Social Sciences (Faculty & Staff)

Today, we are living increasingly longer lives compared to 150 years ago. However, the question is, can that trend go on?

The Human Mortality Database (HMD), operated jointly by Berkeley Demography researchers, processes data that can help answer that question.

Co-led by Demography researcher Magali Barbieri, HMD is a collaboration between Berkeley and two other organizations, the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Germany and the French Institute for Demographic Studies in Paris....

There’s been a long standing debate why living standards are so different around the world. Even with talented workers, labor and capital investment, for example, there are clear economic disparities between East Africa and the United States.

UC Berkeley economics Professor Miguel’s research indicates that part of the answer could be something called “slack.” This occurs when workers or resources are underutilized due to low or inconsistent customer demand.

Professor Miguel focused his research on Kenya in...

UC Berkeley’s Social Sciences Division recently celebrated its faculty and staff at Social Sciences Fest, an annual gathering dedicated to recognizing the remarkable contributions and accomplishments of the Berkeley Social Sciences community.

Berkeley Social Sciences Dean Raka Ray welcomed guests by first acknowledging the current challenges facing higher education, while commending faculty and staff for remaining dedicated to Berkeley’s core values during these uncertain times.

“Through it all, you remain...

As tariff policy in the U.S. continues to rapidly evolve, UC Berkeley faculty weighed in on how these changes could impact trade, the economy, employment and international relations.

At a recent panel discussion titled “The New Tariff Regime: How the Trump Administration Is Upending the Global Trade Order,” Economics Chair and Professor Andrés Rodriguez-Clare, Economics and Political Science Professor Barry Eichengreen and Berkeley Haas Professor Matilde Bombardini spoke about the impact of the Administration’s tariff policies....