Andrea Boyles, associate professor of sociology and Africana studies at the School of Liberal Arts, has been appointed as a delegate to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, providing expertise on such issues as reproductive health and violence against women. Boyles is serving on the council in her capacity as secretary for Sociologists for Women in Society, an organization that supports cutting-edge feminist research and promotes social justice through local, national and international activism.

David Smilde, Charles A. and Leo M. Favrot Professor of Human Relations in the Department of Sociology, co-wrote “Negotiating Venezuela’s Transition,” an opinion piece in The New York Times about Venezuela’s current political conflict and preliminary talks between the democratic opposition and the country’s government that took place in May. Smilde wrote that it is a first step toward a democratic transition. “Many remain skeptical of ‘dialogue,’ but negotiation and compromise between the conflicting parties is key.