IISS Activities

Events: To find out about IISS upcoming and past events, click here.

Brownbags, Workshops, and Conferences

The IISS sponsors a variety of activities that bring together scholars, students and practitioners for focused discussions of topics in inequality. In Spring 2004, IISS sponsored a seminar, in collaboration with the Center for Research on Families, to consider the dynamics of participation in social welfare and health programs. In Spring 2005, IISS co-sponsored a conference, organized by the UW Harry Bridges Center on Labor Studies, on caring labor and its implications for providers, families, communities, and other social and economic institutions.

In Fall 2005, IISS has co-sponsored three events. A colloquium by sociologist Linda Burton presented research on the meaning of place in the lives of America’s poor. A presentation by Dr. Taryn Lindhorst and Dr. Gunnar Almgren, IISS Faculty Affiliates, at UW-SSW’s “Day of Reflection” on Hurricane Katrina addressed the repercussions of historic inequalities in health care in the Gulf region. And a screening of the documentary, “Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price,” featured discussants from the domains of policy research, labor organizing and business scholarship.

In late Winter and through Spring 2006, IISS is holding a "Multi-Disciplinarity in Action" Colloquium Series (click here for 2006 Colloquium Series flyer). The series includes presentations of work in progress from several Social Work faculty and doctoral candidates, and faculty from the Evans School of Public Affairs. Each session features a discussant whose work is in a related but contrasting area, who will illuminate the utility and implications of the presented work for other areas of scholarship and practice.

Graduate Education and Training

IISS Faculty Affiliates provide graduate education, training and mentorship through regularly scheduled graduate classes, professional development workshops, supervised research opportunities and post-doctoral training positions. In Spring 2005, SSW will commence an innovative collaboration with the UW School of Business in offering a joint, four-credit MSW-MBA course focused on socially responsible workplace practice. Professor Anna Haley-Lock, the 2005-06 IISS Chair, will co-teach the new course with Professor Thomas Jones from UW Business School.

Ongoing and New Research Initiatives

IISS Faculty and Student Affiliates are engaged in a variety of regional and national research initiatives on topics in economic, social and health inequalities. The Institute fosters new collaborations among faculty and student researchers by pursuing financial and institutional support for research that (1) applies theoretically-grounded and methodologically rigorous methods to the analysis of inequality issues; (2) has immediate relevance for local, regional or national policy; and (3) has broader relevance for the advancement of knowledge, intellectual and policy agendas.

Recent examples of ground-breaking scholarly efforts include the new West Coast Poverty Center, directed by IISS Faculty Affiliate, Professor Marcia Meyers (jointly appointed to the UW School of Social Work and Evans School of Public Affairs). The West Coast Poverty Center represents a cross-school and cross–disciplinary collaboration between UW and other west coast, senior and junior poverty researchers. In addition, IISS Faculty Affiliate, Professor David Takeuchi directs the new Diversity Research Institute.