Publications

Play is a critical input to positive child and youth development. Recess is the only time in the school day when students can learn and practice social and emotional skills as well as be physically active, connect with friends, and take a break from the structure of the classroom. Today, in the aftermath of the trauma and isolation wrought by COVID-19, California’s students need the healing time of recess. Authored by Rebecca London, Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz.

The Right to Play: A Policy Guide to California Recess PrioritiesRead More

Miriam Greenberg reflects on the CISER project No Place Like Home, which addressed the affordable housing crisis in Santa Cruz County. The power of the project, as well as the friction it caused, was rooted in the historical, political, and place-based conjuncture in which it emerged—one that made their research topic both extremely timely and divisive. Authored by Miriam Greenberg, Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz.

Community-Engaged Research (CER) in Contentious Times: Some ReflectionsRead More

Resurgent “culture wars” and American partisan politics have once again put higher education on the hot seat, and universities find themselves on the defensive, fending off charges of elitism, liberal bias, and irrelevance. Community-engaged research (CER) has become increasingly common on today’s campuses as part of this counter-campaign. McKay outlines attempts at the UCSC to develop a critical CER model. Authored by Steve McKay, Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz.

Critical Engagement: Deepening Partnerships for JusticeRead More

Rebecca London writes on her experience and expertise with community-engaged research, arguing that rather than sequester community-engaged research to the sidelines of academia, sociology should elevate it as a rigorous, theoretically rich, and ethical way to conduct research and advance social justice. Authored by Rebecca London, Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz.

Research for, by, and about the PeopleRead More

This research examines how faculty of color (FOC) experience Whiteness in structures of leadership in an HSI context, and how their own leadership perspectives and efforts reform such structures. The research highlighted how Whiteness was reflected in the structural diversity of leadership; the devaluation of leadership efforts of FOC; and in undemocratic approaches to decision-making. The research also examines how FOC reformed such structures. Co-authored by Rebecca Covarrubias, Associate Professor of Psychology, and Katherine Quinteros, graduate student in Psychology.

Faculty of Color Exposing and Reforming Structures of Whiteness in LeadershipRead More

This policy brief provides guidance on frameworks and tools that can accelerate progress towards a more inclusive economic recovery in the Salton Sea region of inland Southern California. Co-authored by the UC Santa Cruz Institute for Social Transformation, UC Riverside Center for Social Innovation, and Alianza Coachella Valley.

Our Salton Sea: Where Theory Meets Practice on Inclusive Economic DevelopmentRead More

Santa Cruz County, well known for its beaches, university, and laid-back culture, has recently become renowned for another feature: It is one of the least affordable areas to live. This report is the culmination of a three-year research project, conducted by faculty and students at UC Santa Cruz, with the goal of understanding the affordable housing crisis and its lessons for the region and beyond. Co-authored by Miriam Greenberg, Steven McKay, James Sirigotis, and Thao Le from UC Santa Cruz.

No Place Like Home: Affordable Housing in Crisis, Santa Cruz County, CARead More

Youth organizations have long played a central role in promoting young people’s engagement in democratic processes. Yet the civic infrastructure to support youths’ engagement in policy change and voter engagement efforts remains uneven across the state of California. This report takes stock of emerging youth power in the Inland Empire by describing and contextualizing key youth-serving organizations. Co-authored by Veronica Terriquez, Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz.

Emerging Youth Power in the Inland EmpireRead More

The UC Santa Cruz Blum Center on Poverty, Social Enterprise, and Participatory Governance and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County partnered to calculate a food insecurity index, a tool to better understand food insecurity in our community. June 2021 report by David Amaral and Heather Bullock of the UC Santa Cruz Blum Center.

Food Insecurity in Santa Cruz CountyRead More

This report is the first product of Campus + Community, a developing community-engaged scholarship center at UCSC. It details results from a campus-wide survey of UC Santa Cruz faculty and staff about their community-engaged research and teaching. Report authored by Rebecca London, Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz and Faculty Director of Campus + Community.

Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Service at UC Santa CruzRead More

This report details how grassroots youth organizing groups can create inclusive spaces for young Queer and Trans Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (QTBIPOC) to lead and be heard, even when their campaign work may not necessarily focus on addressing gender and sexuality issues. Co-authored by Veronica Terriquez, Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz.

Creating Inclusive Spaces for Queer and Trans Youth of Color: Lessons from Grassroots Youth OrganizationsRead More

Technology has facilitated the accelerated growth of e-commerce and food delivery jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. But these jobs often suffer from low wages and limited access to legal rights and benefits, and the passage of Proposition 22 in California this fall exacerbates the problem, according to a new report by the UC Berkeley Labor Center and Working Partnerships USA. Co-authored by Chris Benner, Director of the Institute for Social Transformation.

Delivering Insecurity: E-commerce and the Future of Work in Food RetailRead More