Happy Fourth of July from Berkeley Social Sciences!

Learn more about how Black women reclaim power through humor + sass in @BerkeleyAfroAm Alumna J Finley’s book “Black Women’s Humor and Humanity”:

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

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

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:

In her @nytimes op-ed, @berkeleysocio 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:

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:

Asian American Studies Alumna @BettyDuong became the first Vietnamese American + Asian American woman to be elected to the @SCCgov Board of Supervisors last year. Learn more about how her time at Cal prepared her for this role: . @SupBettyDuong

As a teen mother, Mia Kelly overcame tremendous odds to be accepted to @UCBerkeley and earned her @berkeleysocio degree last week, while working full-time. Congratulations Mia! Read more:

New @BerkeleyIGS poll shows that Californians still support a path to citizenship across party lines. @berkeleysocio Prof. IGS co-director G. Cristina Mora + Ethnic Studies Prof. Nicholas Vargas share more in their @latimes op-ed:

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

RT @dbroockman: 🚨NEW PAPER: Why are Members of Congress so extreme?. We conducted a 4-wave panel of thousands of voters in 27 districts dur….

(3/3) “From the classroom to the workplace to the community, know that you make these spaces better, more inclusive, more interesting, more creative and more successful.”.

(2/3) To our graduating seniors, he said: “When others question your presence, or your competence, or make assumptions about you or how you got where you are, don’t ever doubt your value or that you belong.”.

(1/3) Breon Peace, political economy alumnus + former U.S. district attorney, delivered a compelling keynote address at our Political Economy + Global Studies commencement this week. Our students will carry his message with them on their journeys.

Since arriving at @UCBerkeley from China in 2021, Yuqi Tian has made an indelible mark on campus, championing access for the disabled. This week, she’ll earn 3 degrees in @BerkeleyGeog, Italian studies + comparative literature. Congrats Yuqi! Read more:

Motivated by his mother’s health challenges, Samir Hooker founded a startup to use AI to improve drug trials. Today, he’ll earn his degree in political economy from @UCBerkeley, continuing his mission to honor her. Congratulations Samir! Read more:

After attending his daughter’s @UCBHistory class, Thomas Newman was inspired to become a Cal student himself. Today, he’ll receive a history degree from @UCBerkeley—the same degree his daughter Maria earned a year ago. Congratulations Thomas! Read more:

Congratulations to the Berkeley Social Sciences Class of 2025! I am so proud of everything you have earned + accomplished at @UCBerkeley! Go out there + help us create a better world.