A Celebration Escalates into a Call for Action
By: Anjani Trivedi | December 2, 2021
By: Anjani Trivedi | December 2, 2021
At an intimate rooftop celebratory dinner on November 9th, the Global Lab’s founding faculty director, Professor Manisha Shah was named the inaugural Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. Chair in Social Justice for her rigorous research and commitment to furthering social justice.
Meyer and Renee Luskin, the chair’s benefactors, established this endowed professorship in the name of Franklin D. Gilliam, the former Luskin Dean and now Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, to support the social justice work of individuals who aim to make the world a better place.
Gilliam stressed how demanding and difficult it is to advance human rights. “This is hard work, it’s complicated work. It’s real work … on the ground, dealing with real-world policy problems that affect the society” he said.
Reinforcing this reality, in her remarks Shah delved into the heavy theme of intimate partner violence, drastically shifting the atmosphere of the event from celebratory and relaxed to serious and calling for action.
“How do we ensure that evidence-backed policies that improve outcomes for women and the wider society – like the decriminalization of sex work – are adopted?” asked Shah. “The research produced at institutions like ours needs to get embedded into real-world policies to actually have an impact, and as academics, we don’t always have the right incentives to make that happen.”
Her solution is the Global Lab for Research in Action, a research institute she established in partnership with Janine N’jie David, founding deputy director, through which globally-focused academics can push their research out of the ivory tower into the public sphere to embed into real-world policy.
“We don’t stop at the research. We communicate and amplify findings broadly – through podcasts, documentaries, op-eds, and policy briefs – in order to inform policy and influence policy, improve programs across the globe, and shift the public conversation and eventually social norms” she stated.
The Global Lab’s board members were drawn to Shah’s data-heavy research methodologies and vision to take the research a step further. “Manisha understands that social justice is both a local priority and a global one, understanding that lessons learned in the Global South help improve programs and inform policy in the Global North, and vice versa,” they stated.
Throughout her five-year term as chair holder, Shah will receive financial resources to fund her globally-focused research on hard-to-reach populations like adolescents and sex workers and understudied critical issues related to sexual health, intimate partner violence, and child health.
“I intend to use the platform and accompanying resources associated with my new position to continue this pursuit as an academic dedicated to gender equity and social justice; as a mentor and teacher to students, instilling social justice frameworks into our next generation of change agents at UCLA; and through the growth of the Global Lab for Research in Action” Shah said.
After receiving sporadic cheers and applause to a standing ovation, Shah concluded with a quote from Chancellor Gilliam, “By nature, I am an optimist. I get to work every day with faculty and staff who fuel this sense of hope; and I get to see thousands of students each year on our campus who make me believe that we can do more, do better. I have faith that we can come together and meet the challenges head-on.”
To learn more about the Global Lab for Research in Action visit the website, contact Janine N’jie David (jnd@luskin.ucla.edu), the Global Lab’s deputy director, or check out the social media platforms Twitter and Facebook.
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