The Center for the Study of Social Change, Institutions and Policy (SCIP), by Schar School of Policy and Government professor Jack A. Goldstone, conducts research on a wide range of global issues.  Current topics include the effects of migration and ethnic and population change on political stability and conflict; the diffusion and decline of democracy; the impact of network structure on national politics and international relations; how long-term and radical changes in technology affect social welfare; and the causes and consequences of changing national and global inequality.   In short, we study some of the most important changes that are shaping the modern world.

The Center conducts research using a variety of methods, including historical case studies, ethnographic research, analysis of global data sets, network theory and analysis, and agent-based modeling.