Affiliated Research Centers and Initiatives
Center for Cultural Studies
The Center for Cultural Studies promotes cutting-edge interdisciplinary thinking on pressing social, political, and environmental issues. Politics Department researchers participate in and present at colloquia, lectures, seminars, and events hosted by the center. The center also organizes and supports research clusters of faculty and graduate students on topics, including cultural theory, contemporary cultural production, minority discourse, and queer studies.
Center for Economic Justice and Action
The Center for Economic Justice and Action (CEJA) is committed to community-engaged action, research, and programming that alleviates poverty, reduces economic inequality, and advances the essential needs of all people. Politics Department faculty serve on the center’s leadership team and advisory board, and students can participate in fellowships, internships, and grants through the center.
Center for the Middle East and North Africa
The Politics Department at UCSC collaborates closely with the Center for the Middle East and North Africa, offering courses in the new Minor in Middle Eastern and North African Studies, such as “Middle East Politics” taught by Professor Thomas Serres and “Shariah and Political Thinking” by Professor Yasmeen Daifallah. Additionally, graduate students can apply for grants to support language study for their research.
Dolores Huerta Research Center for the Americas
The Dolores Huerta Research Center for the Americas (Huerta Center) is the first in the University of California system to advance a broad program of interdisciplinary research that brings together Chicanx/Latinx ethnics studies and Latin American area studies. Politics Department faculty members serve on the center’s executive committee and as affiliated faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students participate in research and funding opportunities through the center and its affiliated Human Rights Investigations Lab.
Institute for Social Transformation
The Institute for Social Transformation supports the development of research-based solutions that tackle the underlying systemic causes of urgent social and environmental problems. Politics Department faculty members have served on the institute’s executive board, given lectures and book talks, and received funding as faculty fellows. Students participate in research and internship opportunities through the Building Belonging and Transforming Futures programs.
Science & Justice Research Center
The Science & Justice Research Center links issues of justice and ethics with techno-scientific and biomedical practices. Politics Department faculty members participate on the center’s steering committee and as affiliated researchers. The center hosts a yearly Science & Justice Training Program for graduate students and sponsors between two and four undergraduate and graduate students per term to collaborate on research and center events and programming.
The University Library
The University Library supports the research of our faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates. The UCSC Library provides access to nearly 1.5 million volumes and extensive digital materials, databases, and archives. The Gary F. Reed Memorial Endowment for Political Theory at UCSC’s McHenry Library supports the development of a strong collection of materials on the history of political thought, social philosophy, and political theory. Students and faculty can also access the combined UC library holdings and the Stanford University libraries.
UC Center Sacramento
UC Center Sacramento (UCCS) is the University of California’s teaching, research and public-service site located one block from the State Capitol Building.
UCCS fosters public-policy research in the University of California system and disseminates the results of policy-relevant research by UC scholars.
UC Washington Center
The UC Washington Center (UCDC) is a multi-campus residential, instructional and research center that provides students and faculty from the University of California with opportunities to study, research, work, and live within Washington’s rich cultural, political, and international heritage. Faculty members can apply to host a cluster of undergraduate research interns for research projects directly related to Washington, DC.