Introduction

Although progress has been made since these words were spoken more than a hundred years ago, America’s race-related problems remain with us in the 21st century. Race and ethnicity matter in virtually all aspects of our society and are likely to matter more as our society becomes even more diverse.

The mission of the center is to conduct applied social science research on race, color, and ethnicity and their influence on the quality of life for all Americans.

The University of Pittsburgh established the center in 2002 to help lead America further along the path to social justice by conducting race-related research, mentoring emerging scholars, and disseminating race-related research findings and scholarship. CRSP is multidisciplinary in its approach and multiracial in its focus and is the only race-related research center to be housed in a school of social work.

Areas of Focus

The center focuses on race-related social problems in the following six areas:

• Economic Disparities

• Educational Disparities

• Interracial Group Relations

• Mental Health

• Youth, Families, and the Elderly

• Criminal Justice

Activities and Functions

Aligning itself with the mission of the University of Pittsburgh, the center is engaged in the following activities and functions:

Research

The execution of a high-quality, multidisciplinary applied research program is at the core of the center’s mission—faculty who work with the center are encouraged to focus on developing real-life solutions to the topics they address.

Faculty affiliated with the center are organized into groups based on the above six areas of focus. These Research Advisory Panels (RAPs) bring together faculty members with similar interests to work individually or in groups to develop new research initiatives.

Addressing race-related problems requires a wide range of expertise; the center establishes and maintains relationships with interested faculty from across the university. The center provides these social scientists with both an identity and a location for research and training on racial topics and aids university researchers in the development and external funding of their projects. Finally, the center strives to become a national resource for race-related social science information for both academics and the general public, and it serves as a collection site for questionnaires, instruments, and relevant research resources.

Service

With focus on, but not limited to, the Pittsburgh region, the Center on Race and Social Problems serves the informational needs of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. It provides the community with both data and technical assistance, conducts special studies on current issues, and disseminates research findings. Interested citizens can also use the center’s seminars, lectures, and conferences to gather information or engage in dialogue on race-related issues. The center also uses its Web site, newsletters, papers, books, and workshops to disseminate current knowledge.

Education

Those with an interest in race relations and policy issues have a variety of opportunities to get involved with the center’s research. The center educates, trains, and mentors scholars from the undergraduate to the postdoctoral level. A position on a research project allows individuals to gain not only valuable skills and experience, but also funding for their education.