Cities
Interview
A Photographic Interview: Kaily Heitz on Black Oakland
Kaily Heitz, who earned her PhD from the UC Berkeley Department of Geography in 2021, studies how concepts of Blackness and Black culture are deployed in the making and marketing of Oakland, California. Her dissertation, entitled “Oakland is a Vibe: Blackness, Cultural Framings and Emancipations of The Town,” draws on Black feminist geographies and media studies to understand contemporary conflicts over gentrification in “The Town.” This interview by Julia Sizek, a PhD candidate in the UC Berkeley Department of Anthropology, revolves around images from Kaily’s work that help reveal the arguments of her work.
Learn More >Social Science / Data Science
Recap
Julia Lane, NYU: “Democratizing our Data”
On August 26, 2021, Social Science Matrix and the D-Lab presented a lecture by Julia Lane, Professor at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, at the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress, and a NYU Provostial Fellow for Innovation Analytic. The talk, entitled "Democratizing Our Data," provided an overview of a research collaboration designed to improve the sharing of data across state agencies.
Learn More >California Spotlight
Interview
Kate Pennington on Gentrification and Displacement in San Francisco
What impact does new housing have on rents, displacement, and gentrification in the surrounding neighborhood? Read our interview with economist Kate Pennington about her article, "Does Building New Housing Cause Displacement?:The Supply and Demand Effects of Construction in San Francisco.”
Learn More >Methods
Interview
Metaketa: A Collaborative Model for Social Science Research
We interviewed Thad Dunning, Robson Professor of Political Science at UC Berkeley, about his work on the Metaketa Initiative, a new model for collaborative research, and about his research on how the dissemination of information about candidates influences voter behavior.
Learn More >Matrix News
Interview
Q&A with David Robinson, Visiting Scholar at Social Science Matrix
Social Science Matrix is honored to welcome David Robinson as a Visiting Scholar for the 2021-2022 academic year. A distinguished researcher working at the intersection of law, policy, and technology, David studies the design and management of algorithmic decision-making, particularly in the public sector. We interviewed David to learn more about his research interests and the projects he will be pursuing while at UC Berkeley.
Learn More >Race
Interview
A Q&A with Social Psychologist Jack Glaser on Racial Bias and Policing
Jack Glaser, Professor in the Goldman School of Public Policy, is a social psychologist whose primary research interest is in stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. He investigates the implications of racial profiling and other forms of bias in law enforcement. We spoke with Professor Glaser for his insights on bias in policing in the wake of the past year's protests for racial justice and police reform.
Learn More >Matrix News
News
Matrix Announces 2021-2022 Research Teams
How are digital technologies re-shaping property and development? How are unionized employees in the energy sector experiencing climate change? What are the impacts of Chinese surveillance systems deployed across the Global South? These are among the diverse questions that will be addressed by the eight Matrix Research Teams to be funded by Social Science Matrix during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Learn More >Matrix On Point
Recap
Matrix on Point: America’s Pursuit of Racial Justice
A "Matrix on Point" panel on the long (and continuing) struggle for racial justice in America led to a thought-provoking conversation among Professors Monica Bell, from Yale Law School; Leigh Raiford, from UC Berkeley; and Brandon M. Terry, from Harvard University. Moderated by UC Berkeley's Christopher Muller.
Learn More >Matrix Book Salon
Recap
Matrix Book Salon: “Race to the Bottom: How Racial Appeals Work in American Politics”
Recorded on May 7, 2021, this UC Berkeley Social Science Matrix Book Salon featured the book, "Race to the Bottom: How Racial Appeals Work in American Politics," by LaFleur Stephens-Dougan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics at Princeton University, who was joined in conversation by Taeku Lee, Professor of Political Science and Law at UC Berkeley.
Learn More >Other Events
News
2021 Social Sciences Fest and Matrix Open House
On April 9, faculty members and graduate students from across the UC Berkeley Division of Social Sciences joined together online for the 2021 Social Sciences Fest and Matrix Open House, a celebration of the past year's accomplishments of the division.
Learn More >Matrix On Point
Recap
The Long History and Present Surge of Anti-Asian Violence
Recorded on April 1, 2021, this panel — presented as part of the Berkeley Conversations and Matrix on Point series — considered the long history of anti-Asian racism and present-day patterns linked to the pandemic and to cultural anxieties about Asian ascendancy and Western decline.
Learn More >Solidarity and Strife
Recap
Beyond Competition: Alternative Discovery Procedures & The Postcapitalist Public Sphere
On March 19, 2021, Matrix presented a lecture by Evgeny Morozov, author of The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom. Presented as part of the SSRC-sponsored research initiative, "Solidarity and Strife: Democracies in a Time of Pandemic.”
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