Social Sciences Division

Microsoft is spending $4 billion dollars on workshops, technology, and other initiatives to get artificial intelligence into the hands of millions of people around the world. So, what does it mean for all of us? Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.

Democrats are grappling with how to up their game on social media following an election cycle where they acknowledged they were trounced by Republicans on platforms like X, Instagram, and YouTube.Adrienne Russell, professor of communication and co-director of the UW Center for Journalism, Media and Democracy, is quoted.

Activists also say King County officials arent being transparent enough about the flights in and out of Boeing Field. 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.

Putting aerosols in the stratosphere to reflect sunlight could prevent the shutdown of key ocean currents, but only if it is done soon, a computer model suggests. Stephen Gardiner, professor of philosophy at the UW, is quoted.

Throughout history, iterations of the waterfront have propelled Seattle and reflected the citys essential character. Thats why the latest, revamped version of the space is so important, aside from its $800 million price tag. Will the new waterfront reconnect residents with the Salish Sea? Cater to selfie-taking tourists? Build Seattles global brand? The project says something about the city today and where it could be headed next. James Gregory, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

The billionaire isn't the first to decide he can do politics better than the parties. The public isn't so sure. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

Inspired by her family’s journey, Kimberly Il found her voice — and her future in the field of law — at the University of Washington.

Meet the four graduating students selected by the College of Arts & Sciences as 2025 Graduate Medalists for their accomplishments. 

Four days before President Donald Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes of three Iranian nuclear sites, State Rep. Darya Farivar issued a notice about growing fear within Washingtons Iranian community. Her June 18 statement described families watching in anguish as loved ones faced violence abroadwords that would prove tragically prophetic when Operation Midnight Hammer struck Irans Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities on June 22. Aria Fani, assistant professor of Middle Eastern languages and culture, and Reat Kasaba, professor of international studies, are quoted.

"What might the virtual assistant in your phone sound like if the artificial intelligence that powered it emerged from the consciousness of a Black girl from Chicago?" writes Timeka Tounsel, associate professor of Black studies in communication at the UW. Golden M. Owens, assistant professor of cinema & media studies at the UW, is quoted.

Meet the four new graduates honored as College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Medalists for 2025. 

From promoting punk bands to designing light festivals, Terry Morgan has shaped Seattle’s cultural landscape for over 50 years. As an African American studies major at the UW, Morgan, ’76, studied widely outside his major, learning video art from art faculty Bill Ritchie and electronic music from Glenn White.

In the spring of 1970, a group of Native American students brainstormed ways to prioritize Native studies at the UW. By fall, the American Indian Studies Center was formed, with faculty from across campus teaching anthropology, art, and history from a Native perspective. Five faculty from the department share their thoughts on 55 years of Native knowledge at the UW.

Carl Hagenbeck believed that animals should be housed in habitats that mimicked their natural environment. Earlier, hed followed the same guiding philosophy when exhibiting Indigenous people in human zoos. Karen S. Emmerman, affiliate instructor of philosophy at the UW, is quoted.

Brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, can help people with severe injuries or impairments regain the ability to communicate or move their arms and legs through robotic substitutes. The devices, which are about the size of a dime and are implanted on the surface of a persons brain, serve as a communication link between the brains neural...