end of Week 10!

[Bill Maurer]

  Dear social sciences lecturers, faculty, grad students and staff,

  It's the end of Week 10! And what a week. I found quite a bit of hope
  today in two events: a forum held by our Social Sciences Academic Resource
  Center on listening and allyship, in which Associate Dean Castellanos
  and I got to hear our students' concerns and respond to their questions;
  and a presentation by a group of 4 undergrads from computer science who
  have been on my NSF grant all year, working on community organizations,
  data justice and law (with Prof Roderic Crooks in Informatics). It was
  amazing to see the fruits of a year's worth of interviewing community
  organizations working on issues ranging from police misconduct,
  to environmental justice, to labor rights. Their big conclusion was
  that computer science students need.... more social science and ethics
  training!

  Many have emailed asking about the incident involving a Black alum and
  the police in Aldrich Hall in late February, before the stay-at-home
  order. The Public Safety Advisory Commission released a statement the
  other day, which you may read here calling for release of documents
  related to that incident, and data on past instances of alleged officer
  misconduct on our campus, among other things. Thank you to our own Olga
  Dunaevsky for your service on this important commission.

  Finals week is almost upon us. I have learned that some of those teaching
  right now might not have received the message from me, the Associate
  Deans, and Faculty Chair Evan Schofer regarding making accommodations
  for alternative finals or alternatives to final exams. We recommended
  streamlined or shortened finals, optional finals, "no harm" finals, or
  evaluating students based on existing work completed, if you are able
  to do so based on the content and structure of your course. Feel free
  to email us if you'd like further guidance. We know that those of you
  teaching have been under incredible pressures this quarter, and finals
  week and the grading ahead just adds more. I can't stress enough how much
  I appreciate your efforts during this unprecedented Spring. Thank you.

  Below -- a weekly roundup of Social Sciences media stories! And, of
  course, the obligatory daily dose of Rufus. He's helping do the dishes!

  Have a safe, relaxing and restorative weekend. Unplug for a bit! And
  again, thank you all.

  Bill


	
	

Letter from Los Angeles: On a generational uprising
June 5, 2020
Hector Tobar, Chicano/Latino studies, via Literary Hub
A 'good' protester is just a 'bad' protester in the misty rearview mirror
June 5, 2020
David Meyer, sociology, explains in The Washington Post
The racist roots of fighting obesity
June 5, 2020
Sabrina Strings, sociology, explains in Scientific American
New normal: Is COVID-19 killing cash?
June 5, 2020
Bill Maurer, anthropology, CTV News, June 5, 2020
Some six-month-old infants can discriminate between major and minor musical notes, study shows
June 4, 2020
Charles Chubb, cog sci, The Medical News and Technology Networks, June 4, 2020
4 books on the transcendent power of rage
June 4, 2020
Davin Phoenix, poli sci, Medium - Forge, June 4, 2020
UC Irvine panel discusses mourning, anti-black violence in response to Black Lives Matter protests, COVID-19
June 3, 2020
Sabrina Strings, sociology, Daily Pilot, June 3, 2020
Commentary: Racism, casual and not, is present at O.C. high schools, but we can do something about it
June 3, 2020
DIRHA in the Daily Pilot, June 3, 2020 (Commentary)
White nationalists are using fake Antifa Twitter accounts to disrupt protests
June 3, 2020
David Meyer, sociology, Fast Company, June 3, 2020
Anthropologist Dr. Tom Boellstorff teaches his course on digital cultures within Second Life
June 2, 2020
Tom Boellstorff, anthropology, RyanSchultz.com, June 2, 2020
Anger sweeping across America does not necessarily mean votes against Trump
June 2, 2020
Davin Phoenix, poli sci, The Straits Times, June 2, 2020
Relaxing the rules of social distancing
June 2, 2020
Sara Goodman, poli sci, The New York Times, June 2, 2020
Tom Boellstorff: Teaching digital culture in second life
June 2, 2020
Tom Boellstorff, anthropology, Modem World, June 2, 2020
Will anger over death of George Floyd translate to political change?
June 2, 2020
Davin Phoenix, poli sci, KPCC, June 2, 2020 (Audio)
Much of CA under curfew as unrest continues
June 1, 2020
Kristin Turney, sociology, Cal Matters, June 1, 2020
California needs to protect its prison staff and inmates during COVID-19 pandemic
May 31, 2020
Kristin Turney, sociology, explains in Cal Matters (Commentary)