Social Sciences Newsblog

Author: Lauren Furey

A National Classroom: MTU faculty lean into their expertise for 2025 Study Abroad to Wales

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Dr. Mark Rhodes and Dr. Kathryn Hannum recently wrapped up their second Wales: Community Transformations study abroad program in the small nation on England’s western border. Given their expertise and the specific courses they teach on Industrial Communities and National Communities, respectively, this year they decided to organize two distinct research projects for the two distinct courses. 

Dr. Rhodes led the 8 Industrial Communities students through the techniques of archival research in an effort to unearth the impacts and legacies of the founding figure in Welsh Industrial Heritage and Archaeology: D. Morgan Rees. Following time in two Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales libraries and archives, conversations with current Department of Industry staff, and deep dives into online primary and secondary data, they have assembled what will be only the second attempt at encapsulating the life and impact of Rees (the first briefly written in 1979 after his death). They will submit the paper for peer-review next month.

Students conducting archival research in the National Museum Cardiff Library.

Dr. Hannum led the 15 National Communities students in a different direction. Following the establishment of the Welsh Assembly (now Parliament) in 1999, Amgueddfa Cymru published an exhibition, TV series, and book titled Painting the Dragon to reflect on the past and future of Wales through visual art. With a quarter century now behind us, students took the opportunity to reassess how the nation of Wales in 2025 reflects itself through art. Students used the art exhibited at National Museums, Libraries, and Galleries across Wales as data to compare and contrast prominent themes present now versus the year 2000. They will compile and submit their paper for peer-review later this semester.

Preeminent art historian Peter Lord speaking to students during our visit to the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Both Rhodes and Hannum also teach a third course on Cultural Immersion, which all 18 students enrolled in at either the undergraduate or graduate level. One highlight of this year’s course was the incorporation of the Welsh National Eisteddfod, which, while difficult to describe, is a nation-wide festival centered around poetry and the arts. This year, for the North American Pavilion, MTU History majors under the mentorship of Drs. Sarah Fayen Scarlett, Steven Walton, and Mark Rhodes, created a series of four panels about Welsh-American history surrounding the Revolutionary period. These displays, alongside five other North American Welsh organizations, allowed students to engage with hundreds of visitors throughout the week as they took shifts working the pavilion. Caption: Some MTU students, faculty, and other Welsh-North American leadership pose in front of the Cymru Gogledd America Pavilion at the National Eisteddfod.

Wales is relatively small in both population and size, linguistically and ethnically diverse, and politically and socially outspoken, offering a distinct experience within the United Kingdom. Prior to departure, students often think they are (erroneously) visiting England, which has been popularized within the imagination of most Americans. To their surprise, students find themselves in an entirely different world in the country of Wales: a national classroom.

Policy and Community Development major, Grace Murray, poses with her winning MTU Social Sciences sticker design in front of the North American Pavilion at the National Eisteddfod.
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Social Sciences Graduate Students take home World Social Science Association Awards

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Two graduate students from the Social Sciences Department recently attended and presented at the 67th Annual World Social Science Association Conference in Seattle. Both students presented their individual research and took home awards for their respective research papers. The WSSA holds its annual conference each year that attracts social scientists from diverse fields to present, share, collaborate and forge academic and intellectual connections.

Lexi Tater, a graduate student in the Sustainable Communities program took home the “Best Graduate Student Paper” Award for her research titled “Climate Planning and Energy Sovereignty Among Michigan’s Tribal Nations.”

Lexi Tater receiving her award for best graduate student paper.

Abstract: Climate change will affect all communities in the world, and it will especially impact marginalized communities and communities with less government support for funding climate adaptation actions. In the current U.S. context, funding for large climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in Tribal Nations can be achieved through federal funding from the CPRG (Climate Pollution Reduction Grant), which requires an established PCAP (Priority Climate Action Plan) to guide decision making in alignment with identified priorities. These documents are intended to reflect what actions a community aims to prioritize to achieve effective climate mitigation and adaptation. These plans often lay out specific RE (renewable energy) and other energy related action plans, EV (electric vehicle) fleet and/or infrastructure investment plans, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and reduction solutions, and other forms of mitigation strategies that are written out to guide community decision making and as a first step toward obtaining federal funding through the CPRG opportunity. In this paper, I examine the PCAPs of Tribal Nations in the state of Michigan to see what goals they are identifying as priority and to consider the extent to which Tribal sovereignty, NbS (Nature based Solutions), and TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge) are being discussed or prioritized in these planning documents. The analysis shows that, oftentimes, a third party contractor is writing these plans for Tribal Nations, and these rarely include mention of sovereignty, NbS or TEK. I discuss the importance of Tribal sovereignty, NbS and TEK, as well as the potential implications of its inclusion and exclusion within climate planning documentation, and the direct and indirect mentions of sovereignty within PCAPs developed by the Tribal Nations in the state of Michigan.

Aritra Chakrabarty, a PhD candidate in the Environmental and Energy Policy program received the “Runner Up to the Best Graduate Student Paper” Award for his research titled “Gender Empowerment through Renewable Energy Transition: A case study of a rural solar community program in India.”

Aritra Chakrabarty receiving his award for runner up to the best graduate student paper.

Abstract: The field of energy justice has increasingly recognized the importance of gender equity in access to and control over energy resources. However, there is a significant gap in the feminist energy justice (FEJ) scholarship regarding the understanding of gender-just energy programs. The energy justice scholarship has paid limited attention to the gendered impacts of these programs. Many programs fail to adequately address the specific needs of women, children, elderly, and other marginalized groups like tribal groups. My study contributes to the growing FEJ scholarship by examining the benefits and impacts for the users in a community solar program in a village in Jharkhand, India. I utilize a mini-ethnographic case study to study this program implemented in the rural area of Jharkhand, India. The research question guiding my study is : To what extent do community solar programs influence gender equity in the distribution of costs and benefits among rural households?  Findings show that normative expectations of gender in terms of gender division of labour influence the distribution of benefits of a solar community program for the users. I identify the extent of equity in distribution of energy uses across women and men users, and the capabilities derived from such uses. I contribute by empirically testing the FEJ framework through two parameters – gender equity and energy capabilities as dimensions of analysis. This study opens up opportunities for further research on how energy systems could be designed and implemented using a framework that recognizes the imbalance in distribution of burden and benefits from the use of solar.

Lexi and Aritra presented in the Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management (EPN) section, which is chaired by Dr. Chelsea Schelly.

Lexi Tater (left) and Aritra Chakrabarty (right) at the 2025 World Social Science Association Annual Conference.
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Navigating Uncertainty in Urban Planning: A New Framework for Decision-Makers

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Dan Shtob, Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Health in the Department of Social Sciences, is co-author on an article recently published in the journal Nature Cities. “Planning for the complexity and uncertainty of urban socio-environmental futures” presents a framework to guide decision-making processes in the face of unpredictable futures. With natural links to ecology, engineering and design, urban planning, climate science, and beyond, the article is written for anyone working in complex and unpredictable environments.

The article introduces the RAFT framework—Reversibility, Adaptability, Flexibility, and Tailoring—offering a fresh, modern approach to adaptive management. The goal is to update traditional methods of project design and development by better incorporating complexity theory and a broader understanding of decision-making processes, particularly how politics and governance shape those choices. Shtob and his co-authors emphasize that the impacts of decisions are often as uncertain as the systems they aim to influence, whether social, ecological, or economic.

The RAFT framework acknowledges that decision-makers cannot predict every shift in social, ecological, or political contexts. Instead, it calls for a mindset of flexibility, humility, and adaptability—qualities that enable decision-makers to adjust to unforeseen challenges and pivot as conditions change.

Nature Cities January 2025 journal cover
January 2025 Nature Cities journal cover

Designed with practical application in mind, the RAFT framework is a tool meant for real-world decision-makers grappling with the complexities of urban socio-environmental systems. The framework’s four core principles—reversibility, adaptability, flexibility, and tailoring—help decision-makers guide projects through unpredictable futures, ensuring they can be adjusted as new information or conditions arise. This approach encourages moving forward with action rather than letting uncertainty lead to inaction, a critical choice when addressing the pressing challenges of urban sustainability and climate resilience.

By introducing a more flexible approach to planning, Shtob’s work bridges the gap between theory and practice. The RAFT framework provides a robust toolkit for urban planners, engineers, policymakers, and designers who need to get things done in the face of uncertainty—equipping them with the tools to make informed decisions, adapt to change, and succeed despite the complexities of modern urban landscapes.

In a world where rapid change is the only constant, the RAFT framework offers a refreshing approach to project design and decision-making. It’s an essential read for anyone in the fields of urban planning, sustainability, and beyond, encouraging them to act boldly, with humility and foresight, to create sustainable futures for our cities. 

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Students to Scholars: Wales 2024 Study Abroad Program Publishes Peer-Reviewed Research

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The group prepares to descend into a coal mine at the Big Pit: National Coal Museum

In May, 14 MTU students from Industrial Heritage and Archaeology and other programs, a visiting Wayne State student, and two community members joined Drs. Mark Rhodes and Kathryn Hannum on MTU’s first “Wales: Community Transformations” Study Abroad program. The 16-day program explores how parks, museums, and historic sites can heal economic and environmental scars left behind by industrialization.

In the weeks leading up to the trip, the Welsh Government announced massive budget cuts to the national museum system, which Dr. Rhodes researches. This presented a unique opportunity. Because the program visits all seven national museums in Wales, the group could track their economic spending.

Students gather around a guide at the base of one of the Blaenavon Ironworks’ six blast furnaces during a guided tour.

Students recorded everything they spent inside and outside of each museum and analyzed that data. They found that while the museums are free to enter, the amount spent within each exceeded the average that visitors are willing to pay for museum entry in the UK. By drawing people in, centering a community, and communicating cultural and community values through the museum’s interpretations, they argue that free museums generate these regional economic and social values while remaining accessible to all.

The findings of this research have been published in the peer-reviewed journal, Welsh Economic Review, published by Cardiff University Press.

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