Five distinguished scholars–Carol Anderson, a diplomatic historian whose work focuses on public policy; Jacob Hacker, a political scientist whose specialty is American social policy; Rucker Johnson, a labor economist who specializes in the economics of education; Mary Pattillo, an urban sociologist whose work examines the interrelationships of race, class, ethnicity; and Kathryn Sikkink, a political scientist whose scholarship focuses on international norms and institutions–were inducted as Fellows of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS) with a virtual event on February 1. The AAPSS inducts a new cohort of Fellows each year, in recognition of contributions that advance science and deepen public understanding of human behavior and social dynamics.
In the event, moderated by Nicholas Lemann, Dean Emeritus of the Columbia Journalism School, the panel discussed how we can surmount extraordinary polarization in the United States, and what kinds of institutional and public actions are most needed to promote a productive and engaged citizenry. They also took a look at what history, social science, and comparative studies tell us about where our nation stands now, both in our own history and across the globe.
With the addition of the 2021 inductees, there are 145 Fellows of the Academy in total. Most are university-based scholars responsible for research that has changed our understanding of human behavior and the world in which we live; others are public servants who have used research and evidence in institutions of government to improve the common good.
