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

  • Beyond public and private: Collaborative governance in global education reform with Antoni Verger and René Espinoza Kissell

    McHenry Library 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA

    We are excited to invite you to join us for a hybrid research talk on collaborative governance with international education scholar and sociologist Dr. Antoni Verger (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) in conversation with Dr. René Espinoza Kissell (UCSC) on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 5pm. Neoliberal educational policies aimed at efficiency through competition have often resulted in greater inequality […]

    Free
  • 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 […]

  • 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 […]