Social Studies
MN
Sociology
Enriching social scientific understandings of the complex problems societies face today.
The Minnesota Population Center
“To advance knowledge of human populations and institutions across time and space with a focus on health, well-being, economic and demographic behavior, and human-environment interactions.”
This is the mission statement of the Minnesota Population Center (MPC), located on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota Campus and founded in July 2000. The MPC is…
The First Step Act and the Implementation of Criminal Justice Reform
Given the current polarization of American politics, it often comes as a pleasant surprise when Republicans and Democrats can agree on new legislation. This was exactly the case for the passage of the First Step Act in Congress, a criminal justice reform measure aimed at reducing prison sentences and increasing prison programming in the federal […]
The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Nearly three-quarters of a century has passed since the Holocaust. Each year, this tragedy becomes more confined to the past, as there are fewer survivors around to share their stories. Since its inception more than two decades ago, the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (CHGS) has made it its mission to keep the memory…
Heading Home After Hurricanes
Research from UMN Sociologist Jack DeWaard shows how people head home after massive storms.
The Return of Rehabilitation? Educational Programs for Prisoners Remain Inadequate
Up until the 2016 presidential election, criminologists saw increasingly hopeful signs that a new “smart on crime” political alignment was emergent: imprisonment rates (and crime) were declining, tough-on-crime policies were becoming increasingly unpopular among both Democrats and Republicans, and “rehabilitation” was reentering the criminal justice lexicon […]
Atheists Still “Other”?
Ten years ago, Penny Edgell, Joseph Gerteis, and Doug Hartmann published a paper with a surprising finding: atheists were the most disliked minority group in the United States. Has that changed?
What Americans Believe about Voting Rights for Criminals
Politicians argue over whether former inmates can and should vote, but citizens are increasingly unified in their position. Sociologist Chris Uggen provides a public opinion brief through the Scholars Strategy Network.
Crime and Punishment---Do We Need a Fresh Start?
Drawing on his wide-ranging research, a leading SSN sociologist argues that now is the time to revamp America’s troubled criminal justice system.
In an enlightening forum at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs sponsored by Minneapolis-St. Paul SSN, Christopher Uggen discussed the state of criminal justice in America with district court judge…
About Social Studies MN
Social Studies MN is a partnership between the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts and The Society Pages. We highlight cutting edge research, teaching, and community engagement within CLA, and we hope to showcase such material to viewers like you.
