
Our Mission
Rooted in the Social Sciences Division at UC Santa Cruz, the institute supports innovative scholarship that changes the world. The institute is a critical intellectual and social hub, connecting scholars across UC Santa Cruz and partners beyond the University, developing research-based solutions to urgent problems in the world.
Events of Interest
Norris Center for Natural History: 50 Years of Wonder Weekend
Invite your friends and family to join the rest of the UCSC natural history community at this weekend reunion celebration in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Join us to reminisce, reconnect, celebrate, network, and envision what the next 50 years of natural history will look like at UC Santa Cruz.
Find out more »RCA 30th Anniversary Celebration: Sharing Futures, Speaking Truths
A 30th anniversary celebration of the RCA will be an event not to be missed! It will be held at the Cowell Hay Barn on October 20, 2022 and feature …
Find out more »All-In: Co-Creating Knowledge for Justice Conference
Save the date and be a part of this 3-day national conference that focuses on sharing strategies to expand and deepen collaborative approaches for the truly equitable co-production of knowledge. We will explore the dynamic links between campus-community partnerships, hands-on research, and student-community engagement. Together we can build partnerships for change.
Find out more »John R Lewis College presents: Students as Agents of Transformative Change
“Every generation leaves behind a legacy. What that legacy will be is determined by the people of that generation. What legacy do you want to leave behind?” ― John Lewis, Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America
Featuring Xavier Livermon, Ileana Waddy, Ivan Vega,Mak Aruta Konefał, Chris Cuadrado. Watch it here >>
#WeChooseNow: Climate Justice From the Southern Frontlines
On April 4th, Colette Pichon Battle, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy, was in conversation with UC Santa Cruz professor Flora Lu and graduate student Chris Lang. They discussed the urgent need: to stop investing in the same extractive industries that divide and harm us; to demand that corporations pay their fair share on an equitable and transformative recovery; to rebuild our communities better; and to act from a position of love and abundance together.