Nearly every facet of society and our lives — including how and where we live, learn, work and play — is shaped by race. While extensive research has revealed that race is a biological fiction, the social construct of race has very real consequences. Growing evidence shows that deep and broad racial inequities in our society are the results of historical and contemporary racism embedded in ideologies, norms, spaces, structures, and institutional policies and practices.

Bass Connections in Race & Society supports interdisciplinary teams of faculty, students and external partners in their exploration of race-related issues, ultimately contributing to solutions that bring about more racially equitable societies. We encourage projects that investigate how race intersects with various aspects of society and lived experience (e.g., environment, human development, immigration, health and healthcare, music, art, literature, history, education, economy, gender and sexuality, work, religion, STEM, policy, community life).

Led by the Social Science Research Institute

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Explore current Race & Society project teams

Race & Society teams investigate race-related issues, contributing to solutions that bring about more racially equitable societies. 

Browse 2024-2025 teams

Student Experiences

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Jasmine Daniel

Global Health and Psychology ’22

“My time with this team was spent building meaningful relationships and developing a strong foundation in social justice, history and research methods. This team pushed me to work relentlessly as a critical thinker and advocate.”

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Melody Gao

History ’23

“One of my favorite aspects about this project is that it allows us to form partnerships with local community members. We hope that what we’re doing will benefit the families and students we work with, but we also hope it will benefit the Duke students involved.”

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News and Opportunities

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