Social Sciences News

GEOGRAPHY - College of Arts and Sciences Geography Professor Emeritus Alexander Murphy received the prestigious 2026 Cullum Geographical Medal from the American Geography Society. The award is the organization’s most prestigious award and award — dating back to 1896 — and recognizes geographers who embody the spirit of exploration and enterprise.

ECONOMICS, POLITICAL SCIENCE - Some specific issues — from AI to immigration — are getting a lot of attention this midterm electoin. CAS faculty experts explain why.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, GEOGRAPHY — The annual sponsored research report highlights research projects across disciplines, from the Oregon Coast to Papua New Guinea. Featured projects in this year's report include investigation of effects of climate change on tree reproduction across the boreal forest in North America and studies of the impacts of declining eelgrass on the Oregon Coast.

FRENCH, GEOGRAPHY - Avery Daubert, a College of Arts and Sciences alumni, is a mountain biker blazing their own trail. As part of the University of Oregon's 150th anniversary, we look at the future generation — and Daubert is working to make sports sustainable and accessible for all. Daubert is pursuing a geography master’s program at Université Paris Cité in France.

Reproductive health scientist, astronautical engineer, nonprofit founder, actor, author, and 2027 astronaut Bangalore has built a career across fields that are rarely found on the same résumé. She visits the University of Oregon 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Allen Hall 221.

ENGLISH, IRES, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES — Professors Sarah D. Wald and Ashley Cordes contributed to this article in "Resilience" to offer concrete steps any person or organization can take to continue to stand for inclusive and intersectional environmentalism.

SOCIOLOGY - Ask an AI model the same political question in two different languages and you may get two very different responses. Research co-led by College of Arts and Sciences sociologist Hannah Waight suggests one reason why: Governments can indirectly influence large language models by shaping the online media environment, thus the text those systems learn from.

HISTORY - College of Arts and Sciences history professor Vera Keller's 2024 book, “Curating the Enlightenment: Johann Daniel Major and the Experimental Century" received the prestigious Pfizer Award from the History of Science Society recognizing an outstanding book dealing with the history of science.

POLITICAL SCIENCE - Former CAS political science professor Jerry Medler passed away July 28, 2026. Medler was a PhD alum of the department and joined as an assistant professor. He retired in the early 2000s.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES - In recent years, wildfires have increasingly affected Oregon and much of western North America. Due to many factors including climate change and land management practices, wildfires are intensifying and becoming more common both within and beyond our region. At the University of Oregon, researchers across disciplines are turning wildfire science into practical tools, strategies, and partnerships that help communities prepare, respond and adapt.

SOCIOLOGY - The weekly news magazine The Economist references research by College of Arts and Sciences sociologist Hannah Waight in an article about artificial intelligence and the data that trains chat bots. Her 2026 research finds that the lower the media freedom, the more likely AI chat technology will have a pro-regime stance in its responses.

Highlights from the June 15 University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences commencement ceremonies at Autzen Stadium and Matthew Knight Arena.

HISTORY - A Wall Street Journal video dives into the art and play of Mahjong. The video features College of Arts and Sciences historian Annelise Heinz, whose first book Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture, explores the history of the parlor game in the US in the 20th century.

GEOGRAPHY - College of Arts and Sciences researcher James Lamping is leading a comprehensive mapping effort that sheds light on the location, makeup and conservation status of old-growth forests across the region. Forty percent of mature and old growth forests in the study area are in places that lack permanent legislative protection, which also store the most carbon in the study area, according to his data.

EALL, HISTORY — A century after its first surge in popularity in the United States, the game Mahjong is once again having a cultural moment. At the University of Oregon, faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are using this renewed interest as an opportunity to help students explore history, culture and identity through hands-on experience.