Special Edition: Science policy and social justice

Some of the most pressing science policy problems we face as a community are intimately tied to social justice. Evidence shows that racism is a public health crisis. Climate change stands to disproportionately affect lower-income countries and communities. With a pandemic raging across the globe, the inequalities within our systems of governance have been made apparent. In this special edition, the Harvard GSAS Science Policy Group (HGSPG), in collaboration with Science in the News, has endeavored to highlight issues and provide analysis regarding potential policy approaches to these issues. 

The following articles discuss specific instances of intersection between science policy and social justice. Why is the toll of COVID-19 higher in BIPOC communities and what can be done? How is the education system intimately connected to toxic stress in early childhood development? Why are darker-skinned individuals less likely to be recognized by facial recognition software and what does that mean for technology expansion? Is the clinical trial system equitable?

Find out the answers to these questions and more in the articles below. We hope the policies addressed introduce new considerations for constructing the best policies. We thank you for joining us and remind you to vote! Voting is the easiest way to be involved in shaping the policies that shape our lives. 

Sincerely, 
The HGSPG Editorial Team





Special thanks to…

The editing team: Sohini Upadhyay, Kayla Davis, Ya’el Courtney, Emily Kerr, Busola Olukoya, Mahaa Ahmed, Breanna Titchen, Catherine Jacob-Dolan, and Olivia Foster Rhoades


The graphic designers: Olivia Foster Rhoades, Mary May, Alex Najibi

Cover Image courtesy of the Creative Commons.