Sociology
-
UC Santa Cruz sociologist sees ‘a real opportunity’ for labor power right now
Sociology Professor Steve McKay, director of the Center for Labor and Community, says union power helps to push back against increasingly precarious conditions in our country’s economy and society. “Unions are one of the only independent structures that actually fight that kind of precariousness and help empower workers,” he said. Additional coverage was included in…
-
Who Wants to Live in the Palisades Now?
Move everyone out of the wildland-urban interface and you may have taken away the people who were clearing brush and otherwise reducing the fire risk for the city nearby, said Miriam Greenberg, a sociology professor at UC Santa Cruz. Leaving these areas untouched, Greenberg said, means “the potential for future disasters increases significantly for those…
-
Toxic Waste Cleanups Take Longer in Marginalized Communities
Lindsey Dillon, an associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who studies the impact of toxic sites on surrounding communities, said the Public Press’ findings are consistent with academic literature on environmental justice. “Marginalized groups get fewer resources,” Dillon said.
-
Title 42 Isn’t About Public Health — It’s About Keeping Immigrants Out
Associate Professor of Sociology Juan Pedroza says erroneously linking immigrant communities to the spread of infectious diseases has been a common anti-immigration strategy throughout U.S. History. “You can find in the United States plenty of evidence of people saying that immigrants are bringing disease and will be contaminating the nation, including public health,” he said.
-
What's Next for Lithium Valley
Politico’s California climate reporter Blanca Begert hosted a panel discussion with Chris Benner of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Manuel Pastor of the University of Southern California, two experts with a new book out about the Salton Sea region. The event was on Feb. 19 at 12pm at the UC Student and Policy Center.
-
UC Santa Cruz report details socioeconomic challenges for Black populations in Monterey, San Benito counties
Compared to other racial groups, Black residents of Monterey and San Benito counties face higher rent burdens, higher incarceration rates and lower levels of education, among other findings, according to a report published last month by UC Santa Cruz researchers. The researchers, Professor Chris Benner and Gabriella Alvarez, say this report underlines the need for implementing programs and…
-
Union Popularity Hits 70%, But Trump’s NLRB Move Threatens Labor
New evidence suggests younger workers are more attuned to the benefits of unionization. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz did a deep dive in their January 2025 "Union-Curious Young Workers in Santa Cruz County" — the first in a planned series of reports — which reported 44% of young workers in Santa Cruz…
-
Should Los Angeles be in such a rush to rebuild after the devastating wildfires?
Miriam Greenberg, sociologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the co-director of the Center for Critical Urban and Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz, is currently leading a research project called Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Research for Resilience: Addressing California’s Climate, Conservation and Housing Crises. "What we often see in the aftermath of…
-
The perfect storm: why did LA’s wildfires explode out of control?
Sociology Professor Miriam Greenberg explained the housing affordability pressures that are driving people to live in areas with rising fire risk as the climate changes. “Living in dense urban areas – which are safer in relation to fire and many other climate hazards – has become out of reach for many people, so they’re moving…
-
As Los Angeles burns, Santa Cruz County officials urge wildfire prep — and not just in the mountains
Santa Cruz Local shared information about an upcoming wildfire preparedness event co-hosted by UC Santa Cruz's Center for Critical Urban and Environmental Studies.
-
Cycling through Kansas, I've found people working across divisions
Jenny Reardon, a professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has spent a few weeks bicycling through her home state of Kansas every year since 2017. In this op-ed, she shares some of her observations and notes that Kansans are working on finding common ground.
-
California’s attorney general leads a ‘know your rights’ workshop for immigrants
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other immigrant advocates have warned people to be careful about the legal help they seek and to only use qualified and licensed immigration attorneys. Scams offering fake immigration services or extorting payments by threatening deportation target vulnerable communities, especially in Los Angeles. Cal Matters shared research by UC Santa Cruz…