Sociology
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Data Shows Racial Disparities in Toxic Cleanup Times in SF
“There are many reasons why these disparities could be, but the fact that they exist means regulatory agencies should take social vulnerability and race into account when prioritizing which sites to clean up first,” said Lindsey Dillon, associate professor of sociology at UC Santa Cruz, who is part of a research group that advises the…
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¿Cómo la falta de trabajadores del campo podría impactar la economía local?
Associate Professor of Sociology Juan Pedroza discussed the economic impacts of immigration policies that are causing some farmworkers to fear going to work. “La economía está en un estatus frágil y menos trabajadores significa menos cosecha y más riesgo, no solamente para los que están trabajando, sino para todos nosotros que necesitamos las cosechas para…
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Watsonville Earth Day celebration highlights disaster preparedness
Watsonville’s Earth Day celebration highlighted the ongoing Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Research for Resilience project, led by Sociology Professor Miriam Greenberg. The project explores the relationship among natural disasters, lack of affordable housing, and WUI growth.
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SF nonprofits feel the squeeze in second Trump term
During Trump’s first term, “rage giving” was an outlet for dissent. Sociology Professor Juan Pedroza used IRS data to show how organizations providing legal aid to immigrants grew their financial resources significantly between 2016 and 2019.
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A Better Next Big Thing
Environmental Studies and Sociology Professor Chris Benner is featured in a documentary film about the world’s largest and cleanest lithium supply in California’s Salton Sea region. Benner discusses the clean energy transition and how to support local communities in the process.
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UC Santa Cruz sociologist sees ‘a real opportunity’ for labor power right now
Sociology Professor Steve McKay, director of the Center for Labor and Community, says union power helps to push back against increasingly precarious conditions in our country’s economy and society. “Unions are one of the only independent structures that actually fight that kind of precariousness and help empower workers,” he said. Additional coverage was included in…
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Who Wants to Live in the Palisades Now?
Move everyone out of the wildland-urban interface and you may have taken away the people who were clearing brush and otherwise reducing the fire risk for the city nearby, said Miriam Greenberg, a sociology professor at UC Santa Cruz. Leaving these areas untouched, Greenberg said, means “the potential for future disasters increases significantly for those…
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Toxic Waste Cleanups Take Longer in Marginalized Communities
Lindsey Dillon, an associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who studies the impact of toxic sites on surrounding communities, said the Public Press’ findings are consistent with academic literature on environmental justice. “Marginalized groups get fewer resources,” Dillon said.
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Title 42 Isn’t About Public Health — It’s About Keeping Immigrants Out
Associate Professor of Sociology Juan Pedroza says erroneously linking immigrant communities to the spread of infectious diseases has been a common anti-immigration strategy throughout U.S. History. “You can find in the United States plenty of evidence of people saying that immigrants are bringing disease and will be contaminating the nation, including public health,” he said.
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What's Next for Lithium Valley
Politico’s California climate reporter Blanca Begert hosted a panel discussion with Chris Benner of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Manuel Pastor of the University of Southern California, two experts with a new book out about the Salton Sea region. The event was on Feb. 19 at 12pm at the UC Student and Policy Center.
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UC Santa Cruz report details socioeconomic challenges for Black populations in Monterey, San Benito counties
Compared to other racial groups, Black residents of Monterey and San Benito counties face higher rent burdens, higher incarceration rates and lower levels of education, among other findings, according to a report published last month by UC Santa Cruz researchers. The researchers, Professor Chris Benner and Gabriella Alvarez, say this report underlines the need for implementing programs and…
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Union Popularity Hits 70%, But Trump’s NLRB Move Threatens Labor
New evidence suggests younger workers are more attuned to the benefits of unionization. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz did a deep dive in their January 2025 "Union-Curious Young Workers in Santa Cruz County" — the first in a planned series of reports — which reported 44% of young workers in Santa Cruz…