SSRC

Since 1947, Items has served as a platform for sharing SSRC's work and fostering broader conversations about the social sciences. Our new newsletter continues that tradition; each month, we'll resurface legacy pieces, spotlight SSRC fellows, and highlight new scholarship.

“People who live in Palos Verdes have a different life expectancy than the average LA County and California resident, a new study shows.” SSRC’s @MOA_org has published a new report on Los Angeles County, cited in this article on life expectancy: patch.com/california/pal…

Register for free: tickets.newmuseum.org/orders/177/tic…

On April 16th, SSRC’s Just Tech and NEW INC will host a public conversation exploring how artists engage artificial intelligence, featuring Just Tech Fellows @RonMorrison_, @deedottiedot, and @laurenleemack, in conversation with X.A. Li and @nabihasyed.

In @apsrjournal, a study by Guadalupe Tuñón examining bishops who supported state-led redistribution argues that the relationship between religion and electoral politics is shaped by the beliefs and preferences of religious leaders.

For SSRC's Just Tech, Anna Beers examines how disinformation campaigns can uniquely affect algorithmically generated summaries, shown through a case study of anti-transgender disinformation campaigns in the United States. just-tech.ssrc.org/articles/anti-…

“How long a Los Angeles County resident lives can depend on where they live in the area, and the gap between the county’s richest and poorest communities has gotten wider over the past decade.” Read more about @MOA_org’s new report in @LAist: laist.com/news/health/li…

I’ll Samba Someplace Else: A Spatial History of Race, Ethnicity, and Displacement in São Paulo, by Andrew Britt, a historian and former IDRF fellow, will be published by @DukePress this month. Learn more: dukeupress.edu/ill-samba-some…

On 4/16, SSRC’s Just Tech program and NEW INC will host “From Studio to Study: Artistic Research on AI and Society,” a public conversation exploring how artists engage artificial intelligence through experimentation, performance, and design. Register now: tickets.newmuseum.org/orders/177/tic…

As development of robots and AI continues, some researchers study how to make human-robot interactions more natural, while considering the social implications. Read this conversation between Just Tech fellows Odest Chadwicke Jenkins and @jay__cunningham: just-tech.ssrc.org/articles/under…

The SSRC’s MOU with @FondationMSH affirms our shared values as aligned institutions committed to fostering the global production of knowledge and social science research. fmsh.fr/en/news/fmsh-a…

Our March edition of Items & Issues newsletter is out—this month we highlight social science research that illuminates how religion intersects with nationalism, race, international policy, the public sphere, and more. Read featured pieces and sign up: items.ssrc.org

The Immanent Frame, published by the @ssrc_org, has long served as a central site for debate and analysis of the role of religion in public life. We’re thrilled to share a refreshed version of the website: tif.ssrc.org/2026/03/18/rei…

Since 2007, @ImmanentFrame has served as a central node for vibrant analysis of the role of religion in public life. We’re thrilled to share a refreshed version of the TIF website, marking a new chapter and enhancing the visibility of TIF’s scholarly work: tif.ssrc.org

SSRC’s BUILD Research Network program seeks proposals from researchers to conduct case studies during summer 2026 on state legislative sessions that passed bills on housing production. Learn more and apply by March 30: ssrc.org/programs/build…

Last week, a bipartisan group of senators passed a bill aimed at improving housing affordability. State governments have also been experimenting with policies intended to encourage housing production for the past several years. cnn.com/2026/03/12/bus…

And a 2010 interview between Eduardo Mendieta and Habermas explored the relationship between social theory and secularization theory in Habermas’ 2008 lectures: tif.ssrc.org/2010/02/03/a-p…

A 2016 article by Alex Holznienkemper returned to the 2009 Habermas–Taylor exchange, examining their divergences on language, translation, and the role of religion in public discourse: tif.ssrc.org/2016/10/03/a-c…

The SSRC mourns the loss of philosopher and social theorist Jürgen Habermas (1929–2026). Read on to revisit some of Habermas’ contributions to SSRC’s work on religion and the public sphere @ImmanentFrame.

In @AmericanAnthro, Carina Heckert explores the bureaucratic mechanisms of exclusion of Latinas in the Texas–Mexico border region from coverage under Medicaid for Pregnant Women, a safety net program that covers nearly half of all births in Texas. anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/am…