Tensions run high every four years in every corner of the U.S. during election season. In the months leading up to the presidential election, it seems like it’s all anyone talks about.
But it’s not just the Americans tuning in to watch. Around the world, people are tuning in to find out who will lead the United States for the next term. The U.S. presidential election has far-reaching consequences, not just for American citizens but also for global economies, political alliances, and even cultural trends. I remember the 2016 election with former President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hilary Clinton being a hot topic of discussion amongst my peers in my 6th-grade class in Kelowna, BC, Canada. This, in hindsight, is hilarious—we knew nothing about the details, and one hundred percent of our information came from social media—it was a case of pop culture, not a passion for politics.
The effects observed in other countries are not always felt on a daily basis by individuals. The outcome of an election impacts the lives of non-Americans, but not so directly that the results feel deeply significant to them. My perspective is that the rest of the world —to a certain degree—observes American politics as a spectacle. Every four years, it is like any good TV drama— there’s a protagonist and antagonist, controversy, debate, and eventually a shocking conclusion. International students at Harvard may be highly interested in politics in their home country, and even in the U.S. as well, however, now as temporary residents of the U.S., they have to adjust to having personal ties to such a public and media-centered democracy.
This campus tends to serve as a microcosm for broader political tensions. Harvard students know all too well the canonical experience of going home for Thanksgiving to be berated by relatives about “how things are going amidst tensions on campus,” as nosy aunts and uncles like to say. These questions are only amplified for international students as we play the role of correspondent to our families at home.
For Americans on the other hand, I have found that people’s identities are heavily tied to their political opinions. Politics are commonly even small talk, and Americans are proud to be so involved in their democracy. The American stereotypes run as strong as ever when it comes to politics; everything is big and loud and publicized. After all, “we exist in the context of all in which we live and what came before us,” (Kamala Harris), and in U.S. politics, that history runs deep: per Pew Research Center, 8 out of 10 people who lean Republican also have parents who lean Republican, and 9 out of 10 people who lean Democratic also have parents who lean Democratic. The inheritance of opinions is divisive, and this phenomenon is formative for culture across America. Compared to international students, Americans have a sense of normalcy in political discussions here from things as small as being used to the two-party system and knowing the history of each party. Americans have grown up hearing about the political views of anyone they associate with, and they have a multitude of data points of people’s opinions on each party and how things have played out in the past, making this system easier to navigate.
Harvard, renowned for its studies of government and politics, has produced more U.S. presidents than any other university and will continue to produce world leaders. This means the learning curve of coming here not well-versed in the American political system is a steep one. As an international student living in the U.S., policy changes can impact your daily life in fundamental ways. Additionally, your awareness and appreciation for various election-related issues can deepen significantly as you navigate this new environment. We are no longer watching these issues from afar—we are living them.
Whether in class discussions, campus protests, or casual conversations, politics surround students at such a renowned university like Harvard. Our campus reflects the political tensions playing out across the country and the world. You can’t leave your dorm without seeing someone protesting anything from the Israel-Hamas war to veganism. Although the Canadian politicians I have grown up watching are equally meme-able, the American election is a spectacle in itself: there are opinions from both ends of the extreme broadcast even on the Harvard campus. Learning to have an opinion in a new system you didn’t grow up immersed in or know the history of is intense.
All students, regardless of nationality, are navigating a complex landscape of opinions, but for international students, this part of student life is paradoxically so close and so far from home. It is a unique circumstance to call a place home for four years but not be a part of the democracy in that country. This is the case for around 25% of Harvard College students. I acknowledge that as non-taxpayers and temporary residents, international students shouldn’t vote.
However, we are nevertheless affected by the outcome of elections. Policies on student visas, post-graduation work opportunities, and even admissions and campus culture are shaped by the decisions made at the highest levels of government. This makes me feel compelled to be knowledgeable about American democracy. Beyond that, the election season sheds light on ways in which the U.S. is different from my home, a fact I tend to brush off. The issues on ballots here are different than in other countries, and these issues are representative of what a nation cares about.
I enjoy the fact that election season forces you to learn a thing or two and challenge your own opinions as discussions crop up in Harvard student life. Especially this year, where it seems there is more discussion about voting for third-party candidates or people challenging what it means to support a party versus its presidential candidate. After all, democracies vary from country to country. Being from Canada, I find myself getting hung up on the fact that there are only two parties of majority to choose from in the U.S.
It is life-changing to live somewhere where democracy is so outwardly spoken about and celebrated, and international students should feel compelled to have an opinion and be informed on American politics, even if it is certainly not a subject that is top of mind for us at home. We have two countries to worry about, but there is something to learn from the publicized and polarized Great American democracy, even if it means embracing being in the Harvard spotlight.
Breagh Bridge ’27 (breaghbridge@college.harvard.edu) is a proud Canadian but enjoys a good singing of The Star Spangled Banner.