Social Justice

Erasmo Gamboa, UW associate professor of ethnic studies, is leading an effort to repurpose the roofing, walls and window frames of three decrepit cabins.

Varsha Govindaraju, a senior student majoring in anthropology and law, societies, and justice with minors in human rights and diversity was recently selected as a 2015-16 Luce Scholar.

Thanks to scholarship support, Dashni Amin was able to draw inspiration from her parents’ sacrifices — and prepare herself for a future of helping others.

Rita Zawaideh ('75), owner of a successful tour company, uses her talents and connections to organize medical missions in the Middle East.

Would you have been eligible for U.S. citizenship in the late 1700s? The late 1800s? A new course looks at evolving citizenship laws and what they say about our nation.

For students on a CHID program in Europe, visits with the Roma community (commonly known as Gypsies) challenged persistent stereotypes.

UW students and prison inmates met weekly for a senior seminar—a "mixed enrollment" class in which the two groups worked together as peers.

The next time visit Starbucks, give a nod to Ann Burkhart ('90), who focuses on the ethical sourcing of ingredients in Starbucks' food products.

Philosophy graduate student Amy Reed-Sandoval has spent the past three summers leading a philosophy program for children in Oaxaca, Mexico, guiding conversations on everything from individual rights to the nature of happiness.

Students and faculty in the UW's Center for Human Rights, working with a partner organization in El Salvador, are helping Salvadorans seek justice for crimes committed during El Salvador's brutal civil war.

Five UW graduate students recently developed The Pivot Project, aimed at combating human trafficking. Their weapon of choice? Design. The project won the 2013 Design Ignites Change Idea Award and is a finalist in the Industrial Designers Society of America’s Ideas competition.

Graham Pruss knows a thing or two about being homeless, having lived through some tough times on the streets as a teen. So when he noticed a growing number of people living in their vehicles in his Seattle neighborhood, he was determined to help.

The growing trend of allowing police to "banish" citizens from certain neighborhoods is explored in Banished: The New Social Control in Urban America, by UW Professors Katherine Beckett and Steve Herbert.

The new Center for Human Rights, based in the College of Arts and Sciences with Angelina Godoy as director, hopes to encourage broad collaboration on human rights issues. “It’s gratifying to see how readily colleagues across the campus have embraced the Center’s interdisciplinary vision,” says Godoy. 

When the economy floundered, Chinese migrant workers were among the largest casualties globally, in part because of a Maoist-era institution known as hukou that continues to function in China today, creating two levels of citizenship.