Social Sciences

Q&A with David Kertzer: What it means to have an American pope

June 10, 2025

After the white smoke cleared, Brown papal historian David Kertzer reflected on the significance of an American pope, how the Catholic Church could change and how Italians are responding to Pope Leo XIV.

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Social Sciences

Ancient Mediterranean DNA confirms old truths: People contain multitudes

May 29, 2025

An ancient DNA study co-authored by Brown archaeologist Peter van Dommelen illustrates the complexity of human migration and identity shifts over time.

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Social Sciences

Collaborative project yields new digital archive on hidden history of Indigenous enslavement

May 7, 2025

Stolen Relations, a public database set to launch on Saturday, May 10, reveals the stories of thousands of Native people forced into servitude across the Americas.

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Social Sciences

Political economist Mark Blyth weighs in on inflation, tariffs and ‘the worst of all possible worlds’

April 14, 2025

As global financial systems react to economic shifts, a new book from the director of the Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance at Brown University explores the causes and impacts of inflation.

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Social Sciences

‘Looming in the Shadows of Lodz’: An exhibition of memory and history at the Watson Institute

February 13, 2025

A photographic journey by artist Leslie Starobin that explores Holocaust memory and family history is on view in a public exhibition on the Brown University campus through May 30.

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Social Sciences

Meet the Brown student who created New York City’s popular new traffic tracker

February 7, 2025

With support from Brown economist Emily Oster, senior Benjamin Moshes and his brother developed a website that visualizes the impacts to drivers of New York City’s recently launched congestion-pricing program.

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Social Sciences

A global economist’s take on tariffs: ‘American consumers will get hurt’

February 3, 2025

In a Q&A, Brown University Professor of Economics Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan discussed how the new presidential administration’s planned tariffs could potentially impact the U.S. economy.

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Social Sciences

New fellowship supports community-led Indigenous studies research at John Carter Brown Library

December 11, 2024

A new research fellowship is expanding access to the John Carter Brown Library’s collection of materials on early American history, including for members of Native and Indigenous tribes.

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Social Sciences

Government interventions can reduce deadly air pollution in South Asia, study finds

November 1, 2024

Through an analysis of a decade of wind, fire and health data, Assistant Professor of Political Science Gemma Dipoppa found government action can help curb dangerous air pollution in India and Pakistan.

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Social Sciences

Photography exhibition at Brown’s Watson Institute features faces of global refugee crisis

September 30, 2024

“The Power of Faces,” an exhibition by two Rhode Island-based photographers on view through Dec. 20, displays portraits of people living in refugee camps across the world.

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Social Sciences

Jasmin Elias Contreras: Supporting immigrant communities in Rhode Island

August 22, 2024

Through a summer internship at the nonprofit organization Progreso Latino, the rising Brown sophomore is assisting local community members who are navigating questions related to immigration.

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Social Sciences

Brown economist, education scholar appointed to White House Council of Economic Advisers

July 24, 2024

Matthew Kraft, whose research focuses on the economics of education, will spend a year at the White House to offer economic analysis and inform policy development at the highest level of government.

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Social Sciences

Political scientist Corey Brettschneider on the promise of ‘We the People’

June 24, 2024

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election nears, a new book from the Brown University political scientist calls attention to the power of citizens to push back against leaders who threaten democracy.

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Social Sciences

In ‘The Unexpected,’ a Brown economist shares data-driven approach to navigating pregnancy complications

May 14, 2024

Emily Oster’s new book uses data to help pregnant women make informed decisions related to complications ranging from miscarriage to postpartum depression.

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Social Sciences

Tricia Rose and ‘Metaracism:’ Unpacking the complexities of racism in housing, education and more

March 14, 2024

A leading voice on race in the U.S., the Brown University scholar shared insights from her new book, “Metaracism,” at a talk organized by Brown’s Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America.

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Social Sciences

New initiative at Brown’s Watson Institute aims to broaden access to education, careers in public policy

March 4, 2024

A new Equity in Policy Scholars pilot program at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs strives to expand representation and leadership development for the next generation of global leaders.

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Social Sciences

In public affairs course, Brown students offer policy recommendations to city facing prison closure

February 27, 2024

John Eason’s seminar gave 18 seniors the opportunity to collaborate with city officials in California, where they interviewed residents and explored ways to mitigate the negative economic impact of prison closure.

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Social Sciences

Entries from Brown anthropologist’s Pandemic Journaling Project now accessible to researchers

February 16, 2024

Accessible through a long-term home at Syracuse University, the vast repository co-founded by Brown’s Katherine A. Mason includes nearly 27,000 personal stories, photos and more from people living during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Social Sciences

New grant enables project to support early-career teachers in four Providence-area public schools

February 6, 2024

With an award from the Barr Foundation, Brown researchers will develop a pilot program to strengthen retention and training for recent Brown MAT graduates teaching in Providence, Central Falls and Pawtucket.

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Social Sciences

Logan Danker: Making advocacy and public service more accessible

November 17, 2023

By empowering a more diverse generation of future elected officials and community leaders, the Brown University senior hopes to drive inclusive policy outcomes.

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Social Sciences

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to speak at Brown about global leadership

September 29, 2023

In an Odgen Memorial Lecture on Oct. 5, Ardern will share insights from her six years as prime minister, her commitment to women’s empowerment and her passionate advocacy for climate action.

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Social Sciences

Nathalia Klipp-Elias: From Brazil to College Hill, to the halls of the Rhode Island State House

September 7, 2023

The Brown University junior explored policymaking and governance through a hands-on internship with the office of the Rhode Island governor.

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Social Sciences

Brown entrepreneurs developing innovations in STEM education, vaping cessation and more

July 7, 2023

Each year, the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship’s Breakthrough Lab supports more than a dozen student ventures through an eight-week summer accelerator that advances personal and commercial development.

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Social Sciences

Researchers find little evidence that military policing reduces crime

June 15, 2023

A team of researchers led by Brown University’s Rob Blair studied a military intervention in Cali, Colombia, and found little evidence to support the idea that military policing improves public safety.

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Social Sciences

Educational mobility gap between Muslims and Christians in Africa isn’t budging, study finds

May 25, 2023

Co-authored by a Brown economist, the study found that over the last three generations, Christian children have surpassed their parents’ level of education at a much higher rate than Muslim and traditionalist children in Africa.

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Social Sciences

In new report, Rhode Island’s Afghan refugees detail their evacuation, resettlement experiences

April 13, 2023

Co-authored by researchers at Brown and Providence’s Refugee Dream Center, the report includes passages from 32 interviews with Afghan refugees and offers eight recommendations for leaders involved in resettlement.

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Social Sciences

In congressional hearing, Brown scholar addresses tensions between U.S. and China

March 9, 2023

Speaking before the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement and Intelligence, Tyler Jost called on federal leaders to stay focused on maintaining an uneasy status quo in Taiwan.

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Social Sciences

Brown Ph.D. student uncovers early evidence of brain surgery in Ancient Near East

February 22, 2023

A recent excavation in Megiddo, Israel, unearthed the earliest example of a particular type of cranial surgery in the Ancient Near East — and potentially one of the oldest examples of leprosy in the world.

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Social Sciences

Longtime Congressman James Langevin to serve as senior fellow at Brown’s Watson Institute

January 17, 2023

The retired U.S. congressman and native Rhode Islander will lead an undergraduate study group confronting the topic of cybersecurity, giving students unique insight into his more than three decades of governing experience.

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Social Sciences

Brown’s new PPE Center applies a century-old framework to contemporary issues

November 17, 2022

Brown’s Center for Philosophy, Politics and Economics, a new hub for research, teaching and debate, is blending old and new academic traditions to confront complex social problems facing the world in the 21st century.

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Social Sciences

Six takeaways from the 2022 midterm elections, according to Brown political experts

November 10, 2022

At a panel discussion following Election Day, political scientists from Brown discussed what the midterms revealed about Americans’ views, traditional polling practices and the two major parties.

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Social Sciences

In its second year, Military Fellows program continues to bridge the civilian-military divide

November 2, 2022

The Watson Institute’s expanding Military Fellows program brings U.S. and international defense professionals to Brown for a year of courses, seminars and problem-solving conversations with policymakers and researchers.

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Social Sciences

Confronting Indigenous enslavement, one story at a time

October 5, 2022

A partner effort among Brown scholars, volunteers and Native American leaders, Stolen Relations has recovered thousands of Indigenous enslavement records, drawing attention to a topic rarely broached in school history lessons.

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Social Sciences

Taubman Center kickstarts student-led research, emphasizes focus on voting access

September 30, 2022

Wendy Schiller, director of the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy, is supporting student-led research on voting access and creating a “one-stop shop” for people to learn more about politics in the United States.

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Social Sciences

Michael Ochoa: Growing food and building community with the African Alliance of Rhode Island

September 1, 2022

As an iProv summer fellow, the rising Brown sophomore led pop-up farmers markets with the Providence nonprofit to bring locally grown, affordable produce to communities where fresh foods are harder to access.

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Social Sciences

To advance research on incarceration, Brown acquires personal papers of prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal

August 24, 2022

The prison records, correspondence and artwork of Abu-Jamal, and related materials from advocate Johanna Fernández, will anchor a collection at the John Hay Library focused on first-person accounts of incarceration.

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Social Sciences

Collaboration is key to solving the climate crisis, new IBES director says

August 17, 2022

Kim Cobb, who joined the University in July as director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, described how scholars and communities can work together to mitigate the effects of climate change.

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Social Sciences

People who disagree with scientists often overestimate their own scientific knowledge, study finds

August 9, 2022

After surveying thousands of Americans on the COVID-19 vaccine, climate change and other contested issues, scholars found a correlation between how much people think they know and deviation from scientific consensus.

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Social Sciences

Renovation of Churchill House, Rites and Reason Theatre to usher in new era for Africana studies

July 20, 2022

The 50-year home to Africana studies at Brown, Churchill House will undergo an expansion to make room for new faculty, give graduate students more space, and create new opportunities for one of America’s oldest Black theaters.

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Social Sciences

Study identifies barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake and the powerful influence of family and friends

July 20, 2022

Research led by staff from Brown’s Policy Lab found that perceptions of others’ behavior predict intentions to get vaccinated, raising implications and questions around public health policy and intervention strategies.

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Social Sciences

Using newly unsealed archives, Brown professor takes fresh lens to Pope Pius XII at war

July 15, 2022

Professor David Kertzer and his research team delved into the controversial question of Pius XII during WW-II, specifically tackling his failure to publicly condemn the Holocaust.

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Social Sciences

Program spearheaded by Brown’s Annenberg Institute translates research into results for educators

July 15, 2022

In partnership with the policy group Results for America, EdResearch for Recovery provides resources to effectively implement evidence-based strategies in schools nationwide to combat pandemic-related learning losses.

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Social Sciences

Meet the B-Lab 2022 ventures: pop-up hospital infrastructure, sustainable shopping, Caribbean history and more

June 16, 2022

The Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship’s Breakthrough Lab accelerator supports 13 student ventures through an eight-week summer accelerator that advances personal and commercial development.

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Social Sciences

Facebook whistleblower kicks off William R. Rhodes ’57 Lecture Series on Ethics of Capitalism

April 27, 2022

Frances Haugen told an audience of Brown students, faculty and staff that algorithms governing social media are the root of technology’s challenges — and that social media can be a positive force to keep people connected.

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Social Sciences

For vaccine text-message campaigns, Brown researchers confirm success is all about timing

April 6, 2022

A new study from researchers at the Policy Lab offers important information on when text-message vaccination campaigns work and when they don’t.

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Social Sciences

Brown social scientist wins prestigious Bradley Prize

March 25, 2022

The Bradley Foundation’s $250,000 award to Glenn Loury, a professor at Brown, recognizes the scholar’s influential role in promoting viewpoint diversity in academia.

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Social Sciences

Uncovering an epidemic: Student journalists and data scientists chronicle Rhode Island’s opioid crisis

March 21, 2022

A team of Brown journalism and computer science students produced a series of stories, some published and broadcast by prominent outlets, providing new insights into the Ocean State’s opioid epidemic and its human toll.

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Social Sciences

Through research collaboration, Brown scholars aim to improve experiences of refugees

March 15, 2022

Researchers at Brown’s Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies are working with the Refugee Dream Center in Providence to assess Afghan refugees’ needs and improve military-civilian partnerships across the globe.

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Social Sciences

Brown sociologist weighs in on tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border

February 16, 2022

Professor of Sociology Michael D. Kennedy provided historical background on Russia’s relationship with Ukraine and explained how the current crisis could unleash major conflicts across the globe.

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Social Sciences

Brown Class of 1991 Ph.D. graduate wins Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences

October 11, 2021

Guido Imbens, a Stanford University economist who received his Ph.D. from Brown in 1991, was recognized for his major role in analyzing causal relationships in the social sciences.

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Social Sciences

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