School of Social Sciences Humanities and Arts

Depression Due to Politics: the Quiet Danger to Democracy

July 7, 2025

UC Merced Professor Christopher Ojeda and his book "The Sad Citizen"

On laptop screens, televisions and social media feeds across the nation, images and words fueled by a fractured political landscape spout anger, frustration and resentment. Clashing ideologies burst forth in public demonstrations, family gatherings and digital echo chambers. Red-hot rhetoric and...

Stanford Runner, Researcher Ready for Next Step

Spencer Castro is moving from one of the nation's most established research universities and most successful athletics programs to one building its reputation in both regards. He's also coming home,...

Study: Climate Change to Increase Yellowstone Wildfires Dramatically

An increase in wildfires due to climate change could rapidly and profoundly alter the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, according to a new study authored by environmental engineering and geography...

Political Science Students Experience Legislative Process

UC Merced students took to the floor of the California Senate last week, sitting in the seats of the legislators they have portrayed all summer as a part of their Government in Action course. The...

Study: Urban Rail Reduces Carbon Monoxide Air Pollution

The opening of a major urban rail system in Taiwan caused a meaningful reduction in air pollution, according to a forthcoming study by two professors at the University of California, Merced. “Despite...

Human Rights a Passion for Literature Professor

Just after graduating college in 1995, Nigel Hatton showed up for the first day of his journalism internship with the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia. That afternoon, he was assigned to go with...

Homegrown Alum Earns Law Degree

Ann Hinesley-Perez's original academic plans didn't involve law school — or even UC Merced. Hinesley-Perez was born and raised in Merced, but with UC Merced still in development, she left town in...

Self-Identified Social Smokers Less Likely to Try to Quit

Self-identified social smokers are less likely to try to quit and to avoid smoking for more than a month, according to a national study in the American Journal of Public Health conducted by...

Summer a Time to Focus on Innovative Research

Studying ancient remains, exploring caves, publishing books, leading workshops and presenting papers are just a handful of the things that will keep faculty busy this summer in the School of Social...

Undergraduates Studying Subnational Relationships

A team of UC Merced undergraduates are studying the relationships developing between U.S. cities and states and those in foreign countries for the U.S. Department of State. The students, also...