Division faculty and students have long been the vanguard for international social sciences research. From the founding of the Committee on International Relations (CIR) 90 years ago – the first program of its kind in the nation – to the legacy of Lloyd and Susanne Rudolph’s field research – now honored by student travel research awards from the Center on International Social Science Research (CISSR) -- our projects and programs support interests in every corner of the globe.
And we are committed that those efforts will continue to flourish. In this issue’s Common Ground, Jenny Trinitapoli (Sociology) and Paul Staniland (Political Science) discuss the emerging trends in their own work and in the work of faculty and students engaged in CISSR and CIR. We celebrate Kenneth Pomeranz (History) and his receipt of the 2019 Dan David Prize, an extraordinary honor recognizing his body of work exploring the macro history of Asia. Professor Pomeranz, Dali Yang (Political Science), and Xi Song (Sociology) provide insights into their research in China, a complex and compelling country to study. The work of the ChinaReach program, led by James Heckman (Economics), and the launch of the Air Quality Life Index, led by Michael Greenstone (Economics), also illustrate the ways in which social science research has impact in individual lives, regardless of location.
The academic year thus far has been an exciting time for the Division, and a recap of recent announcements and other initiatives is also included in this issue. Please follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news of research findings, events, and other accomplishments.
And finally, if you will be in Chicago on Thursday, April 4, I invite you to join us for Revisiting a Trailblazing Text, a panel discussion by Luis Bettencourt (Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation), Kate Cagney (Sociology), Nicole Marwell (School of Social Service Administration), Robert Vargas (Sociology), and Robert J. Sampson (Harvard University) exploring the continuing relevance of Robert E. Park and Eugene W. Burgess’s The City on the occasion of a new edition by The University of Chicago Press. Learn more and register HERE.
With best wishes,
Amanda Woodward
Dean, Division of the Social Sciences
William S. Gray Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology
