Social Sciences Division

"I was 24 years old when I found support to apply for college. This support came from other first-generation college students who noticed my curiosity and inquisitiveness and sat with me while I applied. That support led me to graduate with a four-year degree and then be accepted to the University of Washington as a graduate student. Now that I am a professor, I want to continue to pass forward this support to first-generation students, to pursue paths deemed impossible or unlikely because of where we come from and who we are." - fabian romero, alum (Ph.D. Department of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies)

FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried will stand trial on charges of overseeing fraud that sucked in high-profile investors and hundreds of thousands of clients. Why do smart people buy into bad companies? Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

This week, explore “how to use art for resistance” with Elisheba Johnson, head to Meany Hall for an engaging performance by the Turtle Island Quartet, and more.

Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week. This week, attend gallery exhibitions, Dawg Daze events, and more. As the UW community returns to campus, consider taking advantage of campus perks available to UW employees and students.

"Hostage-taking has been frequently used by both states and insurgent groups as a means to extract funds or concessions from more powerful states," writes Michael Blake, professor of philosophy and of public policy and governance at the UW.

"The rate of child poverty doubled in 2022, despite a growing economy and an increasingly tight labor market. Why? Because of a policy choice made by Congress," writes Scott Lemieux, teaching professor of political science at the UW.

Generative AI is changing how people work, complete assignments, date, and create. But the massive computer systems powering AI consume vast amounts of water and emit tons of carbon. Even with green initiatives by big companies, the scale of the impact is expected to increase. Adrienne Russell, professor of communication and co-director of the UW Center for Journalism, Media and Democracy, is quoted.

Adrienne Russell, professor of communication at the University of Washington, examines in her new book how journalism, activism, corporations and Big Tech battle to influence the public about climate change.

Researchers from the University of Washington and Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture will be partners in the newly announced $30M NSF Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science.  

Kick off the Autumn quarter and celebrate a return to campus with these can’t-miss recommendations from the College of Arts & Sciences.

"Like many readers, I was floored by the story of brutality and exploitation at the heart of the Washington Post's recent series on the Smithsonian's complicated history of collecting and preserving human remains," writes columnist Matt Driscoll. James Gregory, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

The UW participated in its first Tribal Canoe Journey, with students, faculty, staff, and alums working together as a family — the Shell House Canoe Family, č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd — to make it all happen.  

Some people in the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in South Seattle are sharing their concerns about a recent string of robberies in the area. They are not only concerned with the violent crimes, but with how the city has been handling the situation. Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, is quoted.

A new study from the University of Washington and Cornell University shows researchers more likely to write scientific papers with co-authors of the same gender, a pattern that can’t be explained by varying gender representations across scientific disciplines and time. Carole Lee, associate professor of philosophy, is quoted.

"Climate change has emerged as an important issue for the younger generation—that is, Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) and Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996). Public opinion polls suggest that these cohorts are more worried about climate change and more supportive of climate policies," write the UW's Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science.