New and Noteworthy

On this page you will find a listing of news, stories, and updates about The Baldy Center's activities, initiatives and the accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students.

Spotlight

2022-23 Grant Recipients
5/31/23
The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy is pleased to announce the UB faculty and graduate student winners of our 2023-24 grants for conferences and research projects. The grants support academic work that advances our understanding of law, legal institutions, and social policy. The grant recipient listing is here.
Julia Merante wins UB's Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creativity Award
5/5/23
Congratulations to Julia Merante on winning UB's Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creativity Award. The award was presented at the 2023 Celebration of Student Academic Excellence Student Showcase. Merante's research illuminates Erin's Law, which requires schools to educate students and teachers, grades pre-kindergarten through twelve, with evidence-based curriculum designed to recognize and combat child sexual abuse. Merante, as blog producer for The Baldy Center (2021 to 2023), investigated Erin's Law as the sole focus of season's blog and podcast series. As a law student Mernate's many notable activites include serving as: the Vice President of the Jessup International Moot Court; Human Rights Fellow at Legal Aid; UB SOL Student Ambassador; and Associate of the Buffalo Environmental Law Review Journal. Merante's well-earned law degree will be conferred at the 2023 UB graduation ceremony.
Dr. Mary Frances Berry inspires the UB community
5/16/23
A fascinating lecture by Dr. Mary Frances Berry continues to inspire the UB community. At the event co-sponsored by The Baldy Center, she provided personal insight about her career as an American historian, writer, lawyer, activist and professor who focuses on U.S. constitutional, and legal, African-American history. Dr. Berry is the the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought, History and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. See the gallery of event photos by Douglas Lavere, here.
Actual Malice: Civil Rights and Freedom of the Press in New York Times v. Sullivan
2/14/23
The University of California Press has announced the publication of Samantha Barbas' latest book, Actual Malice: Civil Rights and Freedom of the Press in New York Times v. Sullivan (2023). The book is a deeply researched legal drama that documents this landmark First Amendment ruling—one that is more critical and controversial than ever. Publisher's website.
Michael Boucai joins The Baldy Center Advisory Council
12/28/22
We welcome Michael Boucai (Law) to The Baldy Center Advisory Council, 2023. This seven member council is appointed by the UB Provost and is comprised of an interdisciplinary balance of School of Law and College of Arts and Science faculty. Council members work with The Center director to develop vision, mission, and operational guidelines. Learn more about the Advisory Council.
Amanda Benzin joins The Baldy Center as assistant director
12/2/22
The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy is pleased to announce the appointment of Amanda M. Benzin as assistant director, effective November 28, 2022. Benzin graduated summa cum laude from UB with a BFA in Dance and minor in Business Administration. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Colorado Boulder with concentrations in performance, choreography, women and gender studies, somatics, and pedagogy. Read more.
Elgar publishes book of essays by Charles Whalen
9/7/22
Reforming Capitalism for the Common Good, Essays in Institutional and Post-Keynesian Economics (2022 ) by Charles Whalen presents a constructive analyses of vital economic problems confronting the United States since the 1970s, giving special attention to challenges facing working families. Whalen is currently a research fellow at The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy. Learn more.
Rachael Hinkle co-authors book on Supreme Court
1/4/23
Persuading the Supreme Court: The Significance of Briefs in Judicial Decision-Making, co-authored by Rachael K. Hinkle and Morgan L. W. Hazelton, aims to shed light on one of the more mysterious and consequential features of Supreme Court decision-making. Hinkle's research for the book was sponsored, in part, by a grant from The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy. Faculty profile.
2022-23 Grant Recipients
9/7/22
The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy is pleased to announce the UB faculty winners of our 2022-23 grants for conferences and research projects. The grants support academic work that advances our understanding of law, legal institutions, and social policy. The listing of UB faculty grant recipients is here.
Spotlight
8/27/19

Noteworthy

Charles J. Whalen edits Institutional Economics: Perspectives and Methods in Pursuit of a Better World
1/24/23
Charles J. Whalen, Research Fellow, The Baldy Center, is the editor of a recent book, Institutional Economics: Perspectives and Methods in Pursuit of a Better World (Routledge, 2021). Institutional economics is a sociocultural discipline and policy science which draws on the idea that economies are best understood through an appreciation of history, real-world institutions, and socioeconomic interrelations. This book brings together leading institutionalists to examine the tradition’s most essential perspectives and methods. Learn more about the book. Also see Whalen as featured in the Legal-Economic Nexus podcast, produced at Michigan State University, here.
Nora Demleitner appointed president of St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD
2/8/22
Nora V. Demleitner, Baldy Center Senior Fellow (17-18), has been appointed president of St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD, beginning January 2022. The official announcement reads, in part, “The Board of Visitors and Governors is proud to appoint a great legal mind, prolific writer, strategic leader, and dedicated teacher as the first woman to be president of the third oldest college in America,” says Ron Fielding (A70), chair of the board. “As a college that values, first and foremost, the quality and singularity of our educational Program, we were also impressed by the deep respect felt for her by our faculty.” Read more.
Barbas wins grant from NEH 2020 Public Scholars Program
7/30/20
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has named Samantha Barbas winner of its grant competition in the 2020 Public Scholars Program. The highly competitive NEH Public Scholars Program, which supports well-researched books in the humanities aimed at a broad public audience, funded only twenty-five grants totaling $1.4 million this year. Barbas currently serves as Director of The Baldy Center and Professor of Law at University at Buffalo, School of Law. The NEH grant supports the development of her new manuscript, “New York Times v. Sullivan: The Landmark Case that Shaped Politics and the Press as We Know It.” The new book will present a comprehensive history of the Supreme Court free speech case New York Times v. Sullivan (1964), which established the current legal standard of libel against public officials.

Multimedia

Blog
10/27/22
The Baldy Center Blog features interdisciplinary perspectives on research and current events from interdisciplinary UB scholars whose work intersects with law, legal institutions, and social policy. New blogs are generally released twice a month during each semester.
Podcast
7/28/20
The Baldy Center Podcast highlights UB faculty research and perspectives on current issues and events. We focus on UB's interdisciplinary scholars of law, legal institutions, and social policy.
Spring 2022 Magazine
10/18/22
The Baldy Center magazine highlights recent University at Buffalo research focusing on law and social policy themes. Global research has flourished this semester with the return of faculty and students to campus, and pandemic-delayed research programs reactivated with immense productivity here in The Baldy Center.

The research highlighted in the Spring 2022 issue is global in scope, spanning four continents and diverse disciplinary arenas. In this issue, we present work that examines complexities in societal engagements with law, from the perspective of those developing and enforcing law and those responding to it.
Fall 2021 Magazine
10/4/22
Welcome to the Fall 2021 edition of The Baldy Center Magazine. As we begin the third academic year impacted by the pandemic, we in The Baldy Center are witnessing extraordinary resilience from the scholars linked to our center, who continue to advance their research focusing on critical problems in law and society.
Spring 2021 Magazine
11/6/21
Welcome to the Spring 2021 edition of The Baldy Center Magazine. The past academic year has been a challenging time for all of us, as we’ve adapted to virtual research, online engagement, and socially distanced lives.

Legacy Conferences

Thinking beyond the Nation-state: Empires, Diasporas, Indigeneity
5/11/22
In Fall 2009, The Baldy Center sponsored the day-long conference, Thinking Beyond the Nation-State: A Symposium on Empires, Diasporas, and Indigeneity. The event was organized by faculty in the UB American Studies Program, with Theresa Runstedtler, PhD, as convenor. Now, over a decade later, the event meets the criteria of a legacy conference in presenting topics that continue to be relevant today.
Beyond Jurisdiction: Wetlands Policy for the Next Generation
5/11/22
The conference, Beyond Jurisdiction: Wetlands Policy for the Next Generation, provided an opening platform for scholars and advocates from all perspectives to think about how the narrow focus of recent years has stagnated the thought and action necessary to take the next steps.
Where Now? Moving Beyond Traditional Legal Geographies
5/11/22
In the conference, Where Now? Moving Beyond Traditional Legal Geographies, participating scholars sought to expand the present intellectual boundaries of the critical legal geography project through a collaborative investigation of new themes and questions. Now, a decade later, the 2012 event is considered a legacy conference.
40 Years After the Attica Uprising: Looking Back, Moving Forward
11/11/21
The conference, 40 Years After the Attica Uprising: Looking Back, Moving Forward, held September 12 and 13, 2011, was sponsored by the University at Buffalo School of Law and The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy. Teresa A. Miller organized the conference which featured presentations by experts representing various groups of stakeholders. Now, a decade later, the 2011 event is considered a legacy conference.
Implementing Truth and Reconciliation: Comparative Lessons for Korea
11/11/21
The UB School of Law hosted the international conference, Implementing Truth and Reconciliation: Comparative Lessons for Korea, on October 24, 2011. The conference brought together experts from around the globe to reflect on national experiences of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions. Co-sponsored by The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy, the Asian Studies Program, and the Buffalo Human Rights Center, the conference offered lessons on the TRC process in South Korea. Now, a decade later, the 2011 event is considered a legacy conference.
Hydrofracking: Exploring the Legal Issues in the Context of Politics, Science & Economy, 2011
11/11/21
The conference, Hydrofracking: Exploring the Legal Issues in the Context of Politics, Science and the Economy, was held March 28-29, 2011, sponsored by the University at Buffalo School of Law and The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy. Horizontal gas drilling involving hydraulic fracturing, also known as hydrofracking or fracking, and its potential effects are important environmental and energy concerns for the nation. This conference provided an opportunity for a scholarly exchange of ideas as well as a forum for community discussion. Now, a decade later, the 2011 event is considered a legacy conference.

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New and Noteworthy

Spotlight

Noteworthy

Multimedia

Legacy Conferences

The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy

School of Law