Research
Collaborative Public Humanities in Action
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's Higher Learning Program awarded a $750,000 grant to support a broad public humanities research initiative among three partnering UNO units: the Justice Studies program, the Ethel and Herman L. Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies, and the Neighborhood Story Project. Affiliated faculty and staff in Justice Studies are actively engaging in this collaborative effort. Read more about the grant here, and keep an eye on our News & Events page for updates.
Congratulations to our summer 2024 cohort of Mellon Collaborative Research Grant recipients!
- Robyn Guillen, “The Future is Female: Stories of Empowerment from Formerly Incarcerated Women in Operation Restoration.” Community Partner: Operation Restoration. Advisor: Dr. Grace Reinke
- Amy Hession, “Centering Student and Family Voices in Special Education Decision-Making.” Community Partner: Homer Plessy Community Schools. Advisor: Dr. Courtney Wait
- Erica Martinez, “Growing Up in Mississippi After the Civil Rights Era: A Black and White Narrative.” Community Partner: Tarik Georgia. Advisor: Dr. Max Krochmal
- Emily Ratner, “‘To Establish Justice:’ Louisiana’s Constitutional Processes in Reconstruction and Today.” Community Partners: Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) and the Plessy and Ferguson Initiative. Advisor: Dr. Molly Mitchell
- Chauncey Reeves, “Health and Wellness Concerns of Residents of St. James Parish in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley.’” Community Partner: RISE St. James. Advisor: Dr. Roberto Barrios
Justice Research Labs ("J-Labs")
With support from the Mellon Foundation and other entities, the Program in Justice Studies at UNO is launching a series of collaborative public humanities and social science research laboratories that will tackle the key justice issues of our time. Each “J-Lab” will be led by one (or more) faculty members as the principal investigator(s) and joined by additional faculty contributors, doctoral and master’s students, undergraduate work-studies, and community-based collaborators.
Building on the model that predominates in psychology and the physical sciences, the labs will be driven by the long-term, expansive research agendas of the faculty directors, incubating interdisciplinary, collaborative, community-engaged projects on pressing social issues. Prospective students seeking the Ph.D. in Justice Studies can apply to work in a particular J-Lab throughout the program, providing additional focused training and support in their chosen area of specialty. The J-Lab directors will teach independent studies or small seminars during the graduate students’ coursework, after which each student will peel off one component of the lab’s larger intellectual project to fashion into a dissertation. The J-Labs will then provide additional support for the students throughout the dissertation research and writing process, including the hiring and supervision of undergraduate research assistants (both work-studies and Tolmas Scholars), facilitation of community partnerships, and coordination of public programs that both disseminate the research and ensure reciprocity and accountability to directly affected communities. The J-Labs can also provide coursework, hands-on training, intellectual homes, and faculty supervision for master’s students seeking degrees in History, Languages & Literature, Sociology, Public Administration, and other related fields.
Labor & Economic Justice
Migration & Latinx Studies
Voting Rights
Non-Profit Program Evaluation
Action Research in Education
Environmental Justice
Urban Ethnography
At present, the program is using Mellon Foundation funds to offer a series microgrants to support pilot projects or “Micro-Labs” that we hope to evolve into full-scale J-Labs. Each microgrant of $5,000 provides a stipend or direct research expenses for the faculty member, one graduate student, and one or more community partners.
The Justice Studies Collaborative Research Labs will form the basis for the creation of a future Institute for Justice Studies at UNO. Additionally, the Institute will convene symposia and collaborative working-groups of leading research faculty focused on timely, critical subjects; sponsor public programs; provide research grants to faculty, students, and community partners; and facilitate the wide dissemination of research findings to produce tangible social impact and results, including improved public policy. Please email us for more information on how to get involved!