School of Social Transformation Research Themes

The faculty in the School of Social Transformation conduct disciplinary and interdisciplinary research on a wide range of topics. Eight strategic initiatives reflect areas of transdisciplinary strength across the faculty in the School and are described below. For specifics on the range of research projects in which faculty and graduate students are engaged, please see the websites of the four participating units.

Comparative Diaspora Studies: expanding the scope for better understanding

The term “diaspora” comes from the Greek word diaspeirein, meaning “a scattering, as of seeds” and refers to the movement of a population of people with a shared ethnic identity. While Arizona’s largest minority population is Latinos, it is also home to the seventh-highest number of Native Americans and Pacific Islanders in the country and to a relatively large population of African refugees. Much of the work in this area has focused on the African diaspora, yet the School of Social Transformation is expanding the scope of study to include Asian and Latin American diasporas and to provide a special emphasis on the experiences of women.

Human Rights: seeking ways to relieve human suffering

Human rights issues are relevant to every corner of the globe, but the American southwest is a particularly interesting location from which to explore subjects such as human rights to water and energy resources, human rights of immigrants and rights of indigenous populations. School of Social Transformation initiatives include a new undergraduate Certificate in Human Rights, proposed development of an Interdisciplinary Center for Human Rights and research on economic justice, transitional justice, children’s rights, conflicts between different sets of rights and linkages between local and global justice concerns.

Immigration and Migration: interdisciplinary studies in Arizona and around the world

Arizona is both a “gateway” to the United States and, for many immigrants, the final destination. School of Social Transformation faculty are addressing topics such as immigration and transnational migration, immigration and community, immigration and the legal system, understandings of citizenship, the Japanese-American experience in the Southwest, and financial institutions and immigrant integration in the U.S. and Canada. Research is also being conducted on racial profiling of immigrants, domestic violence, day laborers, victimization and policing of immigrant populations.

Economic Justice: looking for new solutions to social problems

The study of economic justice focuses on the social justice implications of the convergence of social, political and economic systems and inequalities. Faculty and graduate students in the School of Social Transformation conduct research in the areas of economic justice, entrepreneurship and social innovation and worker’s rights. Additionally, building upon existing connections with local non-profit organizations, the School plans to extend its focus on economic justice through undergraduate internships and service learning opportunities.

Youth, Health and Sexuality: helping at risk youth

A team of School of Social Transformation scholars are currently exploring the issues of gender, sexuality, and social control within the youth residential services system. Researchers are pursuing grant funding to support research on girls’ own perceptions of their emerging sexualities. Faculty members involved in this research theme have published several collaborative articles related to issues of youth and sexuality. Upcoming plans include creating a repository of representations of adolescent sexualities in historical and popular media, and developing a collaborative book manuscript that analyzes contemporary and historical (mis)representations of female adolescent sexualities.

Equity, Justice and Sustainability: improving the present, protecting the future

Sustainable development meets present-day needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. School of Social Transformation scholars address Issues such as women’s access to water and other resources; energy politics; poverty and environmental degradation and the politics of development policy. Many of the links between gender and sustainability relate to production, social reproduction and consumption patterns. One of the major emphases is the gendered nature and consequences of development.

Gender Violence: using a transdisciplinary approach to find answers

Gender-based violence is a serious public health and social justice issue. If we are to decrease occurrences of gender-based violence, it is vital to employ a transdisciplinary approach to address domestic violence, rape, and other forms of gender violence. A transdisciplinary research team based in the School of Social Transformation and including partners in Great Britain is studying intimate partner violence in sites throughout the world.

Historical and Cultural Representations: how perceptions affect reality

The meanings of race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality are shaped by, and help to shape, historical forces and cultural representations in art, media, literature and popular culture. To more fully understand contemporary iterations of power, subordination and resistance we need to understand slavery, conquest, colonialism and internment. Our faculty use tools such as oral history, archeology, semiotics, literary and historical analysis to provide a richer, more complex, picture of lived experiences.

Current Projects