Our Purpose

Recent research at the intersections among core social science disciplines - economics, politics, sociology, and social psychology – makes clear that no one discipline can hope to resolve all the problems or address all the concerns facing institutions and organizations in contemporary societies. So, consistent with past practice, the Center encourages and supports multiple approaches to understanding institutions and their social and political impact, with particular emphasis on multidisciplinary projects.

Areas of Inquiry

The Center supports research on institutions within more economically advanced societies and encourages expertise and interest in more global issues, focusing on developing economies and emerging institutions in the context of increasing globalization. With ever-deepening interconnections worldwide, questions of how institutions and organizations originating in one society affect the behaviors and institutions of another or broader society are increasingly important. Examples include the impact of social media on political activism and the cross-national transmission of cultures.

Activities

To pursue our mission and purpose, the Center hosts post-doctoral fellows, provides small-project funding, convenes academic conferences and workshops, and hosts visiting academics who, inter alia, occasionally offer mini-courses on specific topics at the graduate and postgraduate level.

For more information, please contact Professor Georgy Egorov, the Ford Center's director.