Social Sciences

Should corporate bodies enjoy the same legal rights as individuals? That was the question addressed by Philip Pettit in the 2015 Sheffrin Lecture in Public Policy.

 

Professor of History Susan Gilson Miller explores the margins of history. The gaps she finds in our knowledge of the past resonate with the questions and needs of people in the present.

History is contentious. Scholars that study the past must navigate through multiple histories, reflecting the diversity of memory and record-keeping methods, while also developing new narratives influenced by their own inquiries as well as by concerns of the present.

Assistant Professor of Sociology Chris Smith researches crime and inequality, criminal relationships, and criminal organizations. She is also deeply committed to supporting and mentoring students — especially those typically underrepresented in academia.

Chris Smith received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2015 and joined the faculty at UC Davis that same year.

What can financial crises reveal about institutional stability? How can history help us to weather future recessions? Professor of Economics Christopher M. Meissner examines the rise of political radicalism, applying lessons from economic history. 

Economic history not only reveals the causes of financial crises, but also enlightens us about the effects of policies intended to resolve them. This knowledge can help policy makers contend with current economic problems.

How do people respond to advice? How do their responses vary when that advice comes from cyberspace? Associate Professor of Communication Bo Feng explores what factors improve the effectiveness of supportive cyber-messaging.

Communication varies across contexts. Figuring out effective, as well as ineffective, ways of communication requires a scientific approach.  

Assistant Professor of Philosophy Zoe Drayson adopts an interdisciplinary, naturalist approach at the intersection of philosophy and the mind sciences. Maya Weeks, a writer, artist and geography graduate student at UC Davis, interviews her.   You’re a philosopher. What does that mean for your work?

My work focuses on the intersection of philosophy and the mind sciences. In particular, I am interested in the extent to which findings in psychology and neuroscience inform or influence our philosophical theories of the mind. 

Mining, organizing, interpreting, and analyzing data presents challenges for researchers of every stripe. Interdisciplinary and multifaceted, the UC Davis Data Science Initiative is here to help.

Pamela Reynolds, academic coordinator at Data Science Initiative (DSI), describes data science as “an integrative, multidisciplinary field translating data into knowledge.”

These are some of the newest members of the social sciences faculty at UC Davis. Anujit Chakraborty Assistant Professor of Economics

Anujit Chakraborty joined UC Davis in July 2017, having earned his Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia. His research interests include economic theory, behavioral economics, and experimental economics.

Should all failing social programs be cut? Or does reassessing and improving them make more sense? Delivering the 2017 Sheffrin Lecture in Public Policy, Ron Haskins offered a definitive answer. 

 

Mayowa Adegboyega Department

Anthropology

Program and Year of Study

PhD, 3rd year 

Previous degrees and colleges

BS Biology, Howard University

Where did you grow up?

I spent my entire life up until the age of 17 in Lagos, Nigeria where my entire family is from, until I moved to the United States for college.

Where do you live now?

Davis, CA

What's your favorite spot in Davis?

I love going dancing at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen on their Salsa Nights.