The Institute’s mission is to cultivate egalitarian leadership to build a more just and equitable future. It facilitates dialogue within and among local communities so that priorities and solutions flow from the bottom-up and not from the top-down. The Institute supports research that lays bare the origins of inequality, systemic racism and injustice and identifies mechanisms by which they might be ameliorated or eliminated. It prepares young people for an egalitarian approach to leadership in which the focus is on the group, not a single leader.
Jackson State formed the Institute for Social Sciences and the Humanities (1) to engage students in critical conversations about issues of social justice, race relations and equity; (2) to support faculty in integrating social justice and race relations in their curricula, teaching methods and research agendas; and (3) to establish viable community partnerships to organize for positive social change. To accomplish these goals the Institute hosts colloquia, forums, symposia and conferences; develops leadership and organizing skills in students and our community; and provides a platform for faculty to share pedagogy, teaching and research ideas. The Institute is partially funded by a Title III grant from the US Department of Education.
