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 Lecture

Recap

Published September 29, 2020

The Code of Capital

A Matrix Distinguished Lecture by Katharina Pistor provided an overview of her book, The Code of Capital: How the Law Creates Wealth and Inequality.

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Matrix On Point

Recap

Published September 28, 2020

Homelessness and the Bay Area Housing Crisis

On September 21, 2020, a panel of researchers, advocates, and medical practitioners joined a "Matrix on Point" discussion focused on homelessness and the San Francisco Bay Area’s housing crisis.

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Affiliated Centers

Recap

Published September 21, 2020

Race and Public Opinion: Today in Historical Context

Recorded on September 10, 2020, this online panel discussion - presented by the University of California, Berkeley's Citrin Center for Public Opinion Research and Social Science Matrix - focused on the history of race and public opinion.

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Research Highlights

Article

Published September 15, 2020

Social Science Prediction Platform

An interview with Stefano DellaVigna, Professor of Economics and Business Administration at the University of California, Berkeley.

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Research Highlights

Article

Published August 26, 2020

Christopher Carter on Indigenous Autonomy

An interview with Christopher Carter, a PhD candidate in Political Science at UC Berkeley and a Research Associate at the Center on the Politics of Development, who has been announced winner of the 2020 Best Fieldwork Prize from the Democracy and Autocracy Section of the American Political Science Association (APSA).

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Interview

Article and News

Published July 29, 2020

Q&A: Dan Lindheim on Police and the Community

An interview with the former Oakland City Administrator — and member of a new Matrix Research Team on police and the community.

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