The Center for Social Sciences sponsors faculty and student research and supports campus events related to the social sciences.
New Media Project
The New Media Project is a collaboration between faculty in the Political Science, Sociology, and History Departments. It promotes the Center's goal of connecting the social sciences with other departments on campus. Our aim is to foster a discussion of the many impacts of new media (digital media, social networking technologies, and so forth) on society, in the U.S. and worldwide. The Center funded the planning phase of the project and sponsored its launch in fall 2010 with two events:
1, "Digital Media and Political Islam," a talk by Professor Philip Howard, Department of Communication, University of Washington, September 21.
2, "New Media Strategies in the 2010 Election: What the Hell Just Happened Here?," a panel discussion featuring Duncan Black, Blogger "Atrios" and Senior Fellow, Media Matters; Will Bunch, Philadelphia Daily News columnist and Blogger "Attytood"; Alexander Heffner, Founder, ScoopDaily.com and President, Scoop Media; and Matt Kerbel, Professor of Political Science, Villanova University and author of Netroots, November 11.
The New Media Project welcomes participation from other departments on campus and in the broader Philadelphia community. Our aim is to become a clearinghouse for activities and information relating to new media. Interested faculty and students are encouraged to contact us directly:
Carol Hager, Political Science chager@brynmawr.edu
Sharon Ullman, History sullman@brynmawr.edu
Nathan Wright, Sociology nwright@brynmawr.edu
Student-Generated Events, Student-Faculty Collaborations
The Center is pleased to be able to support student initiatives to bring speakers to campus and to organize events relating to the social sciences. Student-generated events in 2010/11 include:
1. "Money and Politics in the 2010 Midterm Elections," a panel discussion featuring Daylin Leach, PA State Senator; Olivia Thorne, League of Women Voters; James Browning, Common Cause; and Carol Hager, Bryn Mawr College Political Science Department. (Co-sponsored with BMC Democracy Matters, February 9).
2. Middle East/North Africa Teach-In, a day long multimedia event featuring panel discussions, student presentations, music, art, Skype interviews with eyewitnesses in Egypt and Yemen. The teach-in was opened by President McAuliffe and closed with a lecture by Eve Trout Powell, University of Pennsylvania. (Co-sponsored by Middle East Studies, February 10).
Collaborative Research
The Center sponsors collaborative research projects among faculty and between faculty and students. Current projects include:
1. Nate Wright, BMC Sociology and Abigal Olson, BMC Class of 2010, in a joint project on the role of framing and social environment on policy success; needle exchange and Housing First programs in the U.S. Presentation scheduled for 2011/12.
International Collaborations
The Center supports international conferences and symposia involving our faculty. This year's projects include:
1. International Symposium on Risk, Social Stratification, and Changes in Institutions (with Tohoku University, Center for the Study of Social Stratification and Inequality), February 3-4 coordinated by Professor Ayumi Takenaka, BMC Sociology atakenak@brynmawr.edu.
Campus Talks and Events
The Center co-sponsors campus events related to the interests of our member departments. 2010/11 events include:
1. "Megamelodrama: Vertical and Horizontal Suspensions of the 'Classical'," a lecture by Linda Williams, March 21.
2. "A Call to Learn, A Call to Escalate Action," a nationwide teach-in featuring Francis Fox Piven and Cornel West, April 5.
Dalton Hall Faculty Events
One of the Center's goals is to promote community among the Center's resident faculty members. To this end, we have instituted:
1. Brown Bag Lunches. These casual lunchtime discussions with regular and visiting faculty residents have become a tradition in Dalton Hall. These events help make faculty aware of the research interests of their colleagues and help introduce new and visiting faculty/administrators to the regular faculty in residence. This year these include:
Deborah Harrold, BMC Political Science and Middle East Studies, Revolution in Tunisia, January 26.
Andrew Brook, Visiting Professor of Philosophy, Environmental Ethics, March 23
Susan Sutton, Senior Advisor for International Initiatives, BMC's Internationalization Initiative: What does it mean for the social sciences?, April 20.
2. Faculty Happy Hour. This year we began what we hope will be a regular gathering of faculty after hours.
3. Improving Dalton's Social Spaces - Initiative. Faculty and student input is welcomed on the topic of improving social spaces in Dalton Hall and making the Center a gathering place for discussion of world events. Anyone wishing to submit ideas can contact Carol Hager chager@brynmawr.edu