Social Sciences

ECONOMICS — A new conflict in the Middle East is driving questions about what it will do gas prices in the US. College of Arts and Sciences Associate Professor of Economics Keaton Miller explains why the two are so closely tied and what to worry about — or not — in the future.

ECONOMICS - How can the US solve gun violence? That’s the question that Jens Ludwig asked when he wrote his 2025 book “Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence.” Ludwig brings his insight as an economist and how research can inform policymaking to the University of Oregon Eugene campus on Thursday, April 9, from 3:30-4:15 p.m. at Lillis 282.

ASIAN STUDIES, JAPANESE — What makes Japanese popular culture so fascinating? How are cute characters like Hello Kitty — arguably the most recognized icon in the world — and games like Pokémon — the world’s highest grossing franchise — transforming global politics and the ways people construct their own identities? These are some of the questions students explore in ASIA 399: Japanese Popular Culture and the World.

HISTORY - Micah Jones joined the College of Arts and Sciences as a history assistant professor in fall 2025. Jones is a historian specializing in Black studies, Southern history, and gender history.

INDIGENOUS, RACE AND ETHNIC STUDIES - On Jan. 13, 2026, Ernesto Javier Martínez was awarded the two-year $150,000 Fields Fellowship from the Oregon Community Foundation in partnership with Oregon Humanities. The fellowship supports Oregon artists who use creativity and cultural expressions to address communities, such as Martínez's film stories that tell the experiences of queer Latinx youth and the immigrant experience in the US.

ANTHROPOLOGY - As a College of Arts and Sciences doctoral student, Theresa Gildner conducted research that led to publications and experience in conducting ethical field research. She continues the work she did at CAS as a faculty member at Washington University, whether she’s working on the Shuar Project or studying low-income regions of the southern US.

SOCIOLOGY - New research by sociology Associate Professor Claire Herbert and doctoral student Amanda Ricketts examined three US case studies where squatting was used as a tool to influence local and state decision makers. The two CAS sociologists published their findings in the article “Resisting and Reclaiming: Squatting as Contentious Urban Politics in the US” n the November 2025 issue of Social Problems.