News

Global Studies Professor's Migration Research Racks Up Book Prizes

While doing research for his first book, “Empire of Refugees: North Caucasian Muslims and the Late Ottoman State” (Stanford University Press, 2024), Vladimir Hamed-Troyansky visited more than 20 archives in 10 countries, a years-long endeavor during which he studied primary historical evidence in Arabic, Ottoman Turkish, Russian, Bulgarian and English. 

Sociologist Sees Promise of 'True Freedom' in Mamdami's Mayoral Victory

Anthropology Professor Michael Gurven explores how early humans adapted to water-scarce environments

Eating a diet of almost exclusively animal products and experiencing relentless, chronic dehydration would lead to serious problems for many of us, but not so for the Turkana of northwest Kenya.

UCSB outlines progress and goals for Native American repatriation

UC Santa Barbara is advancing its efforts to return Native American ancestors and cultural items, with a comprehensive repatriation program and a goal of completing this work responsibly and transparently by 2028.

Novelist Sameer Pandya Takes Helm of Nation's First Asian American Studies Department

With the start of the Fall 2025 quarter Sameer Pandya has officially begun his tenure as chair of the nation's first Asian American Studies department.

Dr. Sabine Frühstück Appointed Director of East Asia Center

The University of California, Santa Barbara has announced the appointment of Dr. Sabine Frühstück, Distinguished Professor and Koichi Takashima Chair in Japanese Cultural Studies, as the new Director of the East Asia Center (EAC).

Center for Feminist Futures Inaugural Director Jigna Desai offers a new take on feminism

The new Center for Feminist Futures at UC Santa Barbara, under the leadership of inaugural director Dr. Jigna Desai, is demonstrating the urgent relevance of feminist research to local, national, and global issues. Appointed in August 2023, Dr. Desai's mandate is to build the center from the ground up, with a mission to use feminist scholarship to address pressing societal challenges.

Dr. Gaye Theresa Johnson Appointed Director of the Blum Center on Poverty, Inequality, and Democracy

Dr. Gaye Theresa Johnson, a scholar, organizer, and long-time resident of the Central Coast, has returned to UC Santa Barbara’s Division of Social Sciences as the new Director of the Blum Center on Poverty, Inequality, and Democracy. Her appointment signifies both a professional homecoming and a deepening of her commitment to the region she has served for decades.