Sociology Department

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Research Resources

The University of Hawai`i at Manoa offers a wide range of research facilities and units to students and faculty. This is a brief listing of such facilities of interest to students in sociology.

The Social Science Research Institute facilitates and supports applied interdisciplinary research addressing critical social, economic, and environment problems primarily in Hawai`i and the Asia Pacific region. This is done through collaboration with faculty and students throughout the University of Hawai`i and with other educational and research institutions; federal, state, and county agencies; regional and international organizations; and the private sector. The institute is supported largely by contracts and grants from public agencies and private organizations.

The Center for Youth Research, situated within the Social Science Research Institute of the University of Hawai`i, engages in research and development, management and evaluation of programs on youth-at-risk and adjudicated youth. Topics of special interest include crime and delinquency, substance abuse, youth gangs, delinquency prevention and educational and health programs for children and youth.

The Center on Aging was established to stimulate and coordinate gerontological and aging activities on the Manoa campus and to promote collaboration between the university and other organizations concerned with aging. The center administers two certificate programs, coordinates gerontology courses now offered through nine schools and departments, and supports new course development. The center conducts interdisciplinary research and provides research-related assistance to faculty and students. It has a special interest in cross-cultural studies.

The School of Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Studies (SHAPS) includes individual centers for the study of China, Japan, Korea, the Pacific Islands, Philippines, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Several faculty members in the sociology department are members of the faculty of one of these centers. Each center develops inter-departmental courses and research activities related to its particular area of focus. Each area center also offers a certificate program for graduate students pursuing degrees in other fields, who seek concurrent specialization and certification of their training in language and area studies. Some centers also offer scholarships for qualified students in departmental degree programs. Students should contact the relevant area center for further information and application materials.

The East-West Center is a public, non-profit educational institution (not part of the University of Hawai`i) established in Hawai`i in 1960 by the U.S. government to promote better relations and understanding among the nations of Asia, the Pacific and the United States through cooperative study, training, and research. It offers some fellowships that are available to University of Hawai'i graduate students, and other internships in conjunction with its research projects. Interested students should contact the East-West Center directly for information.

The University of Hawai`i at Manoa Library (Hamilton and Sinclair libraries) provides extensive resources and information services for the university community. Collections total more than 2.9 million volumes, including more than 27,000 journal and periodical titles. Library services include reference and research paper consultation, computerized information retrieval, and instruction in library use. The main book, serial, and microfilm collections are located in Hamilton Library. Sinclair Library houses the Reserve Book Room (includes graduate course reserves), Wong Audiovisual Center, Computerized Learning and Information Center (CLIC) and a broad range of academic research materials.

Computer facilities are available throughout the campus. The Sociology Department maintains a bank of desktop computers for Sociology graduate students' use located on the second floor of the Social Science Building. They support major word processing, statistical, database management, and graphics software. More computers are also available on the third and sixth floors of the same building and at various locations around campus. Mainframe support for SPSS, SAS and other computer programs including E-mail and internet access is available through the university's Computing Center.