Proximities seminar hones students’ moral imagination
The Justice at the Mexico-U.S. Border seminar recently took an interdisciplinary cohort of students through an immersive encounter with the structures of justice and injustice in the borderlands near Tucson, Arizona. By engaging the lived realities of the Sonoran Desert, students moved beyond abstract debate to confront the human face of policy. Paralleled by Proximities seminars investigating structural inequality in Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Philadelphia, the seminar demonstrated how being proximate to questions of justice increases awareness and understanding.
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Juskus explores environmental “sacrifice zones”
By centering the practical wisdom of communities facing the direct impact of resource extraction—from Appalachia to the Amazon—Ryan Juskus, assistant professor of the practice, is leading a vital conversation addressing environmental justice from a theological framework. His research and teaching looks beyond technical fixes, calling instead for recognition of the sacredness of the human person at the heart of ecological crises.
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Institute expands Enacting CST book series
The Institute for Social Concerns celebrates the most recent volumes in its Enacting Catholic Social Tradition book series. This scholarly initiative takes up the call to consider how Catholic social tradition can be articulated and applied to a range of current issues including technology design, integral ecology, dignified housing, financial decision making, and community organizing.
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| How can language studies amplify marginalized voices?
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Read how Alison Rice, the Dr. William M. Scholl Professor of French and Francophone Studies, approaches language as a powerful instrument of justice—the latest in our faculty fellow profile series.
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Encounter Series: Linda Hogan
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For the fourth speaker of our 2026 Encounter series, Linda Hogan will offer “Ethical by Design? Catholic Social Teaching in the Age of AI.” Light reception to follow. Join us!
Friday, April 17
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Geddes Hall Coffee House
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Poverty Lecture: Claudia Rowe
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Join us for the 2026 Poverty Studies Distinguished Lecture, delivered by Claudia Rowe, journalist and author of Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care.
Tuesday, April 21
5:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Andrews Auditorium, Geddes Hall
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This ND Day, partner with the Institute for Social Concerns in our work for justice in communities across the country and around the globe. While the fun officially starts on April 21–22, your gifts can start making an impact today. Whatever the amount, your gift makes a difference.
Tuesday–Wednesday, April 21–22
Online
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| Literatures of Annihilation, Exile, and Resistance is a research collective and lecture series hosted this semester at the institute. Join us for author Deborah Jackson Taffa in conversation with Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi on love, loss, and ancestral lands.
Thursday, April 23
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Andrews Auditorium, Geddes Hall
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Labor Café: The Farm Workers’ Cause
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The Labor Café convenes the ND community for critical conversation on contemporary questions about work. This month the discussion will focus on how to memorialize social movements, focusing on Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and the personification of the Farm Workers’ cause.
Friday, April 24
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Geddes Hall Coffee House
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Encounter Series: Kevin Hargaden
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For the final speaker of our 2026 Encounter series, Kevin Hargaden will offer “Pope Francis and the Transformation of Prison Ministry.” Light reception to follow. Join us!
Friday, April 24
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Coffee House, Geddes Hall
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V&V Webinar:
Rajiv Vinnakota
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The Institute for Citizens & Scholars (C&S) collaborates with leaders in higher education, business and philanthropy to cultivate civic virtue and promote productive conversations across differences. Join us as we discuss this work and moment with C&S president Rajiv Vinnakota.
Monday, April 27
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
On Zoom
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2026 Senior Send-off Ceremony
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All graduating students who have participated in courses or programs at the institute are invited to attend a ceremony that celebrates a commitment to the common good. Featured speakers include Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., and 2026 Laetare Medal recipient Timothy Shriver, Ph.D. Reserve your tickets by May 10. Come celebrate with us!
Friday, May 15
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Debartolo Performing Arts Center
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Justice Lab Grad Student Award
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Graduate students are eligible to apply for a $1,000 Justice Lab Grad Student Award! Students selected for this award will work on a project informed by both the lab’s field of inquiry and their own discipline, ideally one connected to their dissertation or primary research agenda. While doing so they will attend the lab weekly, sharing their expertise with students and contributing to the engaged research being undertaken with community partners. They will receive support from the faculty member affiliated with the lab, and by the end of the semester will produce a research deliverable that can be submitted for publication or presentation at conferences.
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Above: Faculty in the Integrating Virtue Together workshop build pasta towers to practice hands-on methods for discussing character in the classroom. Below: Christian ethicist Traci C. West encouraged the cultivation of an extravagant moral imagination in the most recent lecture for Encounter: Conversations on Catholic Social Tradition.
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As an interdisciplinary academic institute, the Institute for Social Concerns leverages research to respond to the complex demands of justice and to serve the common good. This series, ReSearching for the Common Good, highlights some of the scholars in our community.
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Branden Moore is a second-year MBA student at the Mendoza College of Business and a 2025–26 Graduate Justice Fellow at the Institute for Social Concerns.
What is the focus of your current research?
My research examines investment strategies for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within the Africana context, encompassing the African continent as well as the global diaspora. I am exploring how business and economic frameworks can be leveraged as instruments for poverty alleviation and social mobility. My work aims to equip individuals with the financial agency and technical knowledge necessary to utilize local resources for sustainable self-determination. By investigating how capital can be deployed as a tool for empowerment rather than just profit, I hope to bridge the gap between global commerce and local sustainability, ensuring that economic growth remains both inclusive and culturally grounded.
How did you get interested in this topic?
My interest began with a personal exploration of my heritage, which led to travels across Egypt, South Africa, and Botswana. These experiences sparked a vision for a business model that connects the United States and Africa through substantive commerce, moving beyond purely cultural exchange. This interest was further solidified during the Business on the Frontlines course in my MBA program. My team provided social impact consulting for a vocational school in Northern Uganda, where we focused on leveraging existing local assets to drive economic prosperity. Witnessing business acumen applied to real-world challenges in post-conflict regions convinced me that my background in corporate finance and real estate could serve as a powerful vehicle for international development and partnership.
How has being a Graduate Justice Fellow impacted your research?
The fellowship has been instrumental in allowing me to move beyond the traditional business school silo and integrating me into an interdisciplinary cohort of Ph.D. and law students who offer diverse intellectual perspectives. Engaging with their research and the various approaches to justice championed by the Institute for Social Concerns has fundamentally shifted my own analytical framework. These dialogues challenge me to view my work through a moral and ethical lens, transforming my research into a contribution to a much broader, multidimensional conversation about systemic justice.
How do you view your research as advancing the common good?
My research promotes the common good by shifting the developmental narrative from one of charity to one of agency. While humanitarian aid is often vital, it can inadvertently foster cycles of dependency; my goal is to foster collaborative partnerships that prioritize long-term sustainability. For instance, my work explores the importance of local equity and manufacturing—such as utilizing local salt pans for IV fluid production—to bolster regional supply chains. By championing business development and economic empowerment, we help communities build resilience against global volatility, such as fluctuating food prices. Ultimately, I view my research as a means of directing resources toward high-impact areas to create a ripple effect of economic freedom and dignity.
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