Research News

Research News

Cook Center Researchers Investigate the Effect of Historical Trauma on the Black-White Health Gap

DURHAM, N.C. – The Black-white health gap is one of the most striking examples of the depths of racial inequality in the United States. Why does it persist? A new paper from researchers at the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University investigates—and refutes—a popular argument for the causes of this disparity….

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Sarah Gaither contributes to study on the Minimal Group Effect in Young Children

Associate professor in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke University and Cook Center Faculty Affiliate Dr. Sarah Gaither contributed to a paper recently published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. The study employed a collaborative multi-site approach, and measured 4- to 6-year-old children’s minimal group attitudes and preference for real-world racial/ethnic ingroups…

Sarah Gaither headshot

Sarah Gaither contributes to study on Young Children’s Perception of Identity-Based Group Membership

Associate professor in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke University and Cook Center Faculty Affiliate Dr. Sarah Gaither contributed to a paper recently published in the Journal of Developmental Science. The paper addresses the ways in which young children rely on a mutual intentionality framework to confer group membership. There were two studies…

professional headshot of Jim C. Harper, II

Jim Harper II co-authors book on the history of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

The University of North Carolina Press announced a new book, With Faith in God and Heart and Mind: A History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Among the authors is Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at North Carolina Central University, Jim C. Harper II. Harper is a Cook Center Faculty Affiliate and Inequality Studies Instructor, having…

Eric Griffith Leads Health Equity Researchers in paper on Quality of life, religion/spirituality, and dementia risk among Black people in the US

Cook Center Research Affiliates Eric Griffith, Paul Robbins, and Keisha Bentley-Edwards recently published a paper in the Aging & Mental Health journal investigating relationship between quality of life (QoL), Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) with religion/spirituality (R/S) participation. Black people in the United States (US) experience an increased risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s…

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William A. Darity Jr. Co-Edited Autumn 2024 Issue of Oxford Review of Economic Policy

Founding Director William A. Darity Jr. served as editor, with Isabel Ruiz, of the Autumn 2024 issue of the Oxford Review of Economic Policy, discussing topics on the themes of caste, class, and race. This issue of the Oxford Review of Economic Policy examined various aspects of inequality and different policy responses across many contexts,…

Keisha Bentley-Edwards Helps Lead Duke Effort to Address Kidney Health Disparities Tied to Structural Racism

A new research initiative led by the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) and the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, aims to address disparities in kidney health caused by structural racism. The Eliminating Racism And Structural inEquities in Kidney Disease (ERASE-KD) consortium seeks to address how systemic inequities—like housing segregation and discriminatory policies—impact kidney…

Keisha Bentley-Edwards Study Featured in The American Psychologist on Resiliency and Black Women

In the American Psychologist’s November issue, Core Faculty Affiliate Keisha Bentley-Edwards links the constant demand for Black women and girls to be resilient to lasting adverse health effects. “There’s a price paid on our health and relationships when we are in constant ‘fight or flight’ mode.” Dr. Bentley-Edwards is the Associate Director of Research and…

GIRI Students Present Research at NC Global Health Alliance Conference

Last week, two Cook Center students from the spring 2024 Global Inequality Research Initiative (GIRI) seminar, Elena Granowsky and Lauren Tse, delivered a poster presentation on their research project at the North Carolina Global Health Alliance Conference in Raleigh. Their research “Do Elderly Men and Women Experience Grief Differently?,” which was completed as a capstone…

The Black Reparations Project – 2024 American Book Fest Award Winner in Social Change Category

The American Book Fest announced the winners and finalists of the 21st Annual Best Book Awards (BBA), one of the world’s largest international book award programs for mainstream, indie, and self-published titles. Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 100 categories. Awards were presented for titles published in 2020-2024. The Black Reparations Project:…