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Welcome to the November issue of the Social Sciences E-News Upcoming Events
Social Sciences Pass it on Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Email us to subscribe. |
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Election 2010 Media highlights featuring UCI social scientists
Political perspective New book by political scientist Katherine Tate examines the transforming role of Black political incorporation and public opinion
Will we ever have high-speed trains? New York Times op-ed by Jan Brueckner, economics professor and department chair
Jeff Barrett, logic & philosophy of science professor, is named UCI Chancellor's Fellow Two-year fellowship includes $50,000 research support
Mizuko "Mimi" Ito awarded Macarthur Foundation Chair in Digital Media and Learning Five-year renewable appointment split jointly between UCI School of Social Sciences and Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences
Waging peace UCI's Olive Tree Initiative takes third trip to the Middle East, branches out to three campuses and garners national honors
Biking banditos bestowing burritos Social Sciences undergrads help out Santa Ana's homeless
Dalai Lama Scholarship goes to students promoting compassionate healing Bethel Mesgana, bio sci and sociology major, and Doug Cheung, neurobiology and psychology & social behavior major, will develop undergraduate course on holistic healthcare
SPOTLIGHT EVENT: Inaugural Chew-Liang Research Program Lecture Wednesday, November 10 @ 3:00 p.m.
SPOTLIGHT EVENT: Social Sciences Expert Speaker Series 2010-11 November 16, 2010 | February 24, 2011 | April 14, 2011
Mid-Term Election Analysis Update on the Economy Making Sense of Information Overload SPOTLIGHT EVENT: Collaborative Conversations on the Continent: Report from Ghana Trip Thursday, November 18 @ 3:30 p.m. in Social Science Plaza A, Room 1100
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The 2010 mid-term election was a busy one for UCI social scientists. As experts on contemporary issues of individuals, economies, societies and institutions at the local and global level, their opinions are frequently sought by local and national media. Check out Social Sciences in the Media for a full listing of election and other topical news clips featuring UCI social scientists. 
The 2010 midterm election was an historic one for the Democratic Party, says UCI political scientist Katherine Tate, as a record 48 African American congressional candidates ran on the official party ticket. On the right, 14 African American candidates ran as Republican Party nominees. In her new book, What's Going On? Political Incorporation and the Transformation of Black Public Opinion, Tate examines factors behind the changing tide of Black political incorporation and public opinion. Using survey data, she finds that African Americans have shifted from their far left liberal position of the 1960s and 70s to a now less ardent stance, a move which has put Blacks more closely in line mainstream Democratic views and prompted greater political party participation. Here, she provides a snapshot of her findings.
High-speed rail systems look very appealing, whizzing people to their destinations with great comfort and convenience, while generating minimal environmental impact. Even if you build it, passengers may not come. Building such a system from scratch is exceedingly expensive, and recouping an appreciable part of the cost through fares is only possible when the traffic density on the route is very high. In other words, high-speed trains must be full and frequent in order for the system to have a chance of making economic sense. While these conditions are satisfied in Japan, where the bullet train network runs through densely populated areas and is now operated at maximum capacity, it is doubtful that the new systems being considered in the U.S. can meet this test. 
Jeffrey Barrett, logic & philosophy of science professor and department chair, has been awarded the title of Chancellor's Fellow, effective through June 30, 2012. The title recognizes scholars of exceptional value to the university whose recent achievements in scholarship show extraordinary promise for world-class contributions to knowledge. The honor also includes $25,000 per year to support research efforts during the two-year term. Barrett's research interests include philosophy of science and physics, quantum mechanics and theory of knowledge. He is currently working to better understand the quantum measurement problem and quantum theorist Hugh Everett, III's many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Mizuko "Mimi" Ito, UCI anthropology and informatics professor, has been named the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Chair in Digital Media and Learning. Created in 2009 from an endowment fund originally established by the Foundation at the University of California, Berkeley, the digital media and learning initiative aims to determine how digital media are changing the way young people learn, play, socialize and participate in civic life. Ito's five-year renewable appointment is in the Department of Anthropology in the School of Social Sciences and the Department of Informatics in the Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences. Ito additionally serves as research director of the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub in the University of California Humanities Research Institute. 
For three years, UC Irvine's Olive Tree Initiative has provided a forum for open, respectful dialogue on the Middle East conflict among students of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. OTI member Dana Aryan, a second-year biological sciences major, was reminded of the need for this last month during the organization's third student trip to the region.
Anthony Singhavong, a fourth-year student at UC Irvine, was attending NewSong Community Church in the spring of 2009 when Pastor Tony Kim spoke about the importance of serving the community. "They're just really big on inspiring the younger generation," Singhavong said about his church. Kim mentioned the Burrito Project, a nationwide relief effort involving groups making burritos for the homeless. The project won the first MySpace Impact Award in 2006 and there are now Burrito Projects all over the United States, from Los Angeles to Detroit. The church was going to start one in northern Orange County. Singhavong knew he wanted to be part of the project, but he had a different plan. "We had this vision of [the Burrito Project] being run by college students," Singhavong said.
Two UC Irvine seniors dedicated to compassionate healing have been awarded the 2010-11 XIV Dalai Lama Endowed Scholarship, established at UCI in 2004 to recognize students committed to ethical leadership, peace and positive global relations. Bethel Mesgana, biological sciences and sociology major, and Doug Cheung, neurobiology and psychology & social behavior major, will receive $7,500 each and share an additional $2,500 to create an undergraduate course and public forum promoting the holistic understanding of illness and healing. The class will feature lessons in psychiatry, geriatrics and family medicine. People with chronic diseases or terminal illnesses will also speak about the importance of sensitive and compassionate care. A panel of experts, patients and caregivers will participate in a public forum next spring.
Established in the Center for Asian Studies in 2010, the Chew-Liang Program's mission is to promote a better understanding of rural issues among urban scholars and policy makers. Its goal is to support a U.S.-China academic exchange program that highlights first-person rural experience. Ultimately, the program aims to improve the well being of Chinese rural people and human welfare in the world at large. This month, the Center for Asian Studies presents the Frank Chew and Katherine Liang Chew Chinese Rural Development Research Program Inaugural Lecture: "Sustainable Development and Rural Reconstruction in China," with Dr. Wen Tiejen, Professor and Dean, School of Agriculture and Rural Development, Renmin University of China. 
What do the mid-term election results mean for California and the nation? Where do economists stand on nuclear energy, airline mergers, and the state of California's business climate and high speed rail projections? How do people remember, think, make decisions and use language in an information overloaded digital age? In the second annual Social Sciences Expert Speaker Series, UCI social scientists investigate these and other issues that impact the daily lives of Californians and global citizens. Join us to learn how social sciences research is making a difference. 
In cooperation with the Center for International Education (CIE) at UCI, the International Studies Program is presenting a special International Studies Public Forum for International Education Week. For the past year, an interdisciplinary group of UCI scholars have been studying the story of Ghana, West Africa, from its history, language and cultural connections to the U.S. to its present day attention as the focus of celebrity humanitarian interest. The group, which includes undergraduates and graduate students as well as recent alumni and faculty from the arts, computer sciences, humanities, public health and social sciences, traveled to the University of Ghana August 14 to September 5 where they used dance as their gateway for studying and experiencing the region first hand. Come listen as the scholars share their experiences and findings. |
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