Michael Harrington was a distinguished professor of political science at Queens College from 1972 until his death in 1989. In his seminal 1962 book
The Other America, Harrington exposed the prevalence of poverty amidst America’s affluence and was influential in inspiring the "War on Poverty." The Center was formed at Queens College to honor his lifelong commitment to creating a just society.
Our MissionFollowing the example of Michael Harrington, the Center's mission is to promote public, democratic discussion of social issues, advocate for social change, and work in partnership with others to foster a more just, equitable, and democratic society
We accomplish our mission through:
1. Publishing working papers on current social issues.
2. Providing consulting and workshops to social sector organizations and the community:
- Using democratic dialogue and deliberation methods to have conversations that matter
- Transforming intergroup and intragroup conflicts
- Utilizing participatory action research to engage the community and develop an agenda for social change
- Assisting
mission driven social benefit and social change organizations align
their services and organizational structure with their espoused values and
social change goals.
3. Co-sponsoring lectures, forums, and events with the Center for Ethnic,
Racial, and Religious Understanding and other campus organizations.
