“Again, politics is everywhere. It’s reality. And if you can’t talk about these things and give everyone a little space to do it, then we can’t function as a democracy and as a pluralistic society.”
Sabrina Guo
Assistant Editor, The Beacon
Some believe that avoiding the news or steering clear of careers in law or government will shield them from the influence of politics. Professor Jason Kaune, Lecturer in the Practice of Management at the Yale School of Management, asserts that this is impossible, and those who believe this are in for a rude awakening.
Kaune explains, “Politics, more broadly speaking, is pretty simple. It’s the way we interact with each other. You and I have a political interaction because it’s more than one of us. There are political structures in the workplace. Politics is everywhere.”
Kaune sat down for an in-depth discussion about the pervasive nature of politics and ethics, and how Yalies can navigate complex crossroads when the time comes. When asked about the ethical implications of political engagement, Kaune first emphasized the importance of acknowledging the inescapable presence of government throughout history and in various contexts: no matter one’s occupation, one is still bound by law or government code. He then described that ethics are interwoven in each daily interaction, particularly with the government.
For Kaune, “political ethics” is not an oxymoron but a crucial concept, especially in his course “Political Ethics and Issues for Organizations” at the Yale School of Management. In his class, which spans discussions on corporate America, regulated entities, and nonprofits, Kaune encourages students to recognize that no profession is immune to government influence. “Name the profession, and government is going to be a part of your life,” he states.
Kaune, also a partner at Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP and head of the firm’s Political Law section, brings decades of legal experience to his teaching. Kaune couched a warning in his reflection on the challenges of his work: “The less fun part of my job is when the client hasn’t prepared, and I’m brought in to deal with the crisis. And yes, that happens in every profession…You do not have the time to stop and come up with the ethical code of how to deal with the situation.”
Kaune hopes that students can proactively prepare such an ethical code and be ready to use it when facing any difficult situation. To prepare his students for such challenges, Kaune’s first assignment requires students to draft their own ethical code and identify potential blind spots. Students work through real-world scenarios, such as navigating revolving door laws and lobbying regulations—situations where ethical judgment is paramount. Kaune says that the central goal of his class is to help students think about situations that could happen, prepare them to think through their ethical code, and work on how they will react.
While his audience primarily consists of business graduate students, Kaune’s teachings are applicable to all—including younger undergraduates. Kaune emphasizes, “People think of politics as ideological politics. No, politics with a small ‘p’ is your interaction with your professor, your interaction with each other.”
Kaune continues, “These are political acts, and we live in a weird age where politics has been given such a dirty name; and it shouldn’t. I try to step back and just say it’s a reality. Politics is part of the way we manage to be among each other.”
Kaune hopes that Yalies—and all students—can cultivate traits of honesty and straightforwardness. He explains, “I think one of the reasons politics has a bad reputation is people think of being political as double speak—avoiding the issue, not answering the question, or answering another question because it’s the one they want to answer. This is what politicians do. They think that’s an effective strategy, but it’s not because people see through it.”
With heightened tensions due to last semester’s campus protests on the Israel-Hamas war, Kaune emphasizes the importance of transparency and mutual respect, as well as learning all the facts before reaching conclusions. He recalls his undergraduate years at Yale, when Benno Schmidt was the university’s President, and highlights the value of open dialogue: “Yale has a great tradition of free speech. I remember students protesting, and Schmidt opened the doors to the hall, walked to the lead protester, and invited them to a room for discussion. It was a great moment.”
To tie politics and ethics together, Kaune clarifies, “And back to politics: you’re going to interact with the government, and any interaction involves ethical choices—what you choose to disclose, and how you do it. That’s where political ethics comes together. You’re going to interact with the government. How do you do that ethically? What are the rules of the road?”
Kaune calls students to make use of their ethical code when they face problems in the political and ethical sphere, and daily life. He hopes Yalies can recognize the intersection of politics, ethics, and government—and feel both confident and secure in acting according to their values and principles. Kaune elaborates, “And I think every student should think about that, even if they think they’re doing something entirely separate from the government. Government is going to be there, and therefore political ethics is going to be there.”
Kaune reflects upon the first class he taught at the Yale School of Management. He shares that from the start of class, he made clear that politics would be an integral part of the course. He recounts, “You could almost feel everyone tense up. And then afterward, a student came up and said, ‘I’m really grateful you said we could talk politics, because none of us do, because we’re afraid to; we’re afraid to step on a landmine.’ And that made me so sad.”
Kaune concludes with a warning: “Again, politics is everywhere. It’s reality. And if you can’t talk about these things and give everyone a little space to do it, then we can’t function as a democracy and as a pluralistic society.”
Jason Kaune will be teaching the course, “Political Ethics and Issues for Organizations,” at the Yale School of Management in Spring of 2025.