Social Sciences

Rice welcomes new faculty in largest hiring in history

More than 160 people attended a celebratory reception for new and newly promoted Rice faculty in the Faculty Club.

Obama’s 2012 reelection tied to better mental health in educated Black men, study suggests

Following Barack Obama’s reelection as U.S. president in 2012, the mental health of college-educated Black men improved significantly.

‘Well within reason’: Fed makes first interest rate cut since 2020

Rice experts John Diamond and Zach Bethune are available to comment on the Fed's decision to cut interest rates by a half percentage point.

‘Diverse perspectives’: Rice conference delivers fresh insights on energy, waste and the environment in West Africa

Rice hosted the Energy, Waste and the Environment in West Africa conference Sept. 12-13, an event that convened scholars, policymakers and artists to address pressing environmental issues in West Africa.

Rice launches ‘Policy Playbook’ with expert nonpartisan insights on key issues before the election

Nonpartisan data and insights on the top issues of the upcoming election such as the southern border, energy sustainability and resilient communities are available in ”Election 2024: Policy Playbook,” a new series of policy briefs presented jointly by Rice and the Baker Institute for Public Policy. The series offers critical context, analysis and recommendations to equip policy leaders governing the U.S. and Texas in 2025.

Rice center identifies top 10 hazardous polluters in Hurricane Francine's path

An interactive map developed by the Rice Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience identifies the major hazardous polluters in the path of Hurricane Francine.

Rice expert available to discuss 9/11

Rice University international relations expert Ric Stoll is available to discuss the impact of 9/11 on U.S. foreign policy.

Rice experts available to discuss Tropical Storm Francine’s impact on Gulf Coast

Rice University experts Dominic Boyer and James Elliott, co-directors of the recently launched Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience, are available to discuss the vulnerabilities of the Gulf Coast to major storms.

Hordge-Freeman honored with prestigious American Sociological Association awards for recent book

Hordge-Freeman received the American Sociological Association 2024 Gordon Hirabayashi Human Rights Book Award by the Section on Sociology of Human Rights and the 2024 Outstanding Recent Contribution Award by the Section on the Sociology of Emotions.

Rice’s Boniuk Institute launches new Religion and Public Life Center

Rice’s Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance hosted a celebration at Cohen House Aug. 28 to launch the new Religion and Public Life Center (RPLC). The center’s goal is to use research on religion to build common ground for the common good.

‘Light of Andrea’: Vigil honors loss of beloved student and leader

A Sept. 3 vigil honored the life of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, whose promising future was tragically cut short.

Rice’s Philip Kortum recognized by Human Factors and Ergonomics Society for excellence in education, training of students

The highly prestigious and competitive award was established in 1968.

‘A natural bridge’: Science and technology studies connect scientists, humanists

As a freshman at Rice University, Anna Tutuianu ’23 knew she wanted to study how research in biomedicine and biomedical technologies intersected with society and history.

‘Brilliant and brave’: Rice remembers, mourns student Andrea Rodriguez Avila

The Rice community is mourning the tragic, violent loss of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a Jones College junior remembered as a bright and dedicated young scholar with a promising future.

New Rice center to address impact of climate change on coastal economic powerhouses

Globally, 800 million people living in hundreds of urban areas will face grave social and economic risks from sea level rise and routine coastal flooding by 2050.