School of Social Work Dean Larry Davis

The United States elected its first African American president but skin color still has a big impact on a person’s place in society. The University of Pittsburgh has launched a new journal to examine this dilemma.

“Race and Social Problems” looks at the impact of race on a variety of issues, including criminal justice, economic conditions, education, the elderly and mental health.

The quarterly journal from the university’s School of Social Work and Center on Race and Social Problems publishes original empirical studies, reviews of past research, theoretical studies and essays from social work experts.

“It has a potentially broad reach,” said Larry Davis, dean of the university’s School of Social Work and director of the center.  “It reaches across disciplines, it reaches across ethnicity or racial groups.”

The journal is not the university’s sole effort to address racial issues. The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work and Center on Race and Social Problems will also sponsor a “Race in America” conference June 3-10 to examine ways to restructure American society to make it more racially equitable.