Social sciences provide an analytical approach to society’s problems. As a result, faculty and students in the social sciences often focus on complex and intersectional issues such as racism, international conflict and war, climate change, and poverty. Through an objective and empirical approach to these issues, the goal is to generate genuine passion and equip future leaders with the skills they need to address the world’s challenges. Explore majors, minors, concentrations, and academic programs in the social sciences.
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World-Class Faculty in the Social Sciences
Jo Weaver
Associate Professor, Global Studies and Director, Global Health Program
Lesley Jo Weaver is an academic expert in medical anthropology, global health, mental health, race, gender, chronic diseases, and food insecurity. She directs the Global Health Program at UO. Her research focuses, broadly, on the social production of health and illness. In India, Weaver’s National Science Foundation-supported research explores how the day-to-day management of type 2 diabetes shapes North Indian women’s abilities to participate in social roles considered appropriate for women of their age, class, and caste groups. In Brazil, Weaver’s work has examined how food insecurity influences physical and mental wellbeing.
Weaver co-hosts and co-produces the American Anthropological Association-sponsored podcast Speaking of Race, a longstanding program that explores the history and present-day reverberations of scientific racism around the world.
Mark Carey
Professor of Environmental Studies and Geography
Mark’s research focuses on the human dimensions of climate change and ice — from glaciers in the Andes to icebergs in the North Atlantic Ocean to glacial fjords in Greenland. The research centers on power, knowledge, and cultural narratives, with an objective to understand how knowledge systems, embedded storylines, social relations, and environmental injustices shape present-day environmental issues. The work is deeply interdisciplinary, and students in the Glacier Lab are central participants in these collaborations. Mark previously served as Director of the Environmental Studies Program.
Mark has two new interdisciplinary collaborative projects, one funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation on racial and climate justice in the Pacific Northwest (part of the Just Futures Institute) and another funded by NSF and the Navigating the New Arctic Program on “Global Changes, Local Impacts: Study of Glacial Fjords, Ecosystems and Communities in Greenland.”
Laura Pulido
Collins Professor of Indigenous, Race and Ethnic Studies and Geography
Laura is a qualitative social scientist who works at the intersection of geography and critical ethnic studies, especially Chicanx Studies. Her interest in these fields began as a young child fascinated by maps, landscapes, nature, and places. At the same time, everyday life taught her that we live in a racial, class and gender hierarchy that shapes our lives. Through her research and teaching she explores how these processes shape places and how places inform racial and economic processes. Most of her work explores the various ways in which racial inequality is actively produced, as well as the various means by which it is denied. She works together with graduate students in the Critical Race Lab.
She is the author of numerous books, including A People’s Guide to Los Angeles (with Laura Barraclough and Wendy Cheng, University of California, 2012).
School of Global Studies and Languages
At the School of Global Studies and Languages (GSL), UO students engage with diverse cultures, languages, histories, and lifeways across the world. Students of the social sciences, from Anthropology to Sociology, will broaden and deepen their education in their field by viewing it—and experiencing it—through a global lens. GSL prepares our graduates for life after college with an interdisciplinary curriculum, innovative language teaching, abundant learning opportunities outside the classroom, and paths of study that lead to many options for real-world careers.
Research in the Social Sciences
Research in the social sciences investigates human behavior and the motivations that influence it. Although some of our research occurs in the lab, much of it is conducted out in the field using a variety of methodological approaches, from exploratory to experimental. The results of our research often carry societal-level implications and may point to solutions for addressing local, national, or global challenges.
Explore Other Majors and Minors in the College of Arts and Sciences
Meet Our Dean
Welcome to the social sciences division of the College of Arts and Sciences. Within our community, we address some of the world’s problems—big or small—through interdisciplinary research and critical thinking. What drives us is a passion for exploring human behavior and society.
The social sciences provide the necessary foundation for any academic inquiry, from the creative arts to the natural sciences. Inside the classroom, we lead courses that are engaging and thought-provoking, inspiring students to become better citizens of our world and work toward a more inclusive future.
We also believe real-world experience offers some of the most impactful learning opportunities. From internships to study abroad trips that offer new cultural experiences, our students regularly engage in hands-on learning work that reaches across social, disciplinary, and geographic boundaries, allowing them to forge new connections and spark new ideas.
We look forward to changing the world with you.
Bruce McGough
Divisional Associate Dean, Social Sciences
Happening at CAS
Welcome back, Ducks! Cheers to a great summer term. 🎉#UOCAS pic.twitter.com/xmTL3jke4A
— UO College of Arts and Sciences (@uocas) June 24, 2024
3:00 p.m.
Courtney Cox, Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies IRES Director of Graduate Studies, will host a virtual informational session where she will provide an overview of the PhD program, the application requirements, and answer any questions attendees may have about the process.
Prospective students can register for the Zoom informational session using this link
The session will be recorded for those unable to join and available immediately on YouTube.
5:00–6:30 p.m.
TEACH ENGLISH IN JAPAN 2025! The JET Program is a competitive employment opportunity that allows young professionals to live and work in cities, towns, and villages throughout Japan. Being a JET is a chance to teach English and represent the United States and other participating countries as a cultural ambassador to Japan. Most participants serve as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and work in public and private schools throughout Japan; some work as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) as interpreters/translators.
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree in any field by the time of departure for the program and Coordinators for International Relations must also have a high level of proficiency in the Japanese language.
Before attending the info session please watch an important video on how to write a great JET Statement of Purpose at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eaq-rxLLUg4
Connect with Matt Turner on the UO campus for his in-person JET Program info session. For more information contact Matt Turner at: matthew.turner@se.mofa.go.jp or visit https://jetprogramusa.org
6:00–7:00 p.m.
Join the UO Women in Economics Club at our weekly meeting! We host faculty talks and guest lectures, provide career development opportunities, as well as peer support. All are welcome, regardless of major, minor, or gender identity!
The UO Women in Economics Club (WiE) was established in 2023 to support and meet the unique needs of women and gender-diverse individuals in the male-dominated economics field. WiE strives to build community, empower, and increase participation in economics through academic and social events. The club hosts guest speakers, roundtable discussions, professional development workshops, and more. Students undergraduate through PhD are welcome.
Meetings: Thursdays from 6-7pm in Allen 140. Hope to see you there!
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Want to see what it's like to work for some of the most innovative tech companies in Oregon AND explore Eugene all at the same time?! Have we got a Friday morning for you! Hop on the bus and let’s go explore!
Students will have the opportunity to tour local companies passionate about creating innovative solutions for complex problems, and helping YOU learn more about all the different types of job functions needed to keep this growing industry booming. They are excited to introduce you to careers and internships at their companies, meet alumni and leaders, and show off some of their innovations in action! This event is FREE, open to all majors, faculty/staff, and bring a friend! Register on Handshake to save your spot & get updates! Our last tour had a waitlist, so sign up today!
OUTLINE OF TOUR:
Meet at Ford Alumni Center Lobby (near Matt Knight Arena Duck Statue) NO LATER THAN 9am; We'll walk over to the bus stop (Agate) to catch the EMX to downtown Eugene. All our sites are within walking distance of one another, so be prepared to get some exercise! While at the stops, you'll get an opportunity to tour their facilities as well as meet with leaders in the field. At 1 we'll be done with the tour and you can stick around downtown to keep exploring and grab lunch OR a group will be getting on the bus to head back to campus you can join.
ABOUT OUR TOUR STOPS:
Pipeworks Studios Video Game Developers of awesome apps and well-known video games like Madden 24 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Nexus Business Lounge Tech Coworking Space
Twenty Ideas: Software Dev for Health tech, Med ted, Ed tech
Code Chops Tech coworking space located in Nexus Business Lounge
Technology Association of Oregon: Non-profit focused on the regional tech industry, empowering entrepreneurs and fostering connections to position the Northwest as a global innovation hub.
Open Eugene: community connectors providing access and opportunities to create, collaborate and innovate to solve problems and invest back into the community
NOTE: make sure you have your FREE LTD bus pass loaded on your phone https://transportation.uoregon.edu/bus
questions, email htate@uoregon.edu for more info or if you don't have a Handshake account and want to join us!