Social Sciences

Incoming freshmen RISE to the occasion

New 10-day residential seminar acquaints humanities and social sciences students with Rice, Houston, race and urban life.

Why middle-class residents want to stay put after floodwaters recede

Flood disasters like Hurricane Harvey lead some people to move far from the places they had called home.

Retired Rice economist Ken Wolpin receives prestigious Jacob Mincer Award

Ken Wolpin, the retired Lay Family Professor of Economics at Rice University and former department chair whose work revolutionized the field of labor economics, is this year's recipient of the Jacob Mincer Award for lifetime contributions to the discipline.

Christian view of Prophet Muhammad explored in Rice sociologist’s new book

The world’s second-most-popular religion and its founder’s beliefs remain largely unknown to many people in Western society.

Rice sociologist Rachel Tolbert Kimbro named dean of School of Social Sciences

HOUSTON – (March 24, 2021) – Rachel Tolbert Kimbro, an award-winning educator and prolific researcher in the field of children's health, has been named the newest dean of Rice University's School of Social Sciences effective July 1.

Flood relocation programs more disruptive to those who don’t live in white or affluent neighborhoods

HOUSTON – (June 29, 2021) – A government policy that removes homeowners from flood-prone areas disproportionately disrupts the lives of residents from less white and affluent neighborhoods, according to new research from sociologists at Rice University and Temple University.

Fungi embrace fundamental economic theory as they engage in trading

HOUSTON – (June 29, 2021) – When you think about trade and market relationships, you might think about brokers yelling at each other on the floor of a stock exchange on Wall Street. But it seems one of the basic functions of a free market is quietly practiced by fungi.

Unconventional Students at Rice: Jaylen Carr combines academia and video games

When Rice News met Jaylen Carr ’21 at Owl Days in 2017, he was excited about Rice’s combination of academic curiosity and camaraderie.

The Way I See It: Black community, the moment to value ourselves is now

I thought Derek Chauvin would be acquitted. I’ve never been happier to be wrong, but like the racial tapestry called the United States, I am torn.

Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium offers supportive venue for students to share ‘incredible work’

Lillian Wieland’s freshman-year presentation for the Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium (RURS) “went terribly,” as she recalls it.

Award, plaque to honor legacy of former Dean of Social Sciences Lyn Ragsdale

Lyn Ragsdale's legacy of excellence will live on with an award bearing her name and a memorial plaque on campus.

Juneteenth event addresses Rice's history and topics of African American life

Task force proposes competition to redesign Academic Quad, determine fate of statue.

Leaders who embrace on-job learning and listen to employees have more resilient teams

Leaders who encourage their employees to learn on the job and speak up with ideas and suggestions for change have teams that are more effective and resilient in the face of unexpected situations, according to new research from Rice University and the University of Windsor.

Bad romance: Negative relationships linked to worse physical and mental health in postpartum women

HOUSTON – (June 3, 2021) – Postpartum women in bad romantic relationships are not only more likely to suffer symptoms of depression, they are also at greater long-term risk of illness or death, according to new research from Rice University, Ohio State University and the University of California, Irvine.

Body chemistry can predict severity of depression after death of spouse

A new study from researchers at Rice University has found that bodily inflammation after the death of a spouse can predict future depression.