David Whitney in his lab at the Center for Mind and Brain.
The Division of Social Sciences tackles the vexing problems of understanding individual and social behavior in all aspects of our lives: politics, family, economy and culture. Students learn about government through internships at our state and nation's capitols, history through archival research, economic forecasting through computer laboratory instruction, and empirical science through laboratory and field research in our many faculty labs, research centers and at sites throughout the globe.
Home to four winners of the UC Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement, the division houses some of the most powerful researchers, teachers and scholars of our time. The four recent prize winners are:
The Division of Social Sciences adheres to the campus’s educational objectives.
To learn more about the campus’s objectives, follow this link to the PDF: 
Educational Objectives for Students
Inequality, "Silver Spoon" Effect Found In Ancient Societies
The so-called "silver spoon" effect -- in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another -- is
well established in some of the world's most ancient economies, according to an international study coordinated
by a UC Davis anthropologist.
Full Story
Eye Movements Give Away Memories
It has been known for some time that a part of the brain called the hippocampus is necessary for the conscious recall of memories, but
Debbie Hannula, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis, and Charan Ranganath, associate professor of psychology, addressed the controversial
question of whether the hippocampus can support memories even when people are unaware of them.
Full Story
History Professor Gets Students’ Vote
Charles "Chuck" Walker, a professor of history and the director of the Hemispheric Institute on the Americas, received the Associated Students of UC Davis highest teaching award, the Excellence in Education Award.
Full Story
Ron Mangun Appointed As Dean of the Division of Social Sciences
George R. Mangun, professor of psychology and neurology, has been appointed dean of the UC Davis Division of Social Sciences. Mangun emerged as the top candidate
during a national search that started when Steven M. Sheffrin stepped down in May 2008 after 10 years in the dean's office. Mangun has served as interim dean since Aug. 1.
Full Story
Native Americans Descended From A Single Ancestral Group
For two decades, researchers have been using a growing volume of genetic data to debate whether ancestors of Native Americans emigrated
to the New World in one wave or successive waves, or from one ancestral Asian population or a number of different populations. Now, after
painstakingly comparing DNA samples from people in dozens of modern-day Native American and Eurasian groups, an international team of
scientists thinks it can put the matter to rest: Virtually without exception the new evidence supports the single ancestral population theory.
Full Story
KCRA’s Walt Grey interviews “Davis’ Smartest Person”: Charan Ranganath, an associate professor in psychology and at the Center for Neuroscience. http://www.kcra.com/video/18948248/index.html
Gail Goodman, a professor of psychology, and Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, a professor of anthropology, were awarded 2009 Distinguished Scholarly Public Service awards. The awards were given by the UC Davis Academic Senate and Academic Federation.
Dean George R. Mangun reflects on the history of his division and its bright future.
Learn more about Dean Mangun
Get a glimpse of some of the SS faculty through this page, featuring recent honors, publications, research, and profiles.
Get a glimpse of some of the SS faculty through this page, featuring recent honors, publications, research, and profiles.
