The Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI) is UC Berkeley's hub for interdisciplinary social justice research. Since 1976, the Institute has been fostering qualitative and quantitative interdisciplinary research on the issues central to social stratification and inequality while trainining and supporting new generations of social change scholars.

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ISSI Graduate Fellows Jesús Gutiérrez and Makaela Jones in conversation with Professor Courtney Morris at the May 2025 Breaking Barriers, Building Community symposium.

Recent Stories

Digna Rabia: A Digital Journal in Chicana/o/x Studies

June 20, 2025

A new issue of Digna Rabia: A Digital Journal in Chicana/o/x Studies is now available, edited by Pablo Gonzalez, ISSI Graduate Fellows Program Co-Director. Featuring the work of over fifty students, and a gorgeous cover image by Jesus Barraza, this issue of the journal foregrounds stories of human mobility, stories drawn from families, communities, and campus. As lead editor Dr. Pablo Gonzalez puts it: "Our intention with this journal is to showcase our individual and collective...

2024-2025 Chancellor’s Awards for Public Service: Community Engaged Teaching Award

May 8, 2025

Travis Bristol, faculty affiliate of the Center for Research on Social Change, received the 2025 Chancellor’s Award for Community-Engaged Teaching. Professor Bristol’s public service work includes a research-practice-partnership in collaboration with Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) where undergraduates in his courses work alongside K-12 teachers and after-school staff to provide informal learning...

Global Studies chair discusses research, leadership and importance of her field

May 6, 2025

Elora Shehabuddin, Asian American Research Center faculty affiliate and UC Berkeley Global Studies chair, promotes a strong and supportive academic community for her faculty colleagues and students. In this Berkeley News article, Shehabuddin discusses her research on Muslim Bengali women’s activism in different arenas and her work to help students gain in-depth knowledge about the world around them, from foreign policy decisions to climate...

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