UC Berkeley’s flagship institute for social science research

Our purpose is captured in our name: we provide an organizational framework—a “matrix”—that supports cross-disciplinary research pursued by social scientists across the University of California, Berkeley campus and beyond.

Matrix On Point

Recap

Published April 10, 2025

Mainstreaming Psychedelics

Psychedelics are steadily moving from the fringes of counterculture to the heart of mainstream society, driven by a growing body of research and shifting public perception. As psychedelics shed their stigma, they are catalyzing a broader conversation about mental health, spirituality, and the boundaries of human consciousness. Recorded on March 6, 2025, this panel featured Diana Negrin, David Presti, Charles Hirschkind, and Graham Pechenik, with Poulomi Saha moderating.

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Matrix On Point

Recap

Published June 12, 2025

Technology and China in the New Political Economy

Recorded on April 18, 2025, this Matrix on Point panel brought together experts of the Chinese political economy and law and society in a conversation to discuss the political, economic, security, and social dimensions and complexities of technology in China’s internationalization during times of global tensions. The panel featured Mark Dallas, Roselyn Hsueh, and Rachel E. Stern; it was moderated and chaired by AnnaLee Saxenian.

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Matrix On Point

Recap

Published June 12, 2025

Governing Giants: Law, Politics, and Antitrust

Recorded on April 25, 2025, this panel brought together scholars of political science, economics, and law to discuss the changing landscape of antitrust policy in an era of multinational corporations. Moderated by Ryan Brutger, the panel included Amy Pond (Washington University St. Louis, Political Science), Prasad Krishnamurthy (UC Berkeley, Law), and Michael Allen (Stanford, Political Science).

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Matrix On Point

Recap

Published May 20, 2025

150 Years of Border Control: The Legacy of the 1875 Page Act

Recorded on April 23, 2025, this panel marked the 150th anniversary of the Page Act of 1875, one of the first federal laws to restrict immigration to the United States — especially Asian immigration, as the law prohibited the importation of Asian contract workers, prostitutes (a provision targeted against Chinese women), and criminals.

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Matrix News

Iris Hui Memorial Fund

Published May 19, 2025

Ethnic Studies PhD Student Receives Iris Hui Memorial Scholarship

Irene Franco Rubio, a doctoral student in the UC Berkeley Department of Ethnic Studies, has been selected to receive the 2025 Dr. Iris Hui Memorial Graduate Student Scholarship. Irene is a first-generation scholar-activist whose research explores multiracial coalition-building, grassroots resistance, and social movement histories in the U.S. Southwest.

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Matrix On Point

Recap

Published May 14, 2025

Matrix on Point: The New Gender Gap

New research reveals a growing gender gap in attitudes across a range of topics, particularly striking among younger generations. Recorded on April 7, 2025, this panel brought together experts to discuss the contours and complexities of this “new gender gap” and explore its ramifications for politics, demography, and societal cohesion.

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Authors Meet Critics

Recap

Published May 6, 2025

Native Lands: Culture and Gender in Indigenous Territorial Claims

Recorded on April 4, 2025, this video features an Authors Meet Critics panel on the book "Native Lands: Culture and Gender in Indigenous Territorial Claims," by Shari Huhndorf, Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley. "Native Lands" analyzes the role of visual and literary culture in contemporary Indigenous campaigns for territorial rights.

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