Social Sciences

A UC Berkeley professor explains the thorny history of love, sex and marriage

February 26, 2026

On the first day of his seminar on the history of love, sex and marriage in the United States, David Henkin introduces UC Berkeley students to a Frank Sinatra song: “Love and marriage / Go together like a horse and carriage / This I tell you, brother / You can’t have one without the other,” Sinatra croons.

Then Henkin asks his students to compare the 1955 tune with a very different text: Chief Justice Anthony Kennedy’s opinion in...

Berkeley Social Sciences Strategic Plan

Following more than a year of consultation, the Social Science Dean’s Office has identified a series of priorities that will guide us over the next five to seven years. On campus, we will engage our diverse student populations, both undergraduate and graduate. We will continue to ensure opportunities for them to develop analytical skills, preparing them to be honest and ethical members of society– while also preparing them for the twenty-first century workplace. We will continue supporting real innovation through social science research. More than ever before, we will seek to share our...

UC Berkeley Social Sciences charts its future with new strategic plan

February 19, 2026

UC Berkeley's Division of Social Sciences has unveiled a new five-year strategic plan aimed at strengthening its leadership in social science research, education and community engagement in California and around the world.

Developed after more than a year of consultation with faculty, staff and students, the plan focuses on equipping students and faculty with the skills, training and resources needed to address complex societal challenges.

Berkeley Social Sciences Dean Raka Ray, who spearheaded the plan, emphasized the importance of the social sciences in today's rapidly...

African American Studies Professor Named 2026 Gordon Parks Genevieve Young Fellow

February 12, 2026

UC Berkeley African American Studies Professor Leigh Raiford has been named the 2026 Gordon Parks Genevieve Young Fellow. The prestigious, invitation-only fellowship provides $25,000 to “support the research, development and publication of a new project” related to the work of the famed African American photographer Gordon Parks.

Before arriving at Berkeley in 2004, Professor...

New sociology book explores how personal relationships change over a lifetime

February 12, 2026

From graduating college to dealing with health problems, major life changes can disrupt our social world. A forthcoming book, “Personal Networks over the Life Course: Dynamic Perspectives,” which was written by scholars from UC Berkeley and other institutions, examines how and why our relationships change over a lifetime.

The researchers found that major life events can strain or break some relationships. For example, moving to a new country or graduating college can cause people to lose touch with friends. However, most people eventually...

Geography instructor and students explore Oakland through community-based scholarship

December 18, 2025

Urban inequality is often taught through theory and statistics. But for UC Berkeley Geography Continuing Lecturer Seth Lunine, the most meaningful insights come from spending time with the Bay Area communities who live the realities that students study.

At a recent Social Matrix event, titled “Promise & Precarity: Exploring Oakland Through Community-Engaged Scholarship,” Lunine discussed how he combines classroom learning on racialized inequalities in urban...

Linguistics professor discusses AI’s role in scientific discovery at OpenAI Forum

February 10, 2026

At a recent forum hosted at the OpenAI headquarters in San Francisco, Linguistics Professor Gašper Beguš discussed how AI can act as a catalyst for biological discovery and a bridge between animal and human communication.

He highlighted his recent study with Project CETI, where he serves as...