🚨NEW PAPER: Why are Members of Congress so extreme? We conducted a 4-wave panel of thousands of voters in 27 districts during last year’s primary AND general elections to trace polarization’s roots The results challenge conventional wisdom… and suggest lessons for parties🧵👇

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Here’s a look back at last week’s commencement ceremonies for our 15 departments + programs at UC Berkeley Social Sciences! Congratulations to our newest graduates — I’m so proud of their hard work + dedication. Read more: bit.ly/3HraXJb

New Institute of Governmental Studies poll shows that Californians still support a path to citizenship across party lines. UC Berkeley Sociology Prof. + IGS co-director G. Cristina Mora + Ethnic Studies Prof. Nicholas Vargas share more in their Los Angeles Times op-ed: bit.ly/3YRofVt

As a teen mother, Mia Kelly overcame tremendous odds to be accepted to UC Berkeley and earned her UC Berkeley Sociology degree last week, while working full-time. Congratulations Mia! Read more: bit.ly/4dJVobY

Asian American Studies Alumna Betty Duong for Supervisor became the first Vietnamese American + Asian American woman to be elected to the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors last year. Learn more about how her time at Cal prepared her for this role: bit.ly/3S6YNrk Supervisor Betty Duong

Congratulations to the first graduating class of our Master of Computational Social Sciences program! They are ready to tackle complex questions at the intersection of technology and social sciences to better understand the world. Read more: bit.ly/4kdMeXv

In her The New York Times op-ed, UC Berkeley Sociology Prof. Emerita Arlie Russell Hochschild discusses her experience speaking to Trump supporters in Kentucky’s Fifth District about their opinions on his second term. Read more: bit.ly/3SLefK2

Political Science Administrative Director Serena Groen received Berkeley Social Science’s Distinguished Service Award for her role in advancing departmental goals + fostering an inclusive, supportive environment. Congratulations! Learn more: bit.ly/3FdY0SB

Why are some countries richer than others? Berkeley Economics Prof. Edward Miguel’s research suggests part of the reason could be “slack,” or underutilized resources due to low consumer demand. Learn more: bit.ly/43tK9R8

Ever wondered why Siri can understand one voice over another? Berkeley Linguistics Prof. Nicole Holliday says it’s due to lack of representation in training data, which causes biases in speech AI. Learn more: bit.ly/45dqA0U

Learn more about how Black women reclaim power through humor + sass in African American Studies, UC Berkeley Alumna J Finley’s book “Black Women’s Humor and Humanity”: bit.ly/4mh7YmA

Happy Fourth of July from Berkeley Social Sciences!

The “Building Bridges Between Democracy and Technology for a Better Society” course, co-developed by Political Science Prof. Kirk Bansak + innovation strategist Gert Christen, is teaching students how to use tech for social + political change. Learn more: bit.ly/4dCkTvt

.Berkeley Economics + Berkeley Computing, Data Science, and Society student Nihar Nuthikattu worked with other students to analyze how courts interpret internet platform liability. Learn more: bit.ly/4jlQ1kc

.Berkeley Geography + Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Program (ISSP) Curriculum Planner Alli Warren brings experience, creativity + precision to everything from scheduling to course development. Learn more about her: bit.ly/3S2nUvp

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Why are we living so much longer than we did 150 years ago + can this trend continue? Demography researcher Magali Barbieri uses Berkeley’s Human Mortality Database (Human Mortality Database) to help answer these questions. Learn more: bit.ly/3SlZn4B

Learn more about how Berkeley Geography Prof. Clancy Wilmott uses mapping to challenge colonial legacies + build a more equitable world: bit.ly/4joUdjd

How do data + technology shape our social + political worlds? Data 104, a course taught by the UC Berkeley History Dept. + Berkeley Computing, Data Science, and Society program, examines this question through historical + ethical frameworks in various data science subjects. Read more: bit.ly/3Z7DkCd