With the FIFA World Cup coming to a close this weekend and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence earlier this month, the depths of social and cultural investments in national identity are on full display. This month our newsletter explores nationalism, a multivalent concept that social scientists, including at the SSRC, have wrestled with since the early 20th century.
Join us for a live session on the LEGO Foundation Fellowship application process. This webinar will walk you through the fellowship opportunity, what makes a strong application, and how to navigate the submission process with confidence.
This Pride month, our newsletter takes a closer look at gender and sexuality, rich fields of study that offer vital insights into broader social life. From 1996 to 2006, the SSRC’s Sexuality Research Fellowship Program (SRFP), with support from the Ford Foundation, catalyzed a new generation of sexuality scholars in a wide range of academic disciplines, including anthropology, communications, history, and sociology.
A new report from the SSRC’s Economic Research Rescue Fund offers new perspectives on the perceived value of economic research and new models for evaluating public research priorities.
It is with great sadness that the Council marks the passing of Kenneth Prewitt, eminent social scientist, dedicated public servant, and organizational leader who served twice as president of the Social Science Research Council (1979–1985 and 1995–1998).
As part of its 40th anniversary, the LEGO Foundation invites applications for the LEGO Foundation Fellowship, a new global research fellowship for early- and mid-career researchers whose work can strengthen the understanding of how children thrive across diverse contexts. The fellowship has been developed in partnership with the SSRC, which will administer the program and oversee the application and selection process.
With generous support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Social Science Research Council is pleased to invite U.S. R1 research universities in SSRC’s College and University Fund for the Social Sciences to apply to join the Public Exchange Network. Public Exchange is a new network that turns university research expertise into real-world action and impact. Foundedat the University of Southern California in 2020 and expanded to Washington University in St. Louis in 2025, Public Exchange connects researchers with government, nonprofit, and industry partners to tackle pressing challenges—from disaster recovery and climate solutions to food insecurity and homelessness prevention.
At a pivotal moment for democracy, science, and the public good, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) has named Daniel Goroff as its 16th president. Goroff, a leading figure in social science, philanthropy, and science policy, will assume the presidency on July 1, 2026.
This week, The Wallace Foundation and the Social Science Research Council released Building Trust, Sustaining Art, a major cross-cutting research analysis that offers field-level insights into how 18 arts organizations navigate trust, artistic value, labor, governance, and placemaking amidst a shifting cultural and funding landscape. The SSRC’s Arts Research for Communities of Color (ARCC) Fellowship matched 18 early-career researchers with each of the Thriving Communities organizations.
This month’s theme focuses on youth and child development—an area of study in pursuit of greater flourishing and more equitable outcomes for all children and young people. The Council recently announced the LEGO Foundation Fellowship, developed in partnership with the LEGO Foundation as part of the Foundation’s 40th anniversary. This global initiative supports researchers working to deepen our understanding of how children thrive. Spanning disciplines from education and psychology to public health, data science, and humanitarian studies, the fellowship brings together early- and mid-career scholars whose work has the potential to generate evidence that matters for children’s lives.
