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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Workshop/Symposium

Recap

Published October 19, 2017

Geo4Dev Symposium

Matrix was honored to co-sponsor Geospatial Analysis for International Development (Geo4Dev), a two-day symposium and workshop held September 6-7, 2017 focused on the application of remote sensing and geospatial analysis to address issues of poverty, sustainable development, urbanization, climate change, and economic growth in developing countries.​

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Workshop/Symposium

Recap

Published October 10, 2017

2017 Peder Sather Symposium

Matrix was honored to host the 2017 Peder Sather Symposium, which focused on the theme, "Freedom of Speech Under Pressure in the World’s Liberal Democracies." Featured speakers include Azita Raji, Former US Ambassador to Sweden, and Dr. Knut Olav Åmås, Executive Director, Fritt Ord Foundation.

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Article

Published October 9, 2017

Electing Peace

In her new book, Electing Peace: From Civil Conflict to Political Participation, Aila Matanock, Assistant Professor in the UC Berkeley Department of Political Science, looks at the role of elections in post-conflict peace agreements.

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News

Published September 21, 2017

Matrix Welcomes 2017-2018 Dissertation Fellows

From improving census measurements in developing nations to exploring environmentally balanced livestock policies, this year's Social Science Matrix Dissertation Fellows are tackling important challenges that span disciplinary boundaries.

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Matrix News

News

Published July 25, 2017

Matrix Launches Faculty Exchange with Sciences Po

A new faculty exchange partnership between UC Berkeley's Social Science Matrix and France’s Sciences Po will support collaborations between researchers at two of the world's leading social science institutions.

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Matrix News

News

Published July 25, 2017

Matrix to Publish Monograph Series with UC Press

Working with faculty at Berkeley and beyond, Matrix will soon begin publishing a series of digital monographs in collaboration the University of California Press (UC Press).

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