RESEARCH PRIORITIES
The research and programs of the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy are guided by our commitment to challenge inequality by strengthening democracy, and strengthening democracy by challenging inequality. The Institute supports and works with faculty, students, practitioners, and scholars who engage with our research themes that are described below. Through these collaborative efforts, the Institute aims to develop and contribute to real-world applications.
- Social Movements and Democratic Struggle
- Grassroots activism, labor organizing, and protest movements
- Historical studies of mass movements and progressive political change
- The role of business and the wealthy as allies in shaping democratic reforms
- American Youth and the Future of Democracy
- Civic engagement and political views of America’s youth
- Social, economic, and political challenges that especially impact the young
- Politics in the age of social media
- Building a Multiracial Democracy
- The politics of racial justice, immigration, and political inclusion
- Race, ethnicity, and politics in the US and globally
- Histories of ethnoracial exclusion, resistance, and reform
- Affordability, Economic Inequality, and Democracy Dysfunction
- The impact of economic experience and expectations on political attitudes and behavior
- The political impact of individual, community, and national economic conditions
- Global Threats to Democracy
- Comparative studies of democratic backsliding and resilience
- Lessons from alternative electoral systems and alternative electoral funding mechanisms
- The global interplay of economic and political inequalities
- American Oligarchy
- Taming the power of money in American politics
- Addressing the Supreme Court’s decades-long crusade against campaign finance limits
- The corrupting influence of billionaires in politics and policy
- Organized interests and the power of corporations in American governance
- Democratic Governance and Institutional Reform
- Institutional reforms to secure voting rights, reduce polarization, enhance democratic responsiveness, and improve government performance
- Gerrymandering and redistricting reforms
- Alternative voting systems (eg, ranked choice voting, fusion voting, multimember districts)
