The Center for the Study of Social Change, Institutions and Policy (SCIP), led 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 changes in technology affect social welfare; and the causes and consequences of 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.
The Center also develops and serves as the home to several major cross-national data projects and resources for tracking global trends. This includes the data and analysis of the Political Instability Task Force (up to 2012), and other data sets shown on the Research Projects page.
About the Schar School of Policy and Government
George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government prepares undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders and managers who solve problems and advance the public good in all sectors and levels of government—in the United States and throughout the world. Learn more at schar.gmu.edu.