Every January 1st, local news outlets feature joyous accounts of the first babies born in the new year—a tradition that highlights auspicious beginnings. But throughout the year, few topics capture headlines as frequently as those related to reproduction. On any given day, a glance at the front page of a major newspaper or online source…
Category: Population studies
Social Science Scholar: Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts in the U.S.
After graduation, I hope to pursue a joint degree in law and public health with a focus on human trafficking. My summer experiences expanded my knowledge, reinforced my passion, and sharpened my technical skills. The development work I did at LCHT can be applied to other areas within the nonprofit field because all nonprofits need funding for their work. In addition, the leadership development program at LCHT provided me with tools for self-care to prevent burnout in a field with such a high turnover. In addition, my research skills and findings from Minnesota will not only strengthen my honors thesis but also contribute to anti-trafficking recommendations in Florida. I am grateful to the Social Science Scholars program for the funding and inspiration to undertake my summer projects.
Social Science Scholar: Off the Street Club
This summer was remarkable. Post-graduation, I plan on returning to Chicago to work for the company that I interned with as an Art Director and also working with Off the Street Club or a nonprofit that works with youth in the Chicago areas. I am forever indebted to the Social Science Scholar program and donors who made this summer a possibility. None of this would have been possible if it had not been for Dr. Tom Taylor and Dr. John Mayo and the entire College of Social Sciences & Public Policy for supporting the summer of a lifetime.
Social Science Scholar: Florida Housing Coalition
I am truly grateful for the opportunities that the College’s Social Science Scholars Program has been able to provide me with. The Social Science Scholars Program gave me a supportive network of students, both in my own class and from past cohorts, who I could talk to on a range of issues from involvement on campus to pursuing an undergraduate honors thesis. Not only has this program provided me with the opportunity to further myself both personally and professionally through gaining real world experience in data analytics, but without the Social Science Scholars program, I would certainly not have found myself in an internship that allowed me to apply concepts I learned in the classroom at Florida State to a meaningful cause where I could help further affordable housing advocacy in my community.
Social Science Scholar: City Service Mission (CSM) San Francisco
Without the Social Science Scholars program and guidance, I would not have had the opportunity to discover my career passions and how I want to translate the in-class learning I receive to my practical real-world applications. This summer I learned how nonprofits work on a deeper level, how my own identities shape the work I want to do in the future, and how social issues like homelessness are being addressed in cities across the nation.
The Measurement and Importance of Economic Freedom
Since the initial publication of the Economic Freedom of the World report in 1996, numerous scholarly studies have used the data to examine the impact of economic freedom on investment, economic growth, income levels, and poverty rates. Virtually without exception, these studies have found that countries with institutions and policies more consistent with economic freedom have higher investment rates, more rapid economic growth, higher income levels, and a more rapid reduction in poverty rates.
Entrepreneurship Programs Can Help Ex-offenders Stay out of Prison
This piece first appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat. Struggling to re-enter society with nothing but lost time and the additional burden of a criminal record, ex-offenders have a 76.6% chance of being rearrested within five years. This is dramatic evidence of the failure of the so-called “punishment” or “retributive” approach to criminal justice, which promises…
Are E-Scooter Services Good for Cities?
In short, we don’t have enough information to make a judgement on whether e-scooters make a net positive contribution to the Tallahassee community (or other similar places). Hopefully, the city of Tallahassee can use their current pilot program to carefully evaluate the safety and management issues and develop an understanding of who is using the scooter services and whether it is leading to a reduction in auto use.
Destined to Disappear? Lessons from Nonbinary People on Dismantling the Gender Binary
Finally, and most importantly, we can look to the activists and scholars who came before us. Although they did not always get it right, we should not dismiss the tools they gave us to study and critique gender inequality. Their critiques and interventions surrounding gendered language, violence, structures, and binaries arguably is key to liberation, regardless of if or how one is gendered.
Featured Blog by Award-Winning Faculty: Shared Histories
As the Lieutenant-Governor’s Medal highlights, this is a story with broader purchase. Focusing on a particular place, Shared Histories highlights how racial injustices developed through the complex mixture of local, provincial, and federal policies. But it also registers the possibility of implementing different policies and building different relationships. It is important to share the story of Indiantown, so it does not happen again. So we can learn from it and create a new and different future.
