Social Sciences Division

Our primate ancestors might have become “protomusical” to advertise their ability to perform death-defying leaps from tree to tree. David Schruth, a postdoctoral researcher in anthropology at the UW, is referenced.

Teachers across the state waded into lessons about the attack on the U.S. Capitol and other conversations about racism and politics, seeing these events as opportunities for critical thinking and their classes as important spaces to tackle misinformation and hate speech. Jake Grumbach, assistant professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

Hanson Hosein, co-director of the UW’s Communication Leadership program, says that the President Trump’s use of social media to incite unrest is forcing social media companies to accept their role as media companies, accountable for the content that passes through their platforms.

Professor of philosophy Michael Blake's new book "Justice, Migration, & Mercy" has been named one of the Best of 2020 Philosophy from Oxford University Press.

James Long, associate professor of political science at the UW, says that President Trump has been riling up his supporters ever since he entered the political arena, so it's reasonable to be anxious about the two weeks until President-elect Biden's inauguration.

A politically charged mob, egged on by the sitting president, overran the U.S. Capitol and brought democracy to a halt. Members of our state's congressional delegation shares their experiences. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.

Calls to invoke a never-before-used section of the Constitution’s 25th Amendment prior to President Donald Trump’s concession Thursday evening would have been a difficult task, local experts said. Margaret O’Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

“The choice of Garland is a good indication — both for better and for worse — of what can be expected of a Biden administration: competent governance that is more moderate than the progressive wing of the Democratic Party would prefer,” writes Scott Lemieux, assistant teaching professor of political science at the UW.

Tinder, Grindr and other dating apps have a reputation for encouraging casual hookups, but a new study suggests app users may be looking for — and finding — love in all the right places after all. Pepper Schwartz, professor of sociology at the UW, is quoted.

As the mob scenes of Trump supporters rioting at the U.S. Capitol unfolded, so did conversations about another familiar scene — from Black Lives Matters events. Jake Grumbach, assistant professor of political science at the UW, is interviewed.

Mark Smith, professor of political science at the UW, puts the rioting at the U.S. Capitol in historical context and calls it an attempted coup.

During this time of uncertainty and isolation, find solace in digital opportunities to connect, share, and engage. This week, join a drop-in meditation session, listen to a lecture on critical issues in contemporary art, and more.

Owen L. Oliver, senior studying American Indian Studies, has developed an Indigenous walking tour of the UW.

“Might a singular focus on zero emissions lead to the neglect of climate adaptation policies that have less media appeal? As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, climate policy should pay attention to two important but neglected issues: how the electric car industry will source inputs — such as copper, cobalt, nickel and lithium — and, because climate change is already underway, how prepared countries and cities are to adapt to different dimensions of climate change,” write Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs at the UW, and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW.

The department of American ethnic studies (AES) takes pride in its strong focus on issues of social justice, equality, and civil rights — especially as it pertains to those U.S. groups that have been historically subjected to exclusion and marginalization.