Modeled after Cafe Scientifique, the Social Science Cafe is a place where people come together, relax with a cup of coffee or a beer, and talk about society. Sessions last roughly an hour and usually involve one person giving a brief discussion on a social issue, followed by plenty of time for questions and open discussion. All events are free and open to the public.

Our goals are to promote intellectual curiosity, encourage vigorous discussion of social problems, and build a sense of community among the diverse scholars, students and people of Morgantown, West Virginia. Details about past and future events (along with a number of great photos by Jim Nolan) are available in the links below.

Upcoming Events
We are seeking speakers across the social sciences and humanities. If you would like to share your research, teaching ideas, writing projects, or other creative works at Social Science Cafe, please contact Josh Woods at Joshua.woods@mail.wvu.edu.

Past Events
Season I

September 22, 2011 Jim Nolan on hate crime
October 19, 2011 Rachael Woldoff on neighborhood transformation
November 15, 2011 Cassandra Werner and Gordon Burns on American Democracy
December 1, 2011 Larry Nichols on Public Sociology

Season II

January 25, 2012 Daniel Renfrew on environmental politics
February 23, 2012 Jessica Troilo on perceptions of different types of fathers
March 21, 2012 Joseph Sullivan on the new innovation economy