Social Sciences Division
Harvard Departments Split on AI Use in Senior Theses, With Many Yet to Set Rules
Only 18 of Harvard College’s 50 concentrations have department-wide restrictions on how seniors can use artificial intelligence in their theses, according to a Crimson review of departmental policies.
Harvard Departments Brace for Teaching Fellow Shortage After Ph.D. Cuts
Harvard’s deep cuts to PhD admissions are on track to leave undergraduate courses short of teaching fellows within two years, a looming squeeze already pushing departments to prepare contingency plans.
At Harvard Panel, Scholars Say Ancient DNA May ‘Challenge Assumptions’ of Ethnic Homogeneity in Medieval England
A German archaeologist discussed his team’s research on two cadavers buried in early medieval England — both of whom had recent West African ancestry and appeared to be socially integrated with their communities — at a Harvard panel on Thursday.
Researchers Release Report on People Enslaved by Harvard-Affiliated Vassall Family
A group of Harvard-affiliated researchers presented an extensive report Thursday on the people enslaved by the Vassall family, whose members were affiliated with the University and lived at the Longfellow House in Cambridge.
Epstein’s Birthday Album Includes Notes Apparently Signed by Harvard Faculty, Administrators
Documents released by a House committee on Monday show the signature of former Faculty of Arts and Sciences dean and two-time acting Harvard president Henry Rosovsky alongside lewd images in Jeffrey Epstein’s 2003 birthday album.
Harvard Social Science Dean Lawrence Bobo Steps Down, Will Be Replaced by Economist David Cutler
Harvard Dean of Social Science Lawrence D. Bobo will step down from his position and take a sabbatical for the 2025-26 academic year. He will be replaced by interim Social Science dean David M. Cutler for the next two years.
Harvard FAS Professors Told To Prepare Contingency Plans for Budget Shortfalls
Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences professors were instructed to develop contingency plans for center and departmental spending budget shortfalls, according to five professors informed at two separate department meetings this week.
Economics Professor Stefanie Stantcheva Awarded the 2025 Clark Medal
Professor of Political Economy Stefanie Stantcheva was awarded the 2025 John Bates Clark Medal by the American Economic Association, according to a Friday announcement.
Center for Middle Eastern Studies Leaders Dismissed for Alleged Lack of Balance in Events on Palestine, Harvard AAUP Says
Interim Harvard Dean of Social Science David M. Cutler ’87 dismissed the Center for Middle Eastern Studies’ faculty leaders on Wednesday because he felt their programming on Palestine was insufficiently balanced, according to a Monday press release from Harvard’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
FAS Dean Asks Center Directors To Show Compliance With Viewpoint Diversity Guidance
Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra told directors of FAS centers they would be required to meet with their divisional deans to explain how their programs are complying with recent guidance on intellectual diversity in a Tuesday email.
Robert Wolff ’53-’54, Social Studies’ Last Founding Father, Remembered as a Public-Spirited Philosopher
Robert P. Wolff ’53-’54, a political philosopher and activist who was the last surviving co-founder of Harvard’s Social Studies concentration, died in January at 91.
Social Science Dean Lawrence Bobo To Take Unexpected Leave in Spring Semester
Harvard Dean of Social Science Lawrence D. Bobo will take a leave of absence during the spring 2024 semester due to “unanticipated personal matters,” he wrote in an email to Social Science faculty Monday afternoon.
Students, Faculty Call for Urban Studies Secondary Field at Harvard
A group of undergraduates and faculty are calling on Harvard to establish a secondary field in urban studies, citing widespread interest in the field among students.
Longtime Harvard Social Studies Director Anya Bassett Remembered As ‘Greatest Mentor’
Anya E. B. Bassett, Harvard’s longtime director of undergraduate studies for Social Studies, died suddenly on Aug. 13. She was 56.
Harvard Employee Fired Following Online Heated Exchange With Jewish Student
Harvard terminated the employment of Gustavo Espada, a staff member in the East Asian Languages and Civilizations department, following an online exchange with a student over the defacing of posters displaying Israeli hostages.
‘Incredibly Difficult’: Social Science Profs Struggle to Find Graduate TFs
Courses in the Social Science division are facing a shortage of graduate student teaching fellows as Harvard’s Ph.D. cohorts have shrunk following the Covid-19 pandemic and amid a general shift away from the humanities and social sciences.
Harvard to Bring Back Introductory History Course for Fall Semester
The Harvard History department will resurrect an introductory undergraduate History course this fall after almost two decades.
‘This is the Future of Europe’: WSJ Journalist Discusses War in Ukraine at Harvard Event
Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign affairs correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, said the war in Ukraine will decide “the future of Europe” during an event at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies Thursday afternoon.
James Robson Appointed New Director of Harvard-Yenching Institute
Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations James G. Robson was appointed the new director of the Harvard-Yenching Institute, the University announced Monday.
Weatherhead Center Encourages Informed Discussion Over Israel-Palestine Conflict
The Weatherhead Center for International Affairs is creating a space to address current events in the Israel-Palestine conflict and promote informed discussion through a series of expert forums.
Harvard Prof. Hochschild Apologizes For Comments on Rufo Extension School Degree
Harvard professor Jennifer L. Hochschild apologized after facing backlash from Harvard Extension School affiliates for remarks on X which were perceived as denigrating students at the school.
NYU Philosopher Juliana Bidadanure Discusses Demonization at Harvard Divinity School Lecture
Juliana U. Bidadanure, professor of philosophy at New York University, presented her theory of demonization during a talk at the Harvard Divinity School Thursday, assessing its prevalence and impact on society.
Harvard Prof. Danielle Allen Shares Roadmap to ‘Protecting and Renovating’ Democracy at Institute for Learning in Retirement Event
Harvard University professor Danielle S. Allen shared her vision for American democracy on Friday at the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement’s first convocation in four years.
Former Biden State Department Official Karen Donfried Reflects on US-German Relations at Harvard CES Lecture
Karen Donfried, a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, delivered the fourth annual Guido Goldman Lecture on Germany at the Center for European Studies Thursday evening.
Experts Talk Impact of Crime on Latin American Elections and Democracy at Harvard Rockefeller Center Panel
Three experts discussed how crime affects elections in Latin American countries during a virtual panel hosted by the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies Tuesday afternoon.
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