Examining both the sociopolitical landscapes of the United States and our own, internal community and operations, the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences launched the BSOS Anti-Black Racism Initiative (ABRI) in 2020.

A new University of Maryland study conducted in a neighboring Prince George’s County community suggests that creating safer Black and Latinx neighborhoods doesn’t require more policing, but more investment. The research examined outcomes of a four-year crime reduction project in Langley Park, demonstrating that more streetlights, mental health services, youth outreach and public art are as important—and possibly more effective—at boosting community safety in immigrant neighborhoods than programs designed to build trust with local police.

From the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color to fatal encounters between police and African Americans, UMD sociology Professor Rashawn Ray acknowledges it would be easy to be pessimistic in the face of addressing such challenges. Yet during his speech on Saturday for the inaugural Homecoming “Beyond the Field” address, he was hopeful, encouraged by the progress that can be made through academic inquiry. “I believe in the power of critical thinking,’ Ray said. “I believe in the power of research to create meaningful change.”

Visa policies in the United States hold immigrants back from starting new ventures, restrict their employment choices early in their careers and can limit their entrepreneurship later, a new University of Maryland study has found.

A new partnership between the University of Maryland and Jigsaw, a unit of Google, will create groundbreaking virtual reality training for police officers to learn and evaluate de-escalation and communication skills.

University of Maryland researchers Long Doan (Principal Investigator), Jessica Fish (Co-Principal Investigator), and Liana Sayer (Co-Principal Investigator) were awarded an NSF RAPID grant to examine the impacts of COVID-19 and states' and local governments' social distancing directives on behavior, time spent with others, use of technology, and mental and physical wellbeing.

When we think about the founding of America, it is important to acknowledge the country’s tough and complex history. Race and racism are topics that receive regular circulation across news platforms. Discussions about these topics can be difficult and provoke strong emotions. Yet most students leave high school without an adequate understanding of the role slavery played in the development of the United States—or how its legacies still influence us today.

In the face of COVID-19 and the nearly overnight shift to mandatory online and virtual interactions, the topic of digital accessibility for people with disabilities has a greatly increased importance. Companies,organizations, government agencies, universities, and schools are addressing accessibility of their websites, applications, and other digital interfaces with a heightened sense of urgency.

“We are preserving social history… the places that were built by the hands of Black communities all across the country.”

Associate Professor Typhanye Dyer and Assistant Research Professor Rodman Turpin conducted two studies on the role of syndemics—combinations of adverse social, structural and individual factors—on health outcomes among Black sexual minority men and transgender women in the US.