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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250227T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250227T160000
DTSTAMP:20250305T185914Z
CREATED:20250130T091317Z
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SUMMARY:Neighborhood Effects\, Housing Mobility\, and Place-Based Policies: Evidence from Experiments and Quasi-Experiments
DESCRIPTION:About the Lecture\nFor decades\, Harvard professor Lawrence Katz has worked with federal and local housing agencies to learn how public housing policy might more effectively support economic opportunity. This lecture will cover his work on three landmark projects: Moving to Opportunity\, enabling residents of public housing to move to lower-poverty neighborhoods; Creating Moves to Opportunity\, providing additional support to families considering leaving high-poverty neighborhoods; and HOPE VI revitalization grants\, investing in mixed-income developments in neighborhoods with distressed public housing. Professor Katz’s pathbreaking work on these projects demonstrates how collaborations between researchers and government agencies can improve the delivery of important public goods and services. \nEvent Recording\n \nAbout the Speaker\nLawrence F. Katz is the Elisabeth Allison Professor of Economics at Harvard University and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. His research focuses on issues in labor economics and the economics of social problems. He is the author (with Claudia Goldin) of The Race between Education and Technology (Harvard University Press\, 2008). \nKatz has been studying the impacts of neighborhood poverty on low-income families as the principal investigator of the long-term evaluation of the Moving to Opportunity program\, a randomized housing mobility experiment. His past research has explored a wide range of topics including U.S. and comparative wage inequality trends\, educational wage differentials and the labor market returns to education\, the impact of globalization and technological change on the labor market\, the economics of immigration\, unemployment and unemployment insurance\, regional labor markets\, the evaluation of workforce training and other labor market programs\, the problems of low-income neighborhoods\, and the social and economic consequences of the birth control pill. \nProfessor Katz has been editor of the Quarterly Journal of Economics since 1991 and served as the Chief Economist of the U.S. Department of Labor for 1993 and 1994. He is the current President of the American Economic Association\, the Co-Founder and past Co-Scientific Director of J-PAL North America\, past President of the Society of Labor Economists\, and has been elected a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences\, American Academy of Arts and Sciences\, the Econometric Society\, and the Society of Labor Economists. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1981 and earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1985.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/neighborhood-effects-housing-mobility-and-place-based-policies/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250228
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250302
DTSTAMP:20250317T192031Z
CREATED:20250317T160220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250317T192031Z
UID:10000891-1740700800-1740873599@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:2025 APN & Next Gen | MUST National Grant Writing and Proposal Development Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Blantyre\, Malawi \nFrom February 28 to March 1\, the African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) program of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC)\, in partnership with the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST)\, held the 2025 National Grant Writing and Proposal Development Workshop at the Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre\, Malawi. \nOn Friday\, the workshop began with an opening ceremony\, including welcome remarks from Master of Ceremonies: Enerst Longwe (Lecturer\, Language and Communication Studies Department\, MUST)\, Dr. Ignasio Jimu (Head of Department\, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices\, MUST)\, Dr. Cyril Obi (Program Director\, APN and Next Gen)\, and Guest of Honor Dr. Michael Zimba (Executive Dean\, Malawi Institute of Technology). \nThey thanked the participants for coming and expressed the importance of African scholars and researchers honing their research skills through learning and collaborating with esteemed colleagues. Afterward\, a group photo was taken on the upper deck. \nThe Keynote Lecture of the day\, “Research Conceptual Frameworks\,” was delivered by Professor David Mkwambisi\, Director of Malawi Innovation and Industrial Research Institute (MIIRI).\nThroughout his lecture\, Professor Mkwambisi encouraged participants to “think the thinking and the thinking” — engaging deeply and critically about how we think\, especially regarding epistemology\, and how ideas (including the ideas of others) are formed. He also informed the participants on how to differentiate between theoretical frameworks and conceptual frameworks. \nThe Keynote Lecture was followed by two plenary lectures. The first one\, “Critical steps in searching\, applying for\, and winning Institutional Grants/Individual Fellowship awards\,” was delivered by Professor Kenneth Omeje\, Vice President for Academic Affairs of Management International University. Professor Omeje broke down the steps in successfully identifying and winning the type of research grants most appropriate to the individual participants’ study. \nThe second one\, “Conceptualizing the Research Idea – Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Approaches\,” was delivered by Professor Henrietta Nyamnjoh\, Researcher\, Migration and Mobility Hub\, University of Cape Town. Professor Nyamnjoh assessed the conceptual frameworks for research ideas that range from disciplinary to multidisciplinary\, and why the differentiation between them is essential as one develops their research idea into something concrete. \nAfter a tea and coffee break\, the plenary lectures continued. The third one\, “The Role of Theoretical Frameworks and Epistemological Issues in Research Design\,” was delivered by Prof Charles Ukeje\, Professor of International Relations\, Obafemi Awolowo University. Professor Ukeje offered insights to participants on how to construct solid research designs by carefully considering the theoretical and epistemological foundations of their studies. \nThe fourth one\, “The Role of Research Ethics\,” was delivered by Professor Ignasio Jimu\, Head of Department for the Department of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices\, MUST. Professor Jimu focused on the ethical challenges and considerations when working with indigenous knowledge systems\, highlighting the importance of respect\, collaboration\, and cultural sensitivity. \nThis was followed by a Question-and-Answer session between the panelists and the audience. Afterward\, the participants separated into their individual working group sessions. \nOn Saturday\, the participants gathered once more for their One-on-One sessions and Feedback sessions. The closing ceremony involved Dr. Cyril Obi and Dr. Ignasio Jimu delivered closing remarks and a vote of thanks. This was followed by the presentation of certificates to all participants in attendance. \nThe APN and Next Gen program would like to thank all of the participants\, lecturers\, the guest of honor\, and the members of the MUST LOC for their participation\, enthusiasm\, support\, and commitment to the program.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/2025-apn-next-gen-must-national-grant-writing-and-proposal-development-workshop/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250303T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250303T170000
DTSTAMP:20250304T001504Z
CREATED:20250303T233528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250304T001504Z
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SUMMARY:test event
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URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/test-event/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250327T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250327T203000
DTSTAMP:20260212T213338Z
CREATED:20250313T153838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T213338Z
UID:10000889-1743102000-1743107400@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Globalization\, Trade and Labor\, and the Distribution of Wealth and Resources in Japan and the United States
DESCRIPTION:Recent elections in the United States\, Japan\, and Europe have shown public dissatisfaction with global society and the economy. Commentaries on United States electoral politics have argued that globalization’s impact on the domestic economy—most significantly\, the offshoring of manufacturing and subsequent loss of well-paying manufacturing jobs—was the key factor in shaping a polarized society\, characterized by a large underclass that has not shared in economic prosperity. In Japan\, although political polarization has not been as extreme\, the last several decades have seen an increased precarity of labor. \nIn this 2025 session of the Abe Fellows Global Forum\, four leading experts from the United States and Japan will examine the impact of globalization on the domestic economies of both countries\, looking at the impact of global trade\, the creation of international supply-chains\, the realignment of production systems\, and accompanying social changes. While the Trump administration promises to return to the “golden age” of American manufacturing\, this is clearly a promise that will be difficult to fulfill. Though structural changes in developed countries are often linked to the offshoring of manufacturing\, those relocations occurred at a time of major technological transformation. In recent decades\, there has been a worldwide shift to the use of highly automated machinery and technology in manufacturing. Even if manufacturing “returns” to developed countries\, it will not produce a surge in well-paying manufacturing jobs. These are two big questions facing Japan and the United States: how can each country best manage this structural transition? How can we create more stable and equitable distributions of income that will reduce polarization? \n\nAbout Abe Global\nThe Abe Fellows Global Forum (Abe Global) brings Abe Fellow research and expertise on pressing issues of global concern to broader audiences. Abe Global hosts events each year in partnership with academic and civic organizations throughout the United States. Abe Global is an initiative of the Abe Fellows Network\, the Social Science Research Council\, and the Japan Foundation New York. \nPast Abe Global Events
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/globalization-trade-and-labor-and-the-distribution-of-wealth-and-resources-in-japan-and-the-united-states/
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LOCATION:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=147xTmmDbis
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250328
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250329
DTSTAMP:20250513T195758Z
CREATED:20250513T185840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250513T195758Z
UID:10000894-1743120000-1743206399@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:PADRA Early Careers Workshop Event Summary
DESCRIPTION:Nairobi\, Kenya  \nOn Friday\, March 28\, 2025\, the Peace and Development Research Association (PADRA) held an early and mid-career authors workshop in collaboration with the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Nairobi\, Kenya\, and with support from the African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) Program of the Social Sciences Research Council (SSRC). Hosted at the University of Nairobi\, Kenya\, the workshop’s aim was to provide PADRA members with guidance on the processes of  conceptualizing\, crafting\, and publishing their academic research\, as well as effective ways to translate such research into actionable policies. \nThe event was ushered by welcome remarks from Dr. Jacinta Mwende Maweu\, Chair of PADRA\, who expressed her gratitude for those in attendance\, including Professor Jack Odhiambo\, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)\, University of Nairobi; Dr. Patrick Nyabul\, Chairman of the Department of Philosophy\, University of Nairobi\, and the SSRC’s APN & Next Gen Program. Dr. Patrick Nyabul and Professor Jack Odhiambo followed with their opening remarks\, acknowledging the role of the SSRC’s APN and Next Gen Program\, including its impact-driven support\, and contributions towards building the capacity of African scholars in the areas of research-based knowledge production and dissemination. \nMaimouna Cherif\,  of the APN and Next Gen Program\, delivered opening remarks on behalf of the program’s director\, Dr. Cyril Obi. Echoing warm appreciation to PADRA executives\, workshop participants\, guests and university faculty in attendance\, the remarks emphasized the APN and Next Gen’s contribution to African peacebuilding knowledge production– namely through its provision of over 600 fellowship awards to African scholars\, training workshops\, mentorship programs\, and special panels at international conferences. Dr. Obi congratulated PADRA\, borne out of the APN and Next Gen’s African University Seminar Series (AUSS) in 2023\, for  providing Kenyan-based APN and Next Gen fellows with research and mentorship opportunities since their consolidation from AUSS-K into a nationally recognized organization\, PADRA. \nThe first lecture\, “Getting published: The Craft and Structure of Academic Writing”\, was presented by Dr. Eric Kioko\, Lecturer at Kenyatta University and Senior Researcher at the British Institute in East Africa (BIEA). Dr. Kioko addressed the importance of viewing writing as an art and science\, and the skills needed to better engage in the art of writing and publications. He highlighted the  importance of publishing\, citing its benefits: academic visibility\, contribution to scientific progress\, securing funding or meeting degree requirements. Dr. Kioko also stressed the time-intensive nature of writing and publishing\, recommending that scholars deepen connections with their peers and consult the repository of previously published works to help with the process of knowledge transfer and ideation. He encouraged scholars to assess the novelty and relevance of their work before writing\, discussing the importance of understanding publication ethics and selecting the appropriate journal for publication based on the journal’s ranking\, rejection rate\, word count and formatting requirements. \nFollowing the first lecture\, Dr. Kioko delved into the practical realities of academic publishing\, particularly the challenges faced by scholars from Africa\, using insights from his experience as an academic. He provided a detailed walkthrough of the journal submission and review process\, highlighting the importance of adhering to strict formatting guidelines\, responding tactfully to reviewer comments\, and navigating potential biases or “cartels” among reviewers. The discussion also covered strategies for dealing with rejection\, such as taking time to process feedback\, categorizing reviewer comments\, and being willing to substantially revise the paper’s focus if needed. \nThe second lecture\, “Translating Research Into Policy Outputs”\, was delivered by Dr. Patrick Mutahi\, Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Policy Studies. Dr. Mutahi established the importance of research for policy\, namely through its identification of challenges\, provision of evidence-based solutions\, and considerable consumption by policy-makers. He expressed that challenges in bridging the research-policy gap include the inaccessible language used by researchers and the disconnect of policy-makers from the realities of their constituencies and populace. Dr. Mutahi further elaborated on the common barriers to research uptake in policy communities\, including timing mismatch between the production of research and the  policy implementation process\, the lack of engagement between researchers and policy-makers\, and political opposition. He recommended that scholars understand their key stakeholders and policy makers\, identify key steps of the policy formulation and implementation cycle\, render their outputs digestible and concise and engage policy makers through direct meetings\, media engagements\, and to form partnerships with NGOs and think tanks. \nFollowing the second lecture were closing remarks\, provided by PADRA Executive Chair\, Dr. Maweu and Treasurer\, Dr. John Mwangi. Dr. Mwangi expressed his gratitude to all attendees and shared his hope to see everyone gather again for future workshop sessions or collaborative projects. Dr. Maweu extended heartfelt thanks to the facilitators for their insightful contributions\, and she warmly opened the floor for participants to share their feedback\, reflections\, or final thoughts–framing it as an opportunity to not only conclude the session\, but to collectively shape future conversations. \nInterviews conducted with executive members of PADRA at the Early and Mid-Career Authors Workshop can be found here.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/padra-early-careers-workshop-event-summary/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250415
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250417
DTSTAMP:20250512T202726Z
CREATED:20250509T191649Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250512T202726Z
UID:10000893-1744675200-1744847999@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:SSRC\, WANEP\, and CORN-WA Convene High-Level Policy Dialogue\, "Emerging Challenges and the Future of ECOWAS"
DESCRIPTION:The Social Science Research Council (SSRC)’s African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) program co-hosted a high-level policy dialogue on “Understanding the Geopolitical and Strategic Changes in West Africa: Emerging Challenges and the Future of ECOWAS”\, in partnership with the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and Conflict Relief Network (CORN) West Africa. The high-level policy dialogue took place in Accra\, Ghana on April 15 and 16\, 2025. It convened representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)\, civil society organizations (CSOs)\, analysts\, researchers\, and policy practitioners to generate and mobilize collective inputs based on the analyses of emerging geostrategic and geopolitical challenges in the region\, ahead of the ECOWAS Special Summit on the Future or Regional Integration in West Africa. The dialogue also explored emerging challenges posed by unprecedented unconstitutional changes in governance (UCGs) across the region. \nThe two-day policy dialogue began with opening remarks from the co-organizers: Dr. Cyril Obi (Program Director\, APN and Next Gen)\, Mrs. Levinia Addae-Mensah (Executive Director\, WANEP)\, and Dr. Timipere Allison (Executive Director\, CORN West Africa). \n \nEmphasizing the need for a fundamental shift in ECOWAS’ approach to regional and political governance\, development\, peace\, and security in West Africa—particularly amidst the unprecedented changes reshaping the global landscape—Dr. Obi posed a critical question: “How can we transform this position of being marginalized to a position of being a contributor or producer of knowledge?” He pointed to the reconfiguration of global alliances\, noting the changing roles of traditional partners such as France and the United States\, and the growing influence of emerging actors including Russia\, China\, and the Gulf states. Against this backdrop\, he urged participants to reconceptualize a more inclusive and self-determined future for the region within the context of a rapidly evolving global order. Dr. Obi also stressed the importance of a measured and constructive response from ECOWAS\, particularly in light of the recent ‘Sahel exit’\, which has exposed deepening regional divisions. In conclusion\, he called for collective efforts to resolve what he described as “family problems” within the West African region. Despite internal disagreements\, he maintained that sustainable solutions can only emerge from within—through cooperation\, mutual understanding\, and a renewed commitment to regional solidarity. \nDrawing the attention of participants to the rapidly changing landscape of governance in West Africa\, Mrs. Levinia Addae-Mensah urged participants to think differently\, to reformulate and reorganize new regional partnerships to address evolving challenges\, including increasing fragmentation of the political state\, criminal violence\, UCGs\, and climate change. \n \nAlso acknowledging the need to address the future of ECOWAS was Dr. Timipere Allison\, exhorted the community of stakeholders at the dialogue to “explore innovative approaches to reimagine a more inclusive\, resilient\, and responsive West Africa.” \n \nFollowing the opening remarks\, Ambassador Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah\, Commissioner for Political Affairs\, Peace and Security at the ECOWAS Commission\, delivered the keynote speech. He provided a reflective summary of the regional bloc’s transformation since its pre-1975 inception through four overarching pillars: The Geostrategic and Geopolitical shifts\, as well as internal factors that shaped ECOWAS’ evolution; The Successes and Challenges of Regional Integration; ECOWAS and its Relations with the Breakaway Sahelian Bloc; ECOWAS@50 and The Special Summit on The Future of Regional Integration in West Africa. \n \nSubsequently\, two panel discussions were held. The first panel of the event\, ‘Understand the Geopolitical and Strategic Changes in West Africa\,’ was moderated by His Excellency Colonel Larry Gbevlo-Lartey\, Ghana’s Special Envoy to the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES). The presentations featured the following panelists: Prof. Isaac Olawale Albert\, University of Ibadan\, Mr. Ebenezer Asiedu\, Head\, Democracy and Good Governance Division\, Political Affairs\, Peace and Security\, ECOWAS\, Dr. Linda Oppongmaa Akua Darkwa\, Senior Research Fellow\, LECIAD\, University of Ghana\, Dr. Rhuks Ako\, Independent Researcher (APN CWG 2014-16). \nTheir presentations focused on the following issues: shifting landscape of partnerships in West Africa\, especially from West to non-Western actors like China\, Russia\, Türkiye\, Saudi Arabia\, and Gulf States; opportunities for ECOWAS\, AES\, and regional integration amidst emergence of multipolar world order; and the implications and consequences of UCG on the region’s collective security architecture\, democratic values\, and human rights. \nThe second session\, ‘Conflict Transformation\, Development and Peace in West Africa\,’ moderated by Dr. Ebimboere Seiyefa\, Head of Research at CORN-West Africa. The panelists included three former APN and Next Gen fellowship award recipients: Dr. Titilope Ajayi\, Institute for Security Studies (ISS)\, Nairobi\, Dr. Hippolyt Pul\, Executive Director\, Institute for Peace and Development\, Tamale\, and Prof. Ibrahim Bangura\, Fourah Bay College\, University of Sierra Leone. \nTheir presentations focused on recent UCGs\, tacit acceptance of military governments by AES nationals\, operational and structural strategies implemented on the regional level\, and key challenges. The panel further assessed potential strategic partnerships that could help ECOWAS better implement its mandate of development and security and alternative solutions to prevent UCGs. The panelists emphasized the need to strengthen regional policies and democratic institutions (not limited to elections)\, prioritize human security and livelihoods of West Africans\, and ensure consistent policy implementation among member states. \n \nOn Day 2\, participants were divided into three breakout sessions\, where three groups brainstormed recommendations that could serve as inputs for strengthening ECOWAS’ approach on the following critical challenges: \n\nTowards Regional Security: ECOWAS Engagement with the AES Bloc\nTowards Regional Security: ECOWAS Engagement with Middle and Emerging Powers (China\, Russia\, etc) and the West; and\nECOWAS: Conflict Transformation\, Development and Peace in West Africa\n\nKey recommendations and reflections from the breakout sessions and event proceedings include but are not limited to the following: \n\nRebuilding trust with AES states by encouraging bilateral diplomacy with countries the AES bloc remains open to such as Ghana and Senegal as well as pursuing multilateral engagements through the African Union (AU) and CSOs\nBilateralism and partnership with AES to combat terrorism and violent extremism through strategic intelligence sharing and coordinated border patrols between ECOWAS and AES members\, as well as neighboring border states\nA unified and preemptive strategic ECOWAS framework on regional security interests that clearly maps out the national interests of its member states as well as external influences and their interests in the region\, and how these intersect with ECOWAS security and development objectives\nInstitutional capacity-building of member states to better align domestic and foreign policies with broader ECOWAS security goals as well as bilateral and multilateral coordination with AES states\, the West\, and the East to ensure a unified and consistent regional approach.\nProactive and consistent response from ECOWAS to both military and civilian forms of UCGs including constitutional manipulations and amendments designed to entrench incumbents in power\nStrengthening of civil society participation to ensure accountability\, implementation of regional protocols\, and serving as watchdogs against democratic backsliding\n\nA more detailed list of recommendations can be found in this joint communique developed by the SSRC’s APN and Next Program\, WANEP\, and CORN West Africa. \nThe policy dialogue concluded with an overview of the discussions\, followed by closing remarks from Mrs. Levina Addae-Mensah and Dr. Cyril Obi. Both extended their gratitude to the participants for an engaging two days of meaningful dialogue on the future of peace and security in West Africa. Several news media covered the event in connection to the ongoing ECOWAS@50 celebrations which occurred in Accra\, Ghana. \nClick below to view a recap of the high-level policy dialogue\, news coverage\, keynote speech\, communique\, and a detailed report of the event proceedings. \nRecap:\n \nNews coverage:\n \nKeynote Speech\nCommunique
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/event-summary-for-2025-high-level-policy-dialogue/
CATEGORIES:Africa
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250424T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250424T160000
DTSTAMP:20250428T161218Z
CREATED:20250422T143326Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250428T161218Z
UID:10000881-1745506800-1745510400@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence
DESCRIPTION:About the Lecture\nWhat if everything we understood about gun violence was wrong? In 2007\, economist Jens Ludwig moved to the South Side of Chicago to research two big questions: Why does gun violence happen\, and is there anything we can do about it? Almost two decades later\, the answers aren’t what he expected. This seminar (based on a forthcoming book) describes how and why everyone’s conventional wisdom about gun violence is at best incomplete\, how behavioral economics gives us a better way to understand the problem\, and how a sustained partnership between the University of Chicago Crime Lab and the city of Chicago have helped identify and scale new solutions. \nEvent Recording\n \n\nAbout the Speaker\nJens Ludwig is the Edwin A. and Betty L. Bergman Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago\, co-director of the National Bureau of Economic Research working group on the economics of crime\, and Pritzker Director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab\, which he helped found 17 years ago as an R&D partner for the public sector to solve social problems. Crime Lab projects have led to changes in policy in cities around the country\, been published in leading scientific outlets like the Quarterly Journal of Economics and American Economic Review\, and featured in national news outlets like the New York Times\, Washington Post and PBS News Hour. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and serves on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Law and Justice.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/unforgiving-places-the-unexpected-origins-of-american-gun-violence/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250522T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250522T150000
DTSTAMP:20250609T134411Z
CREATED:20250521T144210Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250609T134411Z
UID:10000882-1747922400-1747926000@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Repeated Evaluation Can Make Better Policy: The Case of Summer Youth Employment Programs
DESCRIPTION:Lecture Details\nResearchers often pursue ideas because they are novel and innovative. Breaking new ground is clearly important\, and being “first” can help a paper get published. But the drive to be new can also push researchers away from the kinds of iterative research questions that help decision-makers implement effective policy (and towards surprising results that can be hard to replicate). This talk will tell the story of a policy-research partnership that started with a new and surprising finding—that summer jobs programs don’t actually help future youth employment\, but do reduce violence—then kept iterating to explore how\, why\, and for whom. The result highlights what can come from repeated evaluation: an evidence base that is more convincing\, illuminating\, and practical than any single study can be. \nEvent Recording\n \nAbout the Speaker\nSara Heller is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Michigan. Dr. Heller studies interventions to reduce crime and improve other life outcomes among disadvantaged youth. She uses large-scale experiments to isolate the causal effects of a variety of programs\, including cognitive behavioral therapy-based interventions and summer jobs. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago\, a M.P.P. from Georgetown\, and a B.A. in Psychology from Harvard.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/repeated-evaluation-can-make-better-policy-the-case-of-summer-youth-employment-programs/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250602
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250603
DTSTAMP:20250520T184531Z
CREATED:20250430T185047Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T184531Z
UID:10000892-1748822400-1748908799@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Re-Engineering Health Decision-Making Environments: Event Program
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/program-re-engineering-health-decision-making-environments/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250602
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250603
DTSTAMP:20250529T170134Z
CREATED:20250303T192956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250529T170134Z
UID:10000887-1748822400-1748908799@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Re-Engineering Health Decision-Making Environments: Event Registration
DESCRIPTION:Event Details\nEvent Date: June 2\, 2025\nProgram: 8:45 am – 4:00 pm\nReception: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm\nLocation: Hemmerdinger Hall\, Silver Center (100 Washington Square East)\, New York University \nOn June 2\, 2025\, the Social Science Research Council will convene leaders of pioneering research labs from across the country who are working in partnership with health providers to re-engineer provider and patient decision-making environments to improve health outcomes. Researchers will share emerging findings as well as high-value opportunities for decision-making interventions to improve patient health. The symposium will provide a roadmap for health research funders to help guide new investments in health decision-making research. \nWe welcome attendance from stakeholders dedicated to improving health outcomes\, including members of the research\, policy\, health provider\, and funder communities.  \nTo register\, please fill out the form below. For more information about the event\, please contact us at policyinnovation@ssrc.org. \nThis symposium is funded by the Robertson Foundation through the Collective to Strengthen Pathways for Health Research.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/re-engineering-health-decision-making-environments-event-registration/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250602
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250603
DTSTAMP:20250520T194547Z
CREATED:20250303T175059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T194547Z
UID:10000886-1748822400-1748908799@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Re-Engineering Health Decision-Making Environments
DESCRIPTION:   June 2\, 2025\n   New York University\n\nInvestments in biomedical research have resulted in remarkably effective interventions with the potential to reduce mortality and disability. But many biomedical interventions are not being optimally deployed or adopted. The use of biomedical interventions is a function of decisions made by human beings\, interacting in decision-making environments that structure what information is freely available\, the costs and benefits of acquiring additional information and making alternative decisions\, and how easily we can learn from our past decisions. Many decision-making environments do not optimally leverage information\, incentives\, and learning to support provider and patient decisions that maximally improve patient health.  \nFurther\, there is systematic underinvestment in preventive and early-stage biomedical interventions\, due to the much longer clinical trials required to demonstrate efficacy\, resulting in significant life-years lost. The underinvestment in preventive biomedical interventions underscores the importance of developing effective decision-making interventions that encourage preventive behaviors. \nRecent technological advances are enabling the development of new decision assist tools that can help providers and patients make decisions that better support patient health\, including more effective deployment of biomedical interventions and increased adoption of preventive behaviors. These tools can help providers make more accurate diagnoses\, allocate higher-intensity care to those at greatest risk\, reduce the use of unnecessary treatments\, choose more affordable treatments\, and more effectively learn from prior cases. Decision assist tools can also provide patients with earlier warning signals about potential health risks and help patients adopt preventive behaviors.  \nOn June 2\, 2025\, the Social Science Research Council will convene leaders of pioneering research labs from across the country who are working in partnership with health providers to re-engineer provider and patient decision-making environments to improve health outcomes. Researchers will share emerging findings as well as high-value opportunities for decision-making interventions to improve patient health. The symposium will provide a roadmap for health research funders to help guide new investments in health decision-making research. \nWe welcome attendance from stakeholders dedicated to improving health outcomes\, including members of the research\, policy\, health provider\, and funder communities.  \nRegister to Attend \nParticipating Labs: \n\nBehavior Change for Good Initiative (BCFG)\, University of Pennsylvania \nCenter for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE)\, University of Pennsylvania\nCenter for Healthcare Innovation & Delivery Science (CHIDS)\, New York University\nCenter for Healthcare Marketplace Innovation (CHMI)\, University of California Berkeley\nJ-PAL US Health Care Delivery Initiative (HCDI)\, Massachusetts Institute of Technology\nNightingale Open Labs\, Massachusetts Institute of Technology\, University of California Berkeley\nUCLA Nudge Unit\, University of California Los Angeles\n\nThis symposium is funded by the Robertson Foundation through the Collective to Strengthen Pathways for Health Research.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/re-engineering-health-decision-making-environments/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250619
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250620
DTSTAMP:20251014T144320Z
CREATED:20250701T195029Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251014T144320Z
UID:10000895-1750291200-1750377599@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:APN and Next Gen Panel on “Defending Democracy in Africa: Challenges and Options” Event Summary
DESCRIPTION:June 19\, 2025 \nThe SSRC’s APN and Next Gen program-sponsored panel\, “Defending Democracy in Africa: Challenges and Options\,” which was held virtually as part of the 2025 Lagos Studies Association (LSA) Conference\, featured five paper presentations. \nThe first paper presentation by Hakeem Onapajo\, panel Chair\, titled “Weak Institutions and Democratic Backsliding in Africa: A Study of the ‘Third Wave of Military Coups’ in West Africa\,” explored the recent coups in West Africa\, noting that they had largely been approached from external and geopolitical perspectives. Drawing on an institutional approach\, the presenter argued that institutional weaknesses\, or the dysfunctional nature of state institutions\, fueled instability and enabled coup makers who exploited democratic deficits to seize control of state power. The paper concluded by advocating for the strengthening of political institutions to forestall a complete breakdown of democracy in Africa. \nThe second paper presentation by Silidile Mlilo\, titled “Democratic Governance and Election Transitions in Botswana: A Case Study of the 2024 Elections and Its Implications for Africa’s Democracy\,” focused on recent developments in Botswana’s democratic experience following the peaceful rejection of the long-time dominant Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) by voters. The paper argued that long-term\, bottled-up grievances of Botswanan citizens over corruption\, unemployment\, and human right violations of successive BDP governments played a significant role in the defeat of the party in the 2024 elections. In contrast to other African states\, the outcome of Botswana’s recent elections signified democratic consolidation and the functionality of democratic institutions. \nThe third paper presentation by Dare Leke Idowu\, titled “Defending Democracy through Digital Activism: Challenges and Options for African Youths\,” captured the significance of digital activism in the new age of democracy on the continent. He showed how digital activism shaped youth activism and civil society engagement in democratic struggles in Africa. It was also observed that digital activism in Africa was being challenged by digital repression\, authoritarianism\, and the hijacking of digital spaces by certain forces\, as well as general political apathy. The presenter concluded by noting that African youths must continue to utilize digital activism to move away from the triggers and root causes of crises\, while also calling on youth activists to monitor modest gains by not getting carried away with the hype that comes with digital activism. \nThe fourth paper presentation by Alhassan Issah Suhuniyi\, titled “Alienation and Conflicts Among Agro-Pastoralist Communities in Ghana: Implications for Livelihoods and Peaceful Co-Existence\,” examined farmer-herders conflict as a phenomenon within the context of African democracies\, based on a case study of Ghana. He argued that one of the overlooked factors driving such conflicts was the exclusion of the herders from the democratic system. It was argued that pastoralists were denied freedom of expression\, movement\, and voting rights at both local and national levels. He therefore advocated for the inclusion of pastoralists in democratic processes as a strategy for promoting peaceful coexistence\, preventing and resolving conflicts in Africa. \nThe fifth and final presentation by Linnet Hamasi\, titled “Civil Society and the Protection of the Democratic Space in Africa: A Retrospective View from Kenya\,” explored the significance of civil society in the development of democracy in Africa\, with an emphasis on Kenya. Taking a historical approach\, the presenter argued that civil society had significantly shaped the trajectory of democracy in Kenya. This point is further illustrated by drawing on the case of current wave of protests by the “Gen Z” movement in Kenya\, in the context of struggling for the “third liberation” of Kenya. However\, the paper noted that this struggle faces serious changes\, such as the politicization of the religious space\, infiltration of the civil society by political elites\, and a high-handed state response against protesters. The presenter advocated for the empowerment of civil society to advance democratic development in Africa. \nThe discussion that followed acknowledged that political elites in Africa were undermining democratic institutions and processes on the continent\, by fueling poor governance\, violent conflict\, and instability. It was observed that African societies were vulnerable to military coups and other forms of political disruptions. To reverse this trend\, it was agreed that democratic institutions in Africa would need to be strengthened\, alongside youth and civil society\, to enable them to work towards consolidating democracy in Africa.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/apn-and-next-gen-panel-on-defending-democracy-in-africa-challenges-and-options-event-summary/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250623
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250626
DTSTAMP:20250808T152548Z
CREATED:20250805T185210Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250808T152548Z
UID:10000899-1750636800-1750895999@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Emerging Threats to Environmental Justice in Africa: Insights from SSRC’s APN and Next Gen Panel
DESCRIPTION:Held as part of the 2025 Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) Annual Meeting in Nairobi\, Kenya (June 23-25)\, the SSRC’s APN and Next Gen Program brought together six fellows to explore how environmental injustice is shaped by inequality\, climate change\, and conflict in various African contexts on a program-sponsored panel titled ‘Inequality\, Climate Change and Conflict: Emerging Challenges for Environmental Justice in Africa’. Framed within the broader ACUNS theme of “Environmental Multilateralism and Human Development\,” the panel session spotlighted African-led scholarship and grounded research findings across Uganda\, Zimbabwe\, Mozambique\, and Ghana\, highlighting the continent’s disproportionate vulnerability to climate-induced crises and offering pathways for more equitable and effective global\, regional\, and local responses. \nThe APN and Next Gen panel was chaired by Dr. Lilian Kong’ani (University of Cape Town\, South Africa) and featured presentations by: Dr. Alice Wabule (Cavendish University\, Uganda)\, Dr. Fadzai Chipato (Great Zimbabwe University\, Zimbabwe)\, Clemente Ntauzi (University of the Western Cape\, South Africa)\, Dr. Issah Suhyini Alhassan (University for Development Studies\, Ghana)\, and Dr. Louis Kusi Frimpong (University of Environment and Sustainable Development\, Ghana)\, who served as a panel discussant. \n \nThe panelists raised key themes bordering on environmental degradation\, vulnerable communities\, governance\, and social justice. \nPresentations and Reflections\n1. Resource Extraction and Community Vulnerability\nDr. Fadzai Chipato’s case study illustrated the intersection between lithium mining\, climate change mitigation\, inequality\, and conflict in the Bikita district\, Zimbabwe\, and how “strategic partnerships” with foreign firms often marginalize communities\, exacerbate environmental degradation\, and deepen social inequalities—especially for women. She asked\, “Can we call it a just transition if those at the helm of extraction are untouched by its harms?” Dr. Chipato’s study emphasized the need for meaningful inclusion of community voices in decision-making processes and holding organizations like the African Union accountable to avoid reproducing historical patterns of extractivism\, which reinforce the “resource curse” narrative and deepen local injustices. \nDr. Alice Wabule explored complex dimensions of devastation in Uganda\, including the loss of lives\, farmland\, and other properties\, internal displacement\, and distortions in social order\, while emphasizing the exacerbating social and economic inequalities caused by these occurrences. Dr. Wabule shared insights on the political exploitation of environmental disasters. In highland areas\, aid has been distributed not based on need\, but as political patronage. She called for a collaborative interrogation of short-term versus long-term responses to climate crises\, innovative research\, environmental justice\, and equity. \n2. Gendered Dimensions of Climate Adaptation\nClemente Ntauzi’s presentation on carbon sequestration in Mozambique revealed how “green” interventions can reinforce patriarchal structures. Women face land dispossession and exclusion from income-generating activities linked to carbon programs\, while local leaders are co-opted to enforce these changes. Ntauzi underscored the “importance of inclusive and context-specific interventions and strategies to ensure climate mitigation through carbon sequestration projects\, as well as the need to address socio-economic inequality in rural Mozambique by supporting people-centered strategies and resource governance practices and projects designed to foster food security\, higher incomes\, climate justice\, and sustainable development.” \nUsing a newly developed community-weighted vulnerability index and Tobit regression analysis\, Dr. Issah Suhyini Alhassan’s study found that environmental factors—more than institutional or socio-demographic ones—are the primary drivers of vulnerability. Through his research\, Dr. Alhassan examined livelihood vulnerability among households affected by the growing incidence of farmer-herder conflicts in Africa and highlighted that sedentary farmers and herders are the most exposed\, while transhumant herders are the most sensitive to conflict. The analysis also shows that conflict exposure and sensitivity contribute more to vulnerability than a lack of adaptive capacity. To promote environmental justice and peaceful coexistence\, he recommends policies that address exposure and sensitivity\, such as fair resource allocation\, stronger community resilience\, inclusive governance\, and improved trust in conflict-resolution institutions. \n3. Governance\, Participation\, and Justice\nAcross presentations\, the lack of proactive governance and accountability mechanisms emerged as a critical concern. Dr. Louis Kusi Frimpong emphasized the absence of disaster preparedness and meaningful stakeholder engagement as root causes of exploitation and marginalization. “Who is protecting the rights of local communities?” he asked while calling for a dismantling of current social structures and weak local leadership. \nDr. Lilian Kong’ani posed a closing question to the group: How can we better integrate local participation in environmental governance? Panelists advised that many communities are unaware of their right to engage\, highlighting a crucial gap in civic awareness and institutional responsiveness. \n  \nRecommendations: Advancing Environmental Justice Through Inclusive Governance\, Local Empowerment\, and Regional Accountability\n\nStrengthen Regulatory and Accountability Mechanisms\nGovernments and regional institutions must develop clear frameworks to monitor corporate practices\, particularly in resource extraction.\nPrioritize Community Engagement\nLocal voices must be included from the design to the implementation stage of environmental and adaptation projects.\nInvest in Civic Education\nExpand awareness at the community level about rights\, environmental governance\, and how to engage with local and national institutions.\nLeverage African Institutions\nInstitutions like the African Union and ECOWAS must be held accountable to ensure equity in environmental transitions.\nSupport Contextual\, Interdisciplinary Research\nContinued funding for African scholars is critical to understanding and solving region-specific environmental justice issues.\n\n \nWhen the panelists were asked to reflect on reforms that are most urgently needed within the United Nations and the broader international community to remain relevant and responsive to challenges of violent conflict\, poverty\, and climate change\, especially from an African perspective and in connection to your research\, they proposed the following calls to action. \nA Call for Action to the United Nations and International Community \n\nAmplify African Representation in Global Governance\nPush for African leadership and participation in the UN and global institutions\, ensuring African voices shape international policies and decisions.\n\n\nReform Global Frameworks for Equity and Inclusion\nDemocratize climate and peacebuilding systems to reflect local contexts\, with strong inclusion of women\, youth\, and marginalized communities.\n\n\nCenter for Indigenous and Community-Based Solutions\nElevate traditional knowledge and locally rooted practices to tackle conflict\, poverty\, and climate issues effectively.\n\n\nAdopt Integrated\, Systems-Based Approaches\nAddress the interconnectedness of global challenges\, such as climate\, conflict\, and poverty\, by breaking down policy silos (e.g.\, SDGs\, Agenda 2063).\n\n\nSupport Locally Led\, Co-Designed Solutions\nPromote participatory approaches that treat local actors as partners\, with investment in local capacity and alignment with African realities.\n\n\nThe APN and Next Gen program is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York.\n 
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/emerging-threats-to-environmental-justice-in-africa-insights-from-ssrcs-apn-and-next-gen-panel/
CATEGORIES:Africa
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250625
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250629
DTSTAMP:20250723T220552Z
CREATED:20250723T152102Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250723T220552Z
UID:10000898-1750809600-1751155199@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:APN and Next Gen-Sponsored Panel at the 2025 ECAS Conference: Prague\, Czech Republic
DESCRIPTION:The Social Science Research Council’s African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next Gen) program sponsored a panel of current and former fellows\, on the topic\, “Changing Geopolitics\, Violence\, and Conflict Resolution in Africa: Emerging Challenges and Prospects for Peace\,” featuring presentations based on the fellows’ program-supported projects. The panel was held during the European Conference on African Studies (ECAS)\, Prague\, Czech Republic\, from June 25 to 28\, 2025. \nThe panel addressed how changing global and regional geopolitics\, involving the complex interplay of domestic and external actors\, is impacting and shaping the trajectories of violent conflict in Africa\, including its ramifications for conflict resolution and peacebuilding on the continent. The paper presenters each used specific thematic case studies to identify and analyze how the activities of established Western Powers and Russia\, and emerging ones like China\, India\, Turkey\, Russia\, Saudi Arabia\, among others\, are redefining the geographies and trajectories of violent conflict in Africa\, including the emergence of new non-state and trans-state and trans-regional conflict actors. The papers address how the geopolitical trends pose formidable challenges to conflict resolution and peacebuilding norms and mechanisms in Africa. They also unpack how changing geopolitics and conflict dynamics are undermining democratic and welfare gains of the people\, regional peace and security architectures in Africa. \nIn the first presentation\, “Division and Uncertainty in West Africa: The Alliance of Sahel States and the Implications for Regional Security and Peacebuilding\,” Dr. Ibrahim Bangura (Associate Professor\, Fourth Bay College\, University of Sierra Leone\, Freetown\, Sierra Leone / APN IRG 2016) explored the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by Burkina Faso\, Mali\, and Niger\, in September 2023\, followed by the exit of the three states from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)\, the termination of military cooperation with France and the US\, and the forging of a closer military partnership with Russia. Dr. Bangura theorized that the AES\, established as a mutual defense pact against perceived external aggression and internal threats\, represented a major geopolitical shift in West Africa. This realignment\, he argued\, posed fundamental challenges to the legitimacy of ECOWAS and regional stability in West Africa. \nDr. Sebastian Paalo (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology\, Kumasi\, Ghana / APN IRF 2024)\, in the second presentation\, “Changing geopolitics\, multipolarity\, and local ownership of peacebuilding in Africa\,” examined how global power shifts impact peacebuilding on the continent. Dr. Paalo asserted that a “local turn” in peacebuilding involves local leadership and resources\, which have gained prominence since the 1990s. He noted that Africa’s geopolitical landscape\, shaped by colonialism and post-Cold War era dynamics\, continues to drive conflicts defined by proxy wars and instability driven by a lack of resources. Dr. Paalo also critiqued the limitations of the “liberal peace” paradigm; instead\, he advocated for a hybrid peace that combines customary practices and traditional dispute resolution mechanisms\, including key roles for women and youth. \n \nThe third presentation\, “The Securitisation of Migration: Consequences of EU Externalization Policies on Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding in Africa\,” saw Silindile Nanzile Mlilo (Project Manager and Doctoral Researcher\, African Centre for Migration & Society\, University of Witwatersrand\, Johannesburg\, South Africa / Next Gen Completion 2024) analyzing how the European Union’s (EU) externalization policies continues to impact conflict resolution and peacebuilding across Africa. Mlilo argued that EU policies\, which prioritize preventing migration while neglecting its root causes (conflict\, poverty\, poor governance\, etc.)\, often worsen the local tensions between migrants and the host communities. She critiqued dominant Eurocentric narratives of migration that tend to securitize the concept of mobility. She instead proposed prioritizing African perspectives\, highlighting the unintended consequences of these policies\, including human rights violations\, corruption\, and the destabilization of regional mobility frameworks such as ECOWAS. \nContinuing the theme of Africa’s relations with emerging powers\, Kgomotso Komane (Assistant Lecturer\, University of Pretoria\, Pretoria\, South Africa / Next Gen Research 2024) delivered the fourth presentation\, on “Africa-China Relations: Commitments and Complexities to Peace and Development in Southern Africa.” Her presentation explored the dynamics of China’s engagement with Southern Africa\, through a decolonial lens\, and against the background of the impact of Western colonial legacies on regional development and stability in Southern Africa. Komane discussed how China’s economic growth and cooperation\, while supposedly contributing towards peace and poverty relief\, were heavily contributing to conflict in the region\, especially in countries like Lesotho\, Mozambique\, and Zambia. She further emphasized that Africa’s challenges with positive development—economic\, social\, infrastructure\, etc—are rooted in historical “overlapping epochs” of global imperialism and colonial power structures\, which continue to lead to political instability\, human rights violations\, and a lack of development on the continent. She challenged traditional\, Western-based narratives of international relations in Africa by drawing on a case study of the ongoing insurgency in Cabo Delgado\, Mozambique\, and Lesotho’s constant political turmoil. \nThe fifth and last presentation at the panel was by Tamia Botes (PhD Candidate\, University of Witwatersrand\, Johannesburg\, South Africa / Next Gen Research 2024) on “Geographies of Resistance: Eldorado Park and the Quest for Peace and Justice in African Urban Conflicts.” Botes explored Eldorado Park\, a “Colored” township on the outskirts of Johannesburg\, as a prominent example of how local violence is not necessarily separated from larger geopolitical forces caught up in African urban conflicts. She explained how the apartheid state’s spatial and racial engineering of Eldorado Park\, a site of systemic neglect and exclusion\, was linked to global and ideological currents\, along with Cold War geopolitics that either implicitly condoned or actively supported racial segregation in Southern Africa. Botes further asserted that post-apartheid South Africa’s transition to democracy\, dominated by neoliberal economic policies\, worsened the existing socio-economic divide and exacerbated inequality not just locally but also by integrating the continent into global capitalist structures\, marginalizing communities like Eldorado Park\, and feeding the cycle of structural violence. As a contrast to these neoliberal ideas of what peacebuilding on the continent should look like\, Botes introduced the huis-hospitaal (house hospital) as a framework for genuine care\, examining how local acts of resistance challenge systemic violence by providing alternative avenues for peacebuilding. She highlighted how these informal birthing centers\, run by generations of Black women midwives\, embodied a form of feminist peacebuilding rooted in collective care\, knowledge\, and a refusal to abandon one another amidst racial-sexual violence and state neglect. \nAfter the conclusion of the panel presentations\, a Question-and-Answer session followed between the panelists and the audience. Audience members raised questions about the concepts of ownership and local peacebuilding\, the dependent nature of certain geopolitical relations\, and peacebuilding and reintegration efforts within ECOWAS. \nOne participant asked Dr. Paalo his thoughts on the possibly problematic\, continuous focus on “ownership” as a concept when discussing local peacebuilding in Africa\, comparing it to outdated frameworks such as the 2005 Paris Agenda. In response\, Dr. Paalo acknowledged the need to reconceptualize ownership in a multipolar world and shifting toward questions of “access” and “entry points.” \nAnother participant also asked Komane if Chinese-funded infrastructure projects\, focused on economic involvement and progress\, could be seen as a form of peacebuilding due to their contribution to development. While Silindile acknowledged this point\, she challenged this notion by pointing out the dependent nature of this type of engagement creates between Africa and China\, particularly when local firms become reliant on Chinese financing; noting essentially\, such a power dynamic complicated any notion of peacebuilding. \nFinally\, Dr. Bangura was asked his thoughts on the potential for the reintegration of countries like Mali\, Burkina Faso\, and Niger into ECOWAS. Dr. Bangura stressed that any reintegration would depend on democratic transitions and that the present instability in the region is ultimately rooted in longstanding struggles over power and resources. He also linked this to the presence of violent extremist groups in the region. Still\, he expressed confidence that a renewed momentum for democracy would soon emerge and believed that Mali and Niger would lead such a democratic transition. Prof. Bangura also asserted that when these countries successfully democratize\, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) would be unsustainable. \nThe panel presentations and the discussions that followed them inspired thought-provoking ideas on the changing geopolitics in Africa and the challenges to\, as well as the potential for\, peace. It demonstrated how the APN and Next Gen-sponsored panel of African scholars engaged with essential research questions and facilitated a meaningful conversation on emerging challenges to African peacebuilding.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/apn-and-next-gen-sponsored-panel-at-the-2025-ecas-conference-prague-czech-republic/
CATEGORIES:Africa
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250627
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250629
DTSTAMP:20250808T152600Z
CREATED:20250805T190327Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250808T152600Z
UID:10000900-1750982400-1751155199@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:Charting a Path to Stability: SSRC–IPSS Dialogue on Political Transitions in the Horn of Africa
DESCRIPTION:The Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) African Peacebuilding Network and Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (APN and Next Gen) program\, in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University\, co-hosted a high-level policy dialogue titled “Challenges to Political Transitions and Strategies for Regional Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa\,” held in Addis Ababa\, Ethiopia from June 27–28\, 2025. \nThe dialogue convened senior policymakers\, African Union (AU) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) representatives\, including H.E. Amb. Mohamed Ibn Chambas\, civil society actors\, scholars (including SSRC’s APN and Next Gen fellows)\, and diplomats for timely discussions on political transitions\, governance\, peace\, and regional cooperation in the Horn of Africa\, including Djibouti\, Ethiopia\, Eritrea\, Kenya\, Somalia\, South Sudan\, Sudan\, and Uganda. \n  \nThe convening commenced with opening remarks from the APN and Next Gen Program Director\, Dr. Cyril Obi\, and Addis Ababa University’s Interim Head of the Center for Peace and Security Studies\, Dr. Fana Gebresenbet\, urging scholars and participants to approach the challenges facing the region through collaboration aimed at producing research-driven policy options. \n \nH.E. Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas (AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns) delivered a keynote address exploring the political challenges in the Horn of Africa and their similarities to the broader continent. H.E. Chambas spotlighted Sudan’s political unraveling—driven by militarization\, exclusionary governance\, and identity-based fractures—as emblematic of the broader instability in the Horn of Africa. He emphasized that these issues are not unique to Sudan but are reflected across the region\, including Eritrea\, where militarized politics and external influences remain key destabilizing forces. He urged participants to think through and adopt African-led\, inclusive approaches that prioritize learning from past experiences\, empowering civilian institutions\, and addressing emerging challenges through initiatives like Silencing the Guns. \n  \nDiscussion themes and outcomes \n\nPolitical Transitions\, Identity\, and Governance Deficits\nSpeakers explored the persistence of authoritarianism\, elite capture of political processes\, and structural marginalization. Discussions emphasized that identity politics continue to fuel ethno-regional tensions across Sudan\, South Sudan\, Somalia\, and Ethiopia. Participants argued that transitions should be viewed as ongoing movements rather than single events\, and underscored the need for inclusive\, civilian-led democratic institutions.\nRegional and Transnational Drivers of Conflict\nPanelists noted that many conflicts in the Horn of Africa are interlinked\, with insurgent movements and governance failures crossing borders. Examples from Somalia\, South Sudan\, and Eritrea illustrated how militarization and historically colonial-era frameworks deepened instability. Several speakers warned of the complicity of external actors and called for coordinated regional frameworks to manage transnational influences.\nCommunity-Level Reconciliation and the Role of Grassroots Actors\nLocal leaders\, traditional authorities\, and women play critical but under-supported roles in peacebuilding. Participants highlighted the need to embed grassroots actors in decision-making\, not just implementation. Climate change\, resource scarcity\, and shifting gender roles were identified as new drivers of local conflict and opportunities for innovation.\nRegional Organizations and the Silencing the Guns Agenda\nThis session addressed the institutional strengths and weaknesses of the AU\, IGAD\, and other sub-regional bodies. Panelists stressed that the AU’s effectiveness is limited by the political will of its member states. There was a call for moving beyond norm-setting towards enforcement and implementation. Practical recommendations included enhancing civic education\, expanding the “Silencing the Guns” framework to vulnerable populations\, and increasing coordination among regional blocs.\n\n   \n\nKey Takeaways \n\nEstablish inclusive governance and address structural inequalities in the Horn of Africa. Political transitions require sustained and inclusive engagement\, not episodic reforms.\nEthnic and identity-based contestations must be addressed through national dialogue and constitutional reform.\nCivil Society Organizations (CSOs)\, grassroots actors\, and youth networks must be integrated into formal peace mechanisms.\nThe AU and IGAD need to strengthen implementation\, not just develop policy.\nExternal interventions should be aligned with African-led priorities and avoid entrenching power imbalances.\n\nFrom Dialogue to Action\nThe policy dialogue highlighted the urgency of reimagining governance and regional cooperation. Scholars advocated for a shift toward transnational frameworks and knowledge-based policymaking. Reflections underscored systemic challenges\, including a lack of legitimacy\, the militarization of the state\, elite domination\, and fragmented civic spaces. \nThere was consensus on the need to anchor peace in grassroots realities\, use localized approaches to Silencing the Guns\, and foster long-term regional integration. The importance of pragmatic institutional design\, civic education\, and inclusive data frameworks was repeatedly underscored. \nThe APN and Next Gen program is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/charting-a-path-to-stability-ssrc-ipss-dialogue-on-political-transitions-in-the-horn-of-africa/
CATEGORIES:Africa
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250707
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250711
DTSTAMP:20250814T193435Z
CREATED:20250814T161944Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T193435Z
UID:10000901-1751846400-1752191999@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:July 2025 APN and Next Gen Research Methods Workshop: Ébène\, Mauritius
DESCRIPTION:The Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation (Next Gen) Social Sciences in Africa Program\, in collaboration with the University of Mauritius\, held the 2025 July Research Methods Workshop in Ébène\, Mauritius\, from July 7 to July 10\, 2025. The workshop brought together fifty-six (56) fellows from fourteen (14)  African countries\, along with facilitators\, guests of honor\, and keynote speakers\, for four days of field-based research methods development\, peer-to-peer engagements and networking\, and mentorship by highly experienced senior scholars drawn from North America\, Europe\, and African countries. The workshop also served as an opportunity for the immersion of participants into diverse topics and issues of relevance in African scholarship and exploration of the social and academic cultures of Mauritius. \nThe opening ceremony of the workshop commenced with introductory statements by Mrs. Christina Chan Meetoo and Dr. Nicolas Ragodoo\, co-Chairs of the University of Mauritius Local Organizing Committee (LOC). They welcomed participants and expressed gratitude to Prof. Verena Tandrayen-Ragoobur\, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities\, and Professor Sanjeev Sobhee\, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius. Furthermore\, the co-Chairs stressed the importance of the event\, citing its potential in helping early career researchers sharpen their research ideas and proposals\, while contributing to peacebuilding efforts rooted in local realities and shaped by African scholarship and perspectives. \nInterview with Nicholas Ragodoo \nInterview with Christina Chan Metoo \n  \nDr. Cyril Obi\, Program Director of the SSRC’s APN and Next Gen Program\, in his opening remarks expressed gratitude to key dignitaries\, including the Honorable (Dr) Kaviraj Sharma Sukon\, Minister of Tertiary Education\, Science and Research\, Mauritius\, and \, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius. Dr. Obi highlighted the importance of the Program in fostering a robust pan-African scholarly network\, acknowledging the partnership with the University of Mauritius as an intentional step towards deepening collaboration between scholars and institutions across mainland and island African countries. Enthusiastically welcoming the new cohort of APN and Next Gen fellows\, he encouraged them to form lasting research collaborations and connections throughout the workshop and afterwards. \nProfessor Sobhee\, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Mauritius\, followed by commending the collaboration between the University of Mauritius and the SSRC’s APN and Next Gen Program\, which he noted marked the beginning of a promising\, formal long-term relationship. He emphasized the importance given to research methodology at the University\, underscoring the significance of context-specific research methods tailored to the unique challenges of both continental and island Africa. Acknowledging Africa’s growing youth population as its future\, Professor Sobhee reinforced the value of internationalization in higher education and the role of rigorous research in contributing to global academic excellence. \nThe Honorable (Dr) Sukon began by affirming the importance of both qualitative and quantitative research approaches and raised concerns about the gap in articulating the epistemological or ontological foundations of most research. Noting the recent move by the Mauritian government to begin its budget with a focus on research\, he emphasized the growing recognition of research as a national priority. Dr. Sukon welcomed the presence of APN and Next Gen scholars as a valuable opportunity for mutual learning and expressed the importance of local and regional research collaboration that improves the lives of African citizens. He concluded by thanking the University of Mauritius and the SSRC for co-organizing the international research workshop. \nThe opening session was followed by the first keynote lecture entitled “Reimagining Doctoral Supervision as Transformative Capacity Building in African Contexts”\, delivered by Professor Michael Anthony Samuel from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Critiquing dominant externally imposed or adopted research models in Africa\, he encouraged constant interrogation of the origin and stakeholders of research methodology and advocated for a relational and reflexive approach centered on African contexts\, questions\, and knowledge systems. Acknowledging systemic inequalities in postgraduate education\, he proposed capacity-building networks and partnerships across African institutions. Research\, Professor Samuel argued\, should be activist\, collaborative\, and disruptive of elitism\, domination\, and power imbalances. He called for a re-conceptualization of the supervisor and supervisee relationship: one that is centered on co-learning and co-production\, as opposed to imitation and a hierarchical master and apprentice relationship. \nThe keynote plenary session was followed by working group sessions where APN Individual Research fellows met with their mentors and peers\, while Next Gen Doctoral Dissertation Fellows met in their thematic groups–each structured according to the relevance of the mentors’ scholarly backgrounds to the thematic foci of fellows’ proposals. \nContinuing the discussions initiated on the first day\, Professor Tandrayen-Ragoobur emphasized the importance of research rooted in African contexts and appropriate methodologies. She encouraged fellows to embrace the initial confusion as part of the research journey\, remain resilient\, and allow their research endeavors to be guided by curiosity and methodological rigor. Professor Tandrayen-Ragoobur described the pursuit of a PhD as a journey whose significance exceeds the receipt of a degree\, framing it as a process of continuous growth\, learning\, and discovery. \n  \nProfessor Amy Niang from The African Institute\, Sharjah\, UAE\, delivered the second keynote lecture on “The Foundational Principles of Social Research for Knowledge Production in Africa.” She asserted that foundational principles of African research emerge from lived experience\, memory\, land\, language\, and community\, as opposed to just textbooks and archives. She expanded on this perspective by drawing on the lives of several prominent African thinkers\, each embodying a core principle of African scholarship. She expanded on these principles\, which posit that reclaiming history is both a political and epistemological act\, true liberation requires linguistic sovereignty\, and scholars must dismantle inherited\, marginalizing categories and build knowledge from the margins. Professor Niang also noted that liberation is both the purpose and method of African research. She reminded participants that African knowledge traditions have survived centuries of rupture\, affirming knowledge as a lifeline\, a vessel of memory\, and its production as an act of determining what will be remembered or forgotten. \nFollowing the keynote plenary session\, APN and Next Gen fellows and their mentors reconvened for the second day of full-day working group sessions\, after which the evening culminated in a welcome dinner for all workshop participants. \nOn July 9th\, the third day of the workshop\, fellows continued with their working group sessions in the morning\, which were supplemented by afternoon one-on-one meetings during which each fellow consulted with their group mentor\, who provided individualized feedback and guidance on proposals and draft chapters. Following the completion of the mentorship roundtables\, fellows visited historical and cultural sites in Ébène\, Mauritius\, and neighboring cities\, notably the Intercontinental Slavery Museum\, Aapravasi\, Ghat World Heritage Site\, and the Marie Reine de la Paix monument. The first two sites serve as significant landmarks for Mauritius’s history of enslavement and indentured servitude\, while the monument—erected in the wake of World War II—serves as a symbol of spiritual resilience and collective hope in the country. \nOn July 10th\, following the conclusion of working groups and one-on-one sessions\, the fellows’ panel discussion\, “Navigating Reflexivity in Conducting Field-Based Research in Africa\,” was moderated by Dr. Cyril Obi. \nProfessor Heidi Hudson\, from the University of the Free State\, Bloemfontein\, South Africa\, opened with a reflection on positionality. Drawing from feminist theory\, she advocated for humility\, continuous reflexivity\, and self-awareness of one’s positionality throughout research. \nDr. Nelson Oppong\, from the University of Edinburgh\, continued by emphasizing the value—and difficulty—of deep reflexivity in research. He highlighted the importance of archival reflexivity and attunement to subtle\, unspoken cues during fieldwork\, which has the potential to yield unique and critical insights. \nDr. Marion Ouma (APN IRF 2025)\, from the South Africa Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) on Social Policy at the University of South Africa (UNISA)\, reflected on her experience working with an international peacemaking organization. Dr. Ouma discussed how COVID-19\, especially in her research involving marginalized groups\, challenged her assumptions and pushed her to rethink ethical engagement with Gen Z activists confronting power structures. \nDr. Yunana Ahmed (APN IRF 2025)\, from Gombe State University\, Nigeria\, emphasized the need to decolonize research through reflexivity. He critiqued the homogenization of Africa’s experiences and knowledge systems and the dominance of Western paradigms in African scholarship. \nDesmond Farai Ncube (Next Gen Proposal 2025)\, PhD from the University of the Western Cape\, addressed the ethical and political complexities of conducting fieldwork in Africa. He stressed the importance of acknowledging researcher positionality and maintaining integrity when engaging with communities. \nAphiwe Mhlangulana (Next Gen Research 2025)\, from the University of Cape Town\, shared her work on online gender-based violence against Black African women. She advocated for deeply immersive\, self-reflexive research and discussed alternative\, decolonial forms of knowledge dissemination\, such as narrative and comics. The panel discussion included an interactive Question-and-Answer session\, which was followed by the closing ceremony of the workshop. \nThe University of Mauritius LOC extended its gratitude to attendees and expressed hope that the workshop has and would continue to inspire their research and foster meaningful connections in the future. Dr. Obi conveyed his thanks to the LOC\, Vice Chancellor\, Dean\, and faculty for their support in realizing the 2025 Research Methods Workshop. He concluded by congratulating the 2025 APN and Next Gen fellows on joining a vibrant and growing scholarly Pan-African community. \n  \nInterview with Eugenia Anderson \nInterview with Daniel Lifuka Sichinga \n  \nThe APN and Next Gen program is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/july-2025-research-methods-workshop-ebene-mauritius/
CATEGORIES:Africa
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250711
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250713
DTSTAMP:20250814T162925Z
CREATED:20250814T162749Z
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UID:10000902-1752192000-1752364799@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:July 2025 APN and Next Gen Research Proposal Development Workshop: Ébène\, Mauritius
DESCRIPTION:The Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) African Peacebuilding Network (APN) and Next Generation (Next Gen) Social Sciences in Africa Program\, in collaboration with the University of Mauritius\, held a Regional Proposal Development (RPD) Workshop from July 11 to July 12\, 2025. Over a dozen participants from universities in Mauritius and neighboring Madagascar attended the two-day workshop\, which was designed to provide opportunities for producing high-quality\, internationally competitive research proposals and improve their chances of winning grants and fellowship award\, while expanding opportunities for professional development through mentorship by highly experienced mentors from different parts of the world. \nMrs. Christina Chan Meetoo\, Senior Lecturer in Media and Communication at the University of Mauritius and Chair of the University of Mauritius Local Organizing Committee (LOC)\, joined by Dr. Nicolas Ragodoo\, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities and a workshop session facilitator\, delivered the opening remarks. They expressed gratitude to Professor Françoise Driver\, SSR Chair of African Studies\, Dr. Vidushi Neergheen\, Director of the Doctoral School at the University of Mauritius\, representatives from the Mauritius Higher Education Commission\, the workshop’s mentors\, and the members of the SSRC team. They also commended the diversity and quality of the research proposals submitted by workshop participants. The proposals covered critical themes such as peacebuilding\, climate resilience\, digital innovation\, and gender justice\, reflecting the dynamism of African scholarship. \nDr. Cyril Obi\, Program Director of the APN and Next Gen Program\, followed with welcoming remarks\, firstly acknowledging the distinguished guests\, the University of Mauritius\, and local partners for hosting the workshop and welcoming scholars from Mauritius and Madagascar. He introduced the SSRC’s century-long mission of promoting interdisciplinary social research globally and highlighted its long-standing commitment to African scholarship and research excellence through initiatives like the APN and Next Gen program. He likened a research proposal to a personal statement of intent\, iterating the goals of the Research Proposal Development Workshop: to guide scholars in the process of refining and strengthening their research proposals\, making them more compelling and internationally competitive. Mauritius\, he noted\, presents a unique opportunity for the SSRC to bridge connections between mainland and island Africa\, while offering important lessons in conflict prevention and social cohesion. He concluded by encouraging participants to use the workshop as a space for professional growth\, collaboration\, networking and deeper engagement with mentors and peers. \nDr. Neergheen expressed deep appreciation to the program and workshop organizers for their commitment towards nurturing the next generation of African scholars\, deeply resonant with the mission of the University of Mauritius Doctoral School. She noted the timeliness of the workshop as the region and the world continue to face issues related to sustainability\, climate change\, and development challenges. Dr. Neergheen affirmed that the time of relegating capacity-building to a non-essential pursuit is over\, asserting that it is of utmost importance to encourage and equip scholars with the tools to take advantage of the wide landscape of academic and research funding. \nSubsequently\, Professor Driver\, SSR Chair of African Studies and co-architect of the Research Proposal Development Workshop\, delivered her keynote address\, “Advancing Interdisciplinary Research Excellence in the Indian Ocean Region: Methods and Strategies”. Professor Driver argued that advancing interdisciplinary research excellence in the Indian Ocean region requires a collective commitment to rigorous\, ethical\, impactful\, and inclusive research. She presented four themes central to advancing this agenda: embedding research excellence through ethics and integrity\, breaking silos to encourage interdisciplinary research\, reclaiming narratives through the decolonization of knowledge production\, and strengthening the research-policy-diplomacy-peace nexus. \nProfessor Driver identified institutional-level investment in international partnerships\, research access and resources\, strong doctoral infrastructure\, and post-doctoral pathways as pivotal to this process. Furthermore\, she argued that institutions must be more invested in creating and sustaining a culture of integrity and responsible stewardship in research\, along with platforms for engagement between scholars\, policymakers\, practitioners\, and civil society for the co-creation of impactful policies. \nThe plenary was followed by three lectures\, each presented by facilitators and mentors of the workshop. Professor Kenneth Omeje from the Management International University\, United Kingdom\, began with a lecture on “Framing research ideas and formulating research questions for producing internationally competitive proposals.” Professor Omeje introduced two fundamental branches of philosophy\, ontology and epistemology\, explaining how they serve as the foundation that guides the process in peacebuilding research\, which is concerned with research ideas in the social world. \nThe lecture further guided scholars on generating innovative research ideas by engaging with current events and formulating research questions that are focused\, conceptually grounded\, and reflective of the researcher’s understanding of knowledge and reality. \nThe second lecture\, “Conducting Literature Reviews and Developing Budgets” was presented by Dr. Henrietta Nyamnjoh from the University of Cape Town\, South Africa. The lecture emphasized the literature review as a critical process where researchers engage with existing scholarship to identify gaps\, challenge dominant narratives\, and position their work. Rather than a summary\, Dr. Nyamnjoh posited that it should be a strategic and reflexive exercise that shapes the research question and methodology. She encouraged instrumental reading\, ethical citation\, and attention to primary sources. \n  \nProfessor Ismail Rashid from Vassar College\, New York\, USA\, presented the final lecture\, entitled “Research Methods and Ethics”\, in which he underscored the importance of ethics in research\, which requires ongoing responsibility\, transparency\, and respect throughout the research process. Professor Rashid highlighted that ethics form the essential foundation of responsible research\, especially when working with vulnerable or less powerful populations. He maintained that researchers must foster reflexivity\, an ethical and accountable mindset\, as well as sensitivity to relationships\, emotions\, and power dynamics in the field. \nFollowing the last lecture\, participants of the workshop joined their respective working group sessions for the remainder of the day to work on the development and refinement of their research proposals. \nThe second and last day of the workshop began with individualized sessions between participants and facilitators\, offering space for tailored feedback\, mentorship\, and in-depth discussion of research proposals. \nAfter the conclusion of the one-on-one sessions\, a feedback session was held\, followed by closing remarks by Dr. Obi. Special thanks were extended to facilitators\, organizers\, the University of Mauritius leadership\, and student assistants for their dedication\, energy\, and support. Dr. Obi highlighted the importance of mentorship\, collaboration\, and inspiring the next generation of scholars. The workshop was lauded as transformative\, bridging Africa’s mainland and island regions and building lasting academic networks\, with the hope expressed that participants leave empowered\, with stronger research skills and renewed commitment to high quality and impactful work. \n \n  \nThe APN and Next Gen program is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/july-2025-apn-and-next-gen-research-proposal-development-workshop-ebene-mauritius/
CATEGORIES:Africa
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250730T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250730T160000
DTSTAMP:20250825T151901Z
CREATED:20250116T154313Z
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UID:10000883-1753887600-1753891200@www.ssrc.org
SUMMARY:A Cognitive View of Policing: Leveraging Behavioral Science to Improve Officer Training
DESCRIPTION:About the Lecture\nWhat if the key to police reform isn’t changing policies or removing “bad actors\,” but understanding how good officers make decisions under pressure? Professor Dube argues that prevailing approaches to police reform overlook a fundamental reality: officers must make decisions under intense stress and time pressure—cognitive conditions that lead even well-intentioned officers to rely on mental shortcuts and default assumptions. Drawing on insights from behavioral economics\, Professor Dube designed a new training approach that addresses these cognitive realities. Through a sustained partnership with the Chicago Police Department\, she tested whether changing how officers think could transform how they act. This seminar will present the results from this collaboration\, demonstrating how behavioral science offers a promising new pathway for police reform that works with\, rather than against\, human psychology. \nEvent Recording\n \nAbout the Speaker\nProfessor Dube studies poverty\, violence and crime in countries around the world. \nOne strand of her research analyzes how economic shocks shape conflict dynamics. Another strand examines how cognitive factors give rise to violence. \nShe uses both quasi-experimental and experimental research designs\, and draws on a wide variety of sources\, including original surveys\, hand collected records\, and big data to study these questions. \nHer work has appeared in leading journals including the Quarterly Journal of Economics\, Science\, the Journal of Political Economy\, the Review of Economic Studies\, and the American Political Science Review. \nDube holds a number of research affiliations and appointments. She is a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)\, a fellow at the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD)\, a fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR) and an affiliate of the University of Chicago Crime Lab. She co-leads the Crime and Violence Initiative at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)\, and the Socio-economic Inequalities Initiative at the University of Chicago’s Becker Friedman Institute. \nDirectly preceding her appointment at the Harris School\, Dube was an assistant professor of politics and economics at New York University. Prior to that\, she worked at the World Bank\, Oxfam International\, and the Brookings Institution. \nDube received her PhD in Public Policy from Harvard University\, her M Phil in Economics from Oxford University\, and her BA in Public Policy from Stanford University. She was also the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship in 2002.
URL:https://www.ssrc.org/events/a-cognitive-view-of-policing-leveraging-behavioral-science-to-improve-officer-training/
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