In the final stretch of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, two CSUDH political science professors answer questions about what this historic moment means for voters, public discourse, and the health of our democracy. CSUDH is a non-partisan educational institution that does not endorse any political candidate or ballot initiative. Assistant Professor of Political Science Julien Labarre Labarre focuses on the health of the information environment, and how the media and political psychology contribute to pathologies of democracy like polarization, populism, and extremism. What do you find notable about this election? For the first time since 9/11, we see a ... Read More
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Assistant Professor of Psychology Kaylie Carbine on How to Keep Healthy New Year Resolutions
Now that 2024 is a few weeks underway, some of us are discovering how difficult it can be to maintain new year resolutions. For those focused on improving health through January and beyond, Associate Professor of Psychology Kaylie Carbine has expert advice on how to stay on track. Carbine's research examines how cognition plays a role in eating habits, as well as the influence of external factors like exercise, sleep, and cognitive interventions. What are some common pitfalls for resolutions involving diet or exercise? Two common pitfalls with diet and exercise resolutions are trying to change too much at once and expecting to see results too quickly. Many people start their ... Read More
CSUDH’s Sonja Ulrich on Cult Survivorship and Healing
Not everyone is willing to unpack their past—particularly when it is traumatic or extreme. But Sonja Ulrich, lecturer of anthropology and behavioral sciences, unflinchingly owns her story and the hard-won lessons she has learned from her life experiences. For more than 30 years, she has been rebuilding herself in the aftermath of her tumultuous youth and involvement with the Rajneesh movement, which many experts describe as a cult. Born in Germany and raised by a single mother, Ulrich had what she describes as an “unstable” upbringing. Her mother, who faced many challenges as a single parent, became involved with European communes founded by Rajneeshees, followers of Indian guru Bhagwan ... Read More
Telemundo: He Came to the U.S. without English, and Now Graduates with Top Honors in Physics
Source: Telemundo (video, Spanish) A Colombian immigrant arrived in Carson, California at the age of 16, speaking no English, and today he is graduating with top honors in physics. Norma Ribeiro tells us how now his career will literally take him to the stars. ... Read More
New Book Explores the Resilience of the Ancient Maya
Throughout human history, civilizations have had to adapt to ever-shifting environments in order to survive–whether sudden, catastrophic climate events, or gradual changes that span centuries. These human-environmental relationships are at the center of The Maya and Climate Change (Oxford University Press, Nov. 2022), a new book by CSUDH Assistant Professor of Anthropology Ken Seligson. Since 2010, Seligson has worked on archaeological excavations and mapping in the northern Maya lowlands of Yucatán, Mexico. He wanted to research and write a book shifting the focus away from the oft-cited “collapse” of the Classic Maya civilization, and instead toward their centuries of socioecological ... Read More
