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On the Ground

IHDSC's blog for "putting research to work"

On the Ground is the official blog of the Institute of Human Development and Social Change (IHDSC). 

Faculty, staff, and student contributors use Q&As, op-eds, research reports, and other accessible formats to provide practice-ready and policy-relevant information about research findings in the following four domains: education and child development; race, poverty, and inequality; health and well-being; and justice and welfare systems. The goal is to speak to all sides of the research-practice-policy divide. On the Ground also highlights how research, policy, and practice partnerships can address the many pressing social issues we face, both domestically and globally. 

Recent Stories

Beyond the Data: Humanizing Research through Photography

Photographing communities, particularly low income neighborhoods that are too often associated with negative stereotypes, come with the added responsibility of telling their authentic stories with compassion, strength, and beauty. In this blog, Hira Hasson pairs street photography with research to bring a new dimension to traditional research projects.

NYC’s Salary Transparency Law: What the Research Says

We spoke with Dr. Siwei Cheng, Associate Professor of Sociology in NYU’s School of Arts & Science and IHDSC faculty affiliate, about NYC's Salary Transparency Law's impact on labor market negotiations and improving equity in wage distributions in NYC for this On the Ground blog post.

What’s in the Water? Positive Parenting & the History of Attachment Theory

Many positive parenting practices, core to contemporary parenting programs, are derived from attachment theory. This On the Ground blog post offers insight into attachment theory and its linkage to parenting and child development.

A Message to the Mayor

We tapped the expertise of our faculty affiliates for research insights the Adams’ administration should leverage to inform decisions in New York City.

Research Near & Far: Dr. Janet Njelesani

Dr. Janet Njelesani shares her experience of researching school violence and bullying in both New York City and Zambia.

Research Near & Far: Global TIES for Children

Global TIES for Children researchers Lindsay Brown and Ha Yeon Kim share their experiences conducting research with students in Niger.

Partnership Spotlight

Research Partnerships: Mentte Cedat and Dr. Anil Chacko

Mentte Cedat, a Mexico-based organization that works with adolescents and policy makers to prevent violence, partners with IHDSC affiliate and NYU Steinhardt Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology Dr. Anil Chacko. IHDSC sat down with them to discuss the work of Mentte Cedat and the benefits of their partnership.

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Q&A: Young Women's Freedom Center and Dr. Shabnam Javdani

On the Ground interviewed Young Women's Freedom Center executive Director Jessica Nowlan and NYU Steinhardt professor Dr. Shabnam Javdani about the role of their research and partnership in working with girls, young women, and TGNC young people towards decriminalization, decarceration, abolition, and reimagining the juvenile justice system response.

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Research Partnerships: IHDSC and Educational Alliance

IHDSC interviewed Drs. Erin Godfrey (director of IHDSC and associate professor of Applied Psychology at NYU Steinhardt) and Andrew Cavanagh (director of Research and Evaluation at Educational Alliance) to discuss the process of developing their research partnership.

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Studying STEM in Sunset Park

IHDSC spoke with Dr. Natalie Brito and Sunset Spark — a Brooklyn-based non-profit— about their partnership, the importance of diverse and representative samples, and the benefit of conducting research in community-based settings.

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