Institute for Social Transformation

Rooted in the Social Sciences Division at UC Santa Cruz, the Institute for Social Transformation (IST) supports innovative scholarship that changes the world.

The institute is a critical intellectual and social hub, connecting scholars across UC Santa Cruz and partners beyond the University, developing research-based solutions to urgent problems in the world.

Sign up for IST’s email list to stay updated on events, news, and announcements.

For more information, visit our website transform.ucsc.edu

Events from this organizer

Today

  • world map with dot connectors

    2026 Right Livelihood International Conference

    Hybrid Event

    The Right Livelihood International Conference is a four-week global conference exploring how education can strengthen democracy, collective intelligence, and just futures. Bringing together Right Livelihood Laureates, students, faculty, and community partners across continents, the conference combines asynchronous learning with participatory dialogue and collaborative action. Rather than advocating specific outcomes, the conference positions education as a democratic […]

  • Students at the Building Belonging Student Showcase 2025

    Building Belonging Program Student Showcase 2026

    Seymour Marine Discovery Center 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA

    Join us for the Institute for Social Transformation’s annual student showcase, celebrating the incredible work of our Building Belonging Fellows! This special event highlights the achievements of undergraduate research fellows. Each student will give a 2-minute lightning talk about a research project they worked on with a Social Sciences faculty mentor. The event will be […]

  • Picture of Cindy Cohn and Privacy's Defender book cover

    Privacy’s Defender: Fight Against Digital Surveillance with Cindy Cohn

    Humanities 1 Building 257 Cowell-Stevenson Road, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

    Privacy’s Defender Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Executive Director Cindy Cohn’s Journey Inside the Privacy Battles That Shaped Today’s Internet Cindy Cohn has devoted her life to the fight for digital rights. She’s tangled with federal officials to keep our online conversations secure from the government’s prying eyes, fought to ensure that you are told when […]

  • “Greeting to the Sun” installation in Zadar, Croatia with sunset in background

    Social Justice in Climate Finance Symposium

    100 Panetta Conference Room 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, United States

    December 4, 2026 at UC Santa Cruz The Social Justice in Climate Finance Symposium brings together global communities within and beyond academia to envision how to mobilize climate financing for the benefit of frontline communities. To meet our collective climate challenges, we must reimagine how billions of dollars are invested into building resilient societies. We […]