Social Sciences Division

Come curious. Leave inspired. The UW offers an exciting lineup of in-person and online events. From thought-provoking art and music to conversations on culture, history, and science, the UW community invites you to explore, learn, and connect across disciplines throughout the University. Sign up to receive a monthly notice when the ArtSci Roundup has been published. Go directly to the week you’d like to view: Week 1: September 28 – October 4 Week 2: October 5 – 11 Week 3:...

Connect, explore, get involved! Dawg Daze will take place from September 23 to October 2, 2026. It is a great way to discover resources, familiarize yourself with important campus landmarks, and connect with staff and other students at the University of Washington.

Dominic Muren, UW teaching professor of design, and Adrienne Russell, UW professor of communication, examine environmental problems from a perspective beyond the hard sciences. They spoke to UW News about what todays energy crises reveal about contemporary societies dependence on fossil fuels and how we can create a solar-powered system.

Heirs to the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott explain their ancestors wisdom and how they defend it today. Joshua Reid, associate professor of history and of American Indian studies at the UW, is quoted.

UW Communication graduate (and Tacoma restaurateur) Reginald Jacob Howell, ’16, has been taking his passion for barbecue to a national audience on “Pitmasters” from the Food Network. Can he and his best friend, Denzel Johnson, take home the $50,000 prize? Only one way to find out. UW Magazine profiles Howell, from his time at Cultivate, the UW’s campus-adjacent restaurant, to the opening of GRANN, his restaurant on 6th Ave in Tacoma, and more. Check it out!

After Iran intensified its demands over the weekend before it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump didnt threaten new strikes but instead indicated that he planned to choke Iran economically. Jamaal Muwwakkil, assistant professor of anthropology at the UW, is quoted.

Earlier this year, state officials said they would take further action to block federal immigration agencies from tapping Washington drivers data, but arrests made using driver data have been steadily climbing, a report shows. Angelina Godoy, professor of law, societies, and justice and of international studies, as well as director of the Center for Human Rights at the UW, is quoted.

Rice crops are in danger amid rising temperatures, according to a UW study. Jade d'Alpoim Guedes, an associate professor of archaeology, is quoted.

"Artificial intelligence can increasingly perform a white-collar employees tasks. What it cannot do is vouch for the result. Yet a new slasher genre, the jobs apocalypse, threatens that AI will displace the regular nine-to-five and claims to be scarier than your grandfathers zombie flick," writes Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW.

One of the most endangered sea creatures of the Pacific Ocean is getting a leg up in the kelp forests of Washingtons San Juan Islands: a 24-armed sea star called the sunflower star. Researchers are working with the Samish Indian Nation to bring this pizza-sized predator back from the brink of extinction after a vast underwater pandemic. Jason Hodin, a research scientist at the UW Friday Harbor Laboratories, is quoted. Tess Chapman, Chloe Schwab and Julia Knopf, all research assistants at the UW Friday Harbor Laboratories, are mentioned.

Nia Brice’s undergraduate experience wasn’t just about one major, one course, one project or one grade. It was about finding joy, challenging herself and redefining what it means to be resilient.

A new study from Jade d'Alpoim Guedes, UW associate professor of anthropology, warns that the future of rice arguably the most important crop on Earth is in danger. Due to rising temperatures driven by climate change, projections show that Asias major rice-producing regions may soon pass the thermal limits that have remained consistent throughout the crops history. This would create unparalleled challenges in a region where more than a billion people rely on rice cultivation for their livelihoods.

The Seattle Homelessness Count is a UW Department of Sociology project led by Professor Almquist with graduate students and UW partners. It develops and pilots new methods for counting unsheltered people experiencing homelessness, with particular attention to individuals who do not actively engage with services and are most likely to be missed by conventional enumeration.

Each May, the United States observes Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a time for the nation to commemorate and recognize the history and contributions of members within the broader AANHPI community. Because of its vast definition, the term AANHPI has drawn controversy from different communities. Connie So, teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, and Vince Schleitwiler, assistant teaching professor of American ethnic studies at the UW, are quoted.

Kasaba served as director of the Jackson School of International Studies (JSIS) for 10 years. Kasaba also served as Director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Near and Middle East Studies (NMES) intermittently between 2004 and 2024. He’s now retiring from his position after 41 years at UW.