In the face of increasing development opportunities in the Salton Sea region, this report analyzes the opportunities and challenges for ensuring that any future local development projects foster an inclusive, sustainable, and equitable economy. Authored by UC Santa Cruz graduate students, Nate Edenhofer and Alejandro Artiga-Purcell.
Publications
Faculty diversity in California environmental studies departments: implications for student learning
Funded in part by the institute’s Building Belonging program research fellowships, this study examines trends in environmental studies departments in California. Using survey data collected from faculty within 22 such departments in the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems, this study explores the demographic characteristics of faculty in these departments, how these demographics are related to tenure status, and the implications of these results for student success.
The Right to Play: A Policy Guide to California Recess Priorities
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
Community-Engaged Research (CER) in Contentious Times: Some Reflections
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
Critical Engagement: Deepening Partnerships for Justice
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
Research for, by, and about the People
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.
Faculty of Color Exposing and Reforming Structures of Whiteness in Leadership
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
Our Salton Sea: Where Theory Meets Practice on Inclusive Economic Development
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
No Place Like Home: Affordable Housing in Crisis, Santa Cruz County, CA
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
Emerging Youth Power in the Inland Empire
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.
Food Insecurity in Santa Cruz County
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.
What We Learned About Teachers During the Pandemic: A Series
Funded in part by the institute’s Building Belonging program research fellowships, this series by Lora Bartlett, shows how teachers went from making school happen to having little say in planning for an unprecedented year. View the full series and the researcher’s methodology here.
What We Learned About Teachers During the Pandemic: A SeriesRead More