it’s certainly helped by the fact that “the faculty here really cares about the students and genuinely wants to see them succeed.” Undergrads also value that their professors “don’t want students who [simply] suck up information and then vomit it back on a test.” Instead, they’re hoping to form “well-educated students with the ability to think.” They’re also happy to “host study sessions [in preparation] for exams and quizzes, and they are willing to answer all of your questions.” And, best of all, Idaho professors “are very interesting and really bring their lectures to life.”

Student Body

On the surface, the student body at University of Idaho might appear a bit homogenous. After all, “most people are white,” and it often feels like the vast majority hail from “Idaho, Washington, or Oregon.” Nevertheless, the “population is slowly becoming more and more diverse.” This is partially thanks to a “surprising number of international students.” In turn, “this creates a unique opportunity to learn from people of different cultures.” Undergrads also take great solace in the fact that their peers are “all very, very friendly” and united in their “kindness.” Simply stroll across campus and you’ll notice that “everyone smiles and says hi.” An ecstatic student rushes to add, “My peers are the most supportive and uplifting people I’ve ever been surrounded by.... It’s not uncommon to see students giving directions to lost tours or inviting perfect strangers to something like the farmers market or a film downtown.” A lot of these Idaho Vandals also find common ground in their love of the outdoors, with many students looking to “take advantage of Moscow Mountain nearby for hiking, mountain biking, or snowshoeing.” Finally, when it comes to political leanings, we’re told that Idaho has an “unusually large number of libertarianminded students here.” Thankfully, most undergrads “are very respectful, even when they strongly disagree.” As one contemplative student states, “We rarely talk about tolerance here, but we act on it daily.”

Campus Life

Undergrads at Idaho happily report that “there are always a lot of activities going on around campus.” For starters, the student recreation center is often a big draw where students can “work out, play a variety of indoor sports, take classes, climb the rock wall, or just hang out.” Students also love to explore the “two arboretums on campus.” Idaho also has “a very involved Greek system that is always holding a philanthropic event somewhere on campus or in the community.” The university sponsors a number of great cultural affairs including “an amazing Jazz Festival, Native American celebrations, African American celebrations, and many many more throughout the year.” In fact, “on the weekends there is almost always [an] event to attend that is hosted by an organization at the university, whether it is just for fun or to raise money for a cause.” Finally, students also love taking advantage of everything hometown Moscow has to offer. As one pleased Vandal elaborates, “There is usually something going on every night, be it trivia nights at local restaurants, local musicians playing at a coffee shop, or a book signing at Book People.”

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University Center for Human Values

Nancy Yun Tang wins APSA dissertation prize

Congratulations to LEGster and politics graduate student Nancy Yun Tang, who won the American Political Science Association's Kenneth Sherrill Prize for her dissertation "Making Autocracy Queer: A Dance in ‘Law’ Between LGBTQ Movements and Authoritarian States in China and Singapore.”

The Kenneth Sherrill Prize is awarded “for the best dissertation proposal for an empirical study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) topics in political science.” 

Nancy presented her work at a Law-Engaged Graduate Student (LEGS) seminar last fall.

Summer break is ending. Here are 10 ways parents can help their kids get back into school mode

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In a matter of days, the easygoing vibe of summer break will be replaced with the rigid schedules of a new school year.

The transition isn’t always easy, even for kids who are eager to return to the classroom. And if children are nervous about a new teacher, new school, or the prospect of making new friends , things can be even more fraught.

With summer break drawing to a close, The Times spoke with psychologists about how parents can help their children embrace a back-to-school mindset . Here’s their advice:

Don’t wait until the last minute to talk about the new school year.

Instead of having one big conversation, make the transition a little at a time in the final week or two of summer break, said Samantha Sweeney , a licensed psychologist in Washington, D.C. You might spend a few hours gathering school supplies; another day, you can plot out what to pack for lunches. Activities like these provide opportunities for kids to talk about how they’re feeling about the upcoming year.

“If you bring it up all at once, you get freaked out all at once,” she said. “Doing it gradually is usually easier for kids.”

If your child is anxious about going back to school, don’t try to talk them out of it.

It’s important to acknowledge their feelings and make them feel heard , experts say.

“If you say, ‘No no no, school is great and it’s going to be wonderful,’ they’ll say, ‘You don’t get it,’ or ‘You don’t understand,’” said Sweeney, co-author of “Working With Worry: A Workbook for Parents on How to Support Anxious Children.”

Science & Medicine

Attention parents: Your teens aren’t coping nearly as well as you think they are

Most U.S. teens aren’t always getting the social and emotional support they need, and most of their parents have no idea, according to a new report.

July 16, 2024

Trying to convince a kid to feel a certain way is likely to backfire, said Eileen Kennedy-Moore , a clinical psychologist in Princeton, N.J., who specializes in parenting and child development. “The harder we argue, ‘It’s going to be great!’ the harder they’ll insist, ‘It’s going to be terrible!’”

Don’t give false assurances.

It’s risky to tell your child that everything will be just fine, or that school will be the same as it was last year, because that might not turn out to be true, Sweeney said.

Instead, boost their confidence by reminding them of past successes, like their track record of making new friends. You can also tell them you’ll be there to support them if they need help.

Try to pinpoint the source of their concern.

Are they nervous because they don’t know what to expect from a new teacher? Will they be using a locker for the first time and they’re worried about forgetting the combination for their lock?

Once you have a better idea of what you’re dealing with, you and your child can work together to brainstorm a solution, experts said. Get the ideas flowing by reminding them of times they’ve overcome similar problems in the past.

“You’re guiding them but you’re not giving them all the answers,” said Mary Alvord , a cognitive behavioral psychologist in Rockville, Md., and co-author of “The Action Mindset Workbook for Teens.” “My goal with parents is to teach kids how to be more proactive, how to take initiative. It builds resilience.”

Consider a dress rehearsal of the first day of school.

This isn’t necessary for everyone, but if a child is worried about how they’ll get to campus or where to find a bathroom, a dry run may allay their concerns.

“Knowing what to do can help kids feel more confident that they can cope,” said Kennedy-Moore, creator of the Kids Ask Dr. Friendtastic podcast.

Students scoff at a school cellphone ban. Until they really begin to think about it

Students, whose cellphones are an extension of their very being, mull pending L.A. school ban of the devices with praise and frustration.

July 8, 2024

The school may even allow your child to meet their teacher while they’re setting up their classroom, said Sweeney, who has worked as a school psychologist.

“When they walk in the door on the first day and see a familiar face, that can make a big difference,” she said.

Talk through worrisome scenarios.

“It’s impossible to anticipate every possible problem, so an important question to have your child consider is, ‘Who could help you if you need help?’ Kennedy-Moore said.

You might be able to solve some problems in advance. For instance, if your child is concerned about having someone to sit with at lunch, encourage them to make a plan with a friend.

A conversation may also help your child realize that the things they’re afraid of are very unlikely to happen. If they’re scared that no one will pick them up and they’ll have to spend the night at school, ask if that’s ever happened to them, or to anyone they know personally.

Encourage kids to reconnect with their friends.

Kids may be nervous about seeing some of their classmates for the first time in months. Smooth the way by arranging a playdate or two before school starts. Older kids might prefer to break the ice by reaching out with a text or via a social media app, Sweeney said.

How to make real L.A. friends, according to Angelenos who swear it’s possible

Dog parks, coffee shops, desert raves, breakfast meetups, community centers and hiking groups are keys to making friends in Los Angeles.

Aug. 1, 2022

Another way to help settle a child’s nerves is having them practice what they’ll do when they see their peers at school. Kennedy-Moore suggests they look the friend in the eye, smile and say “Hi,” along with the friend’s name. Follow up with a sincere compliment — “Cool backpack!” — or a question that starts with “how” or “what.”

To further put a child at ease, rehearse how they’d respond to a likely question. If asked, “How was your summer?” a child can reply “Great,” followed by a fact like “We went to the beach with my cousins,” Kennedy-Moore said.

Give your kids time to adjust their sleep schedule.

Moving it gradually will make for an easier transition, experts say. Wake them up 15 or 30 minutes earlier each morning and encourage them to get dressed and eat breakfast to establish a routine. If the earlier start makes them tired, that will help them fall asleep earlier too.

Getting enough rest is an important factor in school success, said Alvord, adjunct professor at George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

“A lack of sleep interferes with emotion regulation and with clarity of thought,” she said. “When you’re tired, everything seems much worse.”

Why do our minds race when we’re trying to sleep?

One of the paradoxes of sleep is that the more we fixate on getting it, the less likely we are to achieve it.

Aug. 8, 2023

But if the new sleep schedule doesn’t stick before school starts, don’t panic. Just keep their after-school schedules open to facilitate earlier bedtimes.

“Your kids will get over the jet lag from the schedule shift in a few days,” Kennedy-Moore said.

Don’t pass your own anxieties on to your kids.

Children often look to adults for cues about how to respond in unfamiliar or unusual situations, Kennedy-Moore said.

“If we, as parents, are calm and generally positive about school, it makes it easier for kids to have positive expectations,” she said.

Q&A: Parent burnout is real. Here’s what you can do about it

In a nationwide survey of parents, 57% said they struggled with stress, exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed. When parents suffer burnout, children may suffer too.

May 8, 2024

That may be easier said than done. When it comes to their children, parents tend to worry about the worst-case scenario and see things in all-or-nothing terms, Alvord said. If they can learn to recognize and adjust their thinking patterns, they can help their children to do the same, she said.

Focus on the positive.

If the first day of school puts your child through the wringer, praise them for sticking it out.

“Say, I’m so proud of you, we’re getting ice cream,’” Sweeney said. “I have a personal philosophy that ice cream fixes everything .”

More to Read

With family budgets already squeezed, back-to-school costs sting more

Aug. 8, 2024

Pricey camps. Family favors. Early dashes from work. How do parents survive summer?

July 12, 2024

In defense of helicopter parents

April 23, 2024

Karen Kaplan covers science and medical research for the Los Angeles Times. She has been a member of the science team since 2005, including 13 years as an editor. Her first decade at The Times was spent covering technology in the Business section as both a reporter and editor. She grew up in San Diego and is a graduate of MIT and Columbia University.

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Princeton Research Computing

AI at Princeton: Pushing limits, accelerating discovery and serving humanity

At Princeton, interdisciplinary collaborations of researchers are using artificial intelligence to accelerate discovery across the University in fields ranging from neuroscience to Near Eastern studies.

Princeton experts are also pushing the limits of AI technology to make it more accurate and efficient, to understand how AI’s uncanny large language models work, and to address the technology’s ethical, fairness and policy implications.

Princeton Travel & Expense

Graduate hotel update.

As of August 15, the University’s contracted rate with the Graduate Hotel will be available via Concur and World Travel. Bookings cannot be made directly with the hotel. Rooms must be booked at least 14 days prior to arrival. 

Contracted rates are for University business only and must be paid with a University T&E card. Rates apply to individual bookings only. At this time, the Graduate may not be used to book University-sponsored groups. 

University staff can download the document below for details.

• Graduate Hotel FAQs

Undergraduate Announcement 2024 - 2025

European studies, general information, program offerings:, program offerings.

The Program in European Cultural Studies (ECS), housed in the Humanities Council, and the Program in Contemporary European Politics and Society (EPS), housed in the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS), offer a joint Minor in European Studies.   

The Program in European Cultural Studies (ECS) was established in 1975 on the joint initiative of faculty members in history, comparative literature, romance languages and literatures, politics and architecture, under the leadership of the eminent cultural historian Carl E. Schorske (1915-2015). Its first certificate class graduated in 1979. Now housed on the second floor of Scheide Caldwell House within the Andlinger Center for the Humanities, ECS enjoys the administrative support of the Council of the Humanities. Committed since its founding to encouraging students' engagement at an international level, ECS now also endeavors to situate the study of Europe in broader global contexts. 

The Program in Contemporary European Politics and Society (EPS), an affiliate of the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, encourages the interdisciplinary study of modern Europe, with a particular focus on politics, economics and society in western and central Europe since World War I. It also oversees the European Union Program at Princeton (EUPP), founded in 2004, which sponsors events and activities relating to the European Union, including an active seminar series, an annual research workshop, policy meetings, public commentary, visiting fellows, graduate and undergraduate student activities, a Senior Thesis prize, and formal partnerships with Humboldt University, Sciences Po, and the University of Geneva. EPS is housed in the PIIRS Suite in the Louis A. Simpson International Building. 

The new Minor in European Studies (EUS) offered jointly by ECS and EPS provides a global study of Europe, historically and synchronically, bringing the humanities and the social sciences together, giving students the opportunity to develop a more comprehensive picture of Europe. Required coursework and required extracurricular activities cover a wide array of time periods, specific national cases, and topics in European history, literature, art, architecture, music, cinema, theater, politics, sociology, economy and philosophy.  

Goals for Student Learning

The key learning goals for the EUS minor are:

• To deepen students’ understanding of Europe, a region with a long history and global impact for millennia.
• To strengthen students’ command of cultural interpretation through interdisciplinary research.
• To situate the study of Europe in broader global contexts, from early modern colonialism to present-day regional integration and globalization.
• To study the ways in which European societies, past and present, order reality, make sense of life, and communicate meaning across a range of disciplines and in a wide variety of media.
• To observe and study social, political and economic trends generated in Europe that are relevant to the world at large.
• To engage critically with current scholarship on European culture, society and politics, and to encourage participation in extracurricular public lectures organized by the two programs.
• To understand the connection between current cultural production and critical work, encouraged by participation in extracurricular activities, such as the ECS Schorske lectures and Junior Excursions to cultural events.
• To acquaint themselves and interact with a broad range of European political figures and current issues through the EPS spring lectures.
• To create an esprit de corps among classmates across disciplines, to help them communicate clearly their research, and to participate in scholarly debates, through their participation in the EUS Senior Thesis Colloquium.

Program of Study

The EUS minor requires the completion of five courses:

• One of the following core courses is required as a prerequisite: ECS 301 or EPS 302. Students who are unable to take either ECS 301 or EPS 302 may petition the directors for other courses that offer an introduction to the study of Europe from a similarly interdisciplinary point, such as HUM 216-217, HUM 218-219 or HIS 212/EPS 212.
• In addition to the prerequisite course, students will be required to take four elective courses in ECS or EPS ; at least one of these courses should be in ECS and one in EPS, core or cross-listed.
• Students who have taken a full year of the double-credit HUM 216-217 and HUM 218-219 (the Western Humanities Sequence) satisfy two of the elective courses. Students who have taken one semester of the double-credit HUM 216-217 or HUM 218-219 satisfy one of the elective courses.
• Up to two courses may be double-counted with the student’s major.
• No independent work is required for the minor and there is no language requirement.

Additional Requirements

The following extracurricular activities are required for the completion of the EUS minor:

• Participation in the EUS Senior Thesis Colloquium : For a period of 6-8 weeks during the senior year, EUS seniors meet once a week to address common problems of research, conceptualization, organization and writing under the supervision of the directors of the minor. In advance of each weekly session, two or three students submit a sample of their thesis work for close, critical reading by all members of the colloquium. During the sessions, students make introductory presentations of their projects, followed by discussions of the submitted work. Active participation in discussion is expected of all members of the colloquium each week. Students from the natural sciences or engineering who do not address European topics in their theses may submit a paper written for an EUS course for circulation and discussion, or they may opt to share material drawn from their thesis research and discuss aspects of their projects that intersect with the broader concerns of the colloquium.
• Participation in at least one ECS Faber lecture and Faber colloquium or in an EPS Spring lecture and students meeting event with the Speaker at least once during the four years.
• Participation in at least one excursion organized by ECS or EPS (usually to NYC) during the four years. 

European Cultural Studies

• Efthymia Rentzou

Executive Committee

• David A. Bell, History
• Sandra L. Bermann, Comparative Literature
• Eduardo L. Cadava, English
• Brigid Doherty, German
• Rubén Gallo, Spanish & Portuguese
• Daniel Garber, Philosophy
• Anthony T. Grafton, History
• Wendy Heller, Music
• Joshua I. Kotin, English
• Jan-Werner Müller, Politics
• Serguei A. Oushakine, Anthropology
• Spyros Papapetros, Architecture
• Efthymia Rentzou, French & Italian
• Kim Lane Scheppele, Schl of Public & Int'l Affairs
• Esther H. Schor, English, ex officio
• Thomas A. Trezise, French & Italian

Contemp Euro Pol and Society

• Harold James
• Edward G. Baring, History
• Rafaela M. Dancygier, Schl of Public & Int'l Affairs
• Michael D. Gordin, History
• Sophie Meunier Aitsahalia, Schl of Public & Int'l Affairs
• Andrew Moravcsik, Politics
• Iryna Vushko, History
• Natasha G. Wheatley, History
• Andreas B. Wiedemann, Schl of Public & Int'l Affairs

For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website.

ECS 320 - Cultural Systems Not offered this year

Ecs 321 - cultural systems (also com 389/spa 333) spring la, ecs 330 - communication and the arts not offered this year la, ecs 331 - communication and the arts (also com 317) not offered this year la, ecs 342 - literature and photography (also com 352/eng 349) spring la, eps 300 - european politics and society in the 20th and 21st centuries not offered this year sa, ant 326 - language, identity, power (also ecs 315/tra 326) ec, art 448 - seminar. 17th- and 18th-century art (also ecs 448) not offered this year la, art 455 - seminar in modernist art & theory (also ecs 456/vis 455) hala, art 458 - seminar. modern architecture (also arc 458/ecs 458/fre 458) not offered this year la, com 318 - the modern period (also ecs 319) not offered this year la, com 341 - what is vernacular filmmaking - rhetoric for cinema studies (also ecs 341/hum 341/vis 339) la, com 349 - texts and images of the holocaust (also ecs 349/ger 349/jds 349) not offered this year em, com 369 - beyond crisis contemporary greece in context (also ecs 369/hls 369/hum 369) fall sa, com 370 - topics in comparative literature (also ecs 386/hum 371) not offered this year la, eco 372 - economics of europe (also eps 342) fall sa, eng 330 - english literature of the 18th century (also ecs 368) not offered this year emla, eng 331 - the later romantics (also ecs 382) spring la, fre 217 - revisiting paris (also com 258/ecs 327/urb 258) fall ha, fre 367 - topics in 19th- and 20th-century french literature and culture (also ecs 367) la, ger 302 - topics in critical theory (also ecs 377) ec, ger 308 - topics in german film history and theory (also art 383/ecs 308/vis 317) fall/spring ecla, ger 370 - weimar germany: painting, photography, film (also art 331/ecs 370) not offered this year la, his 212 - europe in the world: from 1776 to the present day (also eps 212) spring ha, his 281 - approaches to european history (also ecs 304) not offered this year ha, ita 309 - topics in contemporary italian civilization (also com 386/ecs 318/hum 327) cdla, phi 303 - descartes, spinoza, and leibniz (also ecs 306) not offered this year ec, phi 332 - early modern philosophy (also ecs 305) fall ec, pol 403 - architecture and democracy (also arc 405/chv 403/ecs 402) not offered this year em, sla 415 - leo tolstoy, war and peace: writing as fighting (also com 415/ecs 417/res 415) spring em, spa 227 - contemporary issues in spain (also eps 227/urb 237) la.

Princeton University

White paper maps the course of blockchain research.

By The Office of Engineering Communication

August 7, 2024

In a series of conferences, the DeCenter has convened top federal regulators, experts in human rights, engineering, public policy, economics and ethics to identify and refine topics for research.

Hailing the promise and perils of blockchain, Princeton’s center for blockchain technology has released a comprehensive white paper charting the course of research into the technology. The paper focuses on three areas – technology, applications, and implications for society – and frames a series of research questions around the topics.

Collaboration across the broad reach of the university’s research community is central to the effort, said Jaswinder Pal (J.P.) Singh , the director of the Center for the Decentralization of Power through Blockchain Technology, known as the DeCenter.

“We take a fundamentally interdisciplinary approach to issues around blockchains and the decentralization of trust and power,” said Singh, Princeton’s Professor of Computer Science, Technology and Societal Change. “We believe the technology has substantial promise to reshape a number of areas in finance, business and society, but the applications are not yet well understood, and the inherently financialized nature of the area creates new societal implications and risks.”

The white paper, Decentralizing Power Through Blockchains: Key Research Questions Across Disciplines , is available on the center’s website .

Singh said the uses that technologists and entrepreneurs envision for blockchain technology could pose challenges for governments and international organizations.

“For these reasons, resolving some of the most important questions requires interdisciplinary collaboration across computer science, engineering, economics, political science, ethics and other social sciences and the humanities. The goal of this white paper is to identify some of these key questions,” he said. “At a moment when tremendous power has accrued to centralized institutions and corporations, and when citizens around the world are losing trust in their legacy institutions and in one another, it is urgent to understand both the power and limitations of these new technical, economic and social protocols that might distribute power and control differently.”

Blockchain combines cryptography and economic incentives to create a widely distributed record of agreed transactions to achieve trust without the need for central authority. The technology’s most widely known use is to create Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies, but researchers say it also offers potential uses in other areas of business, finance, government and society. Princeton University created the DeCenter to help understand the technology and study its societal and policy impacts.

The DeCenter has involved researchers, such as Matt Weinberg, an associate professor of computer science who is developing new algorithms related to blockchain technology, and Prateek Mittal, a professor of electrical and computer engineering who has studied efforts to create decentralized networks . The center has also turned to experts in philosophy such as Andrew Chignell, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Religion and the University Center for Human Values, who is working to understand the ethical implication of the technology, and in political science , such as Nolan McCarty, the Susan Dod Brown Professor of Politics and Public Affairs.

In a series of conferences, the DeCenter has convened top federal regulators, experts in human rights, engineering, public policy, economics and ethics to identify and refine topics for research. A central focus has been to foster collaboration across disciplines to identify key questions and areas that blockchain technology can address.

The Center plans to continue the collaborative work with its next conference scheduled for the spring of 2025.

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Matt Weinberg

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Related departments and centers.

Computer Science

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Center for Decentralization of Power Through Blockchain Technology (DeCenter)

Department of Philosophy

Bronwyn finnigan.