Programs & Initiatives

Social Science Matrix sponsors an array of multi-disciplinary research initiatives at UC Berkeley.

Reimagining Democracy: A Town Hall Series at UC Berkeley

Presented as part of UC Berkeley's Light the Way campaign, Social Science Matrix — together with the College of Letters & Science and other units on campus — are gathering UC Berkeley's best to launch a university-wide effort to help society reimagine democracy

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Solidarity and Strife: Democracies in a Time of Pandemic

Social Science Matrix and D-Lab have received a grant from the Social Science Research Council’s Social Data Research and Dissertation Fellowship program to pursue a new, year-long initiative entitled “Solidarity and Strive: Democracies in a Time of Pandemic.”

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Matrix On Point

Matrix On Point is a new “brown bag” series promoting focused, cross-disciplinary conversations on today’s most pressing contemporary issues—topics such as Brexit, climate change, voting rights, and food security. Offering opportunities for scholarly exchange and interaction, each Matrix On Point will feature the perspectives of leading scholars and specialists from different disciplines, followed by an open conversation. These thought-provoking events are free and open to the public.

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“Authors Meet Critics” Book Series

Social Science Matrix's new "Authors Meet Critics" book series features lively discussions about recently published books by social scientists at UC Berkeley. For each event, the author will discuss the key arguments of their book with fellow scholars. These events are free and open to the public. Visit our Events Page for details about upcoming "Authors Meet Critics" events. Or visit this page to see videos from past events.

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Matrix Solidarity Series

The Matrix Solidarity Series features talks and panels that explore—and critique—the ethical foundations, concrete implementations, and prospective designs that have fostered or may foster connectedness, inclusiveness, and tolerance in a fragmented, exclusionary, and uncharitable world. These conversations are meant to serve as an argument on behalf of the premises and practices of solidarity, and an exposition of the potential of the social sciences to contribute to it.

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Matrix Research Teams

Matrix Research Teams are groups of scholars who gather regularly to explore or develop a novel question of significance in the social sciences. Successful research teams integrate participants from several social-science disciplines and diverse ranks (i.e. faculty and graduate students); address a compelling research question with real-world significance; and deploy or develop appropriate methodologies in creative ways. Matrix teams may address any social science research question, theoretical or empirical, drawing on any of the social sciences.

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