W&J professor named Virtual Series Issue Editor for the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

WASHINGTON, PA (May 10, 2021)—Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) Assistant Professor of Psychology Kevin Carriere, M.P.P., Ph.D. has recently been named the new Virtual Series Issue Editor for the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) for the next three years. 

An organization dedicated to conducting research on a wide array of societal issues, SPSSI has conducted groundbreaking work on a wide array of societal issues, including ending legal segregation and gun violence in the U.S. 

“It’s a real honor to be named as Virtual Series Editor,” Dr. Carriere said. “It’s a valuable opportunity to link psychological research to real-life events and issues and beyond that, to share research with the general public so we can learn more about what the science says.”

In this role, Dr. Carriere will oversee appropriate articles from SPSSI’s various journals to be collected and published in the Virtual Series Issues. All of the collected content will focus on significant historical events (like the 50th anniversary of the Stanford Prison Experiment) or policy initiatives such as health care or Supreme Court Cases. In his most recent VSI article, ‘Dismantling Anti-Asian Hate Through Sound Science’, Dr. Carriere discussed two topics that have been widely discussed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: racism and extremism.

Recently, Dr. Carriere brought his research of current extremism into the classroom. Katie Bowers, Executive Director of the Harry Potter Alliance, stopped by to discuss online activism and whether being active or not in online spaces reduces in-person activism. As Dr. Carriere’s class found out, the answer is no. Whether using pop culture heroes to highlight human rights issues in the real world or taking raising funds for the Haitian Relief Fund, the Harry Potter Alliance balances the online and offline spheres. 

“Being able to look back at all of the research that’s been published in SPSSI’s journals and find how they all speak to issues that exist today, it’s exciting and humbling as an educator myself,” Dr. Carriere noted.

About Washington & Jefferson College

Washington & Jefferson College, proudly located in Washington, Pa., is a historic liberal arts college founded in 1781 that values ethical leadership, professional readiness, and inclusive communities. Our highly customized and intellectually engaging student experience develops professionals of uncommon integrity to lead in an ever-changing world. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.