Welcome! We are thrilled to serve as co-directors of IGS during its centennial year. Now, more than ever, public service needs UC Berkeley – its most committed young people, its game-changing research, and its unwavering mission to elevate discourse on campus and beyond.
At IGS, we are working hard to make all of that come true. Through the Matsui Center we provide some of the country’s most promising students with internships and real-world learning opportunities. In our faculty-led research groups, we develop and support state-of-the art research on critical issues facing the nation today. With the Berkeley IGS Poll we provide accurate, unbiased information on what Californians think and how they are voting. And through our seminar series, public lectures and other events, we invite local and national scholars, elected officials, journalists and public intellectuals to give us first-hand insight on US democracy in action.
We’ve come together as co-directors because we value an interdisciplinary approach and envision IGS as a welcoming space for all who are interested in politics and governance issues defined broadly. We also value collaboration and will work to make IGS a place that fosters community as it encourages deep conversations across disciplines. Whether you are in Political Science, Sociology, History, Ethnic Studies, Economics, Public Health or another field we hope you will see IGS as a home to develop big ideas and produce cutting-edge research. Our IGS Library and staff are also here to help students and members of the public access important resources and archives.
At IGS, we’re supporting reliable, top-flight research and preparing the leaders of tomorrow. Our goal for this centennial year is to build on what previous directors have developed and make sure that through our student programs, working groups, and events, UC Berkeley remains central to the most important governance actions and conversations unfolding today. American democracy faces deep and systemic challenges; by training the next generation of leaders and citizens, incubating policy-relevant research, and elevating critical public discussions IGS is determined to be a part of the solution.
G. Cristina Mora & Eric Schickler
IGS Co-Directors