About the Center for Social Inquiry

New Initiative Crosses Disciplinary and Academic Boundaries

In December 2007, the establishment of the Center for Social Inquiry at Pitzer College was announced with the Center’s programming scheduled to begin in the 2008-09 academic year.

During the past ten years Pitzer faculty members have raised the possibility of establishing a social sciences institute, akin to, but in no way duplicating, the Humanities Institute at Scripps College. Given that social phenomena and social policy issues cross disciplinary and academic divisional boundaries, the Center will necessarily incorporate perspectives from the humanities and natural sciences.

The Center will have a sustained thematic program for each year. During the Fall semester, the institute will host a one- or two-day symposium with a high-profile speaker to frame the theme for the rest of the year. In the Spring semester, the Center will combine a series of public intellectual events (guest speakers, films and panel discussions) on a bi-weekly basis with an undergraduate course component. Juniors and seniors from all field groups will be invited to apply to be “junior fellows” in the Center. In addition, the Center will oversee planning of an Atherton dinner each semester.

“We are delighted to now be able to realize this long sought goal,” Dean of Faculty Alan Jones said. “The establishment of the Center will enhance Pitzer’s ability to more deliberately fuse an ongoing public speaker series with the curricular goals of the College. In particular, the fact that student ‘fellows’ will have the opportunity to enroll in a seminar that critically examines the Center’s public events will be a wonderful new addition to the Pitzer curriculum.”

Dan Segal, Jean M. Pitzer Professor of Anthropology and Professor of Historical Studies, has been appointed to serve as the inaugural faculty director of the Center. This directorship will rotate on a bi- or tri-annual basis and the Center’s theme will change each year. Dean Jones commented that Professor Segal’s own commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship made him an ideal candidate to lead the Center in its early years.

The theme for the Center’s first year will be “Public Health and Food: Global Issues.” Segal will also establish an advisory committee comprising Pitzer colleagues whose scholarship connects with the proposed theme. The committee will help in planning the upcoming year’s program. In the future, the College community will be invited to suggest themes for upcoming years.

Email: csi@pitzer.edu
Telephone: 909-607-3450
Fax: 909-607-7880

Mailing Address:
Center for Social Inquiry
Fletcher Hall 212
Pitzer College
1050 N. Mills Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711

Contacts:
Dan Segal, Academic Executive Director
Michael Ballagh, Assistant Dean of Faculty 909-607-3450