Chicago Area Study
The Chicago Area Study (CAS) Initiative is a multi-disciplinary university initiative (with institutional support from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, and the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy) that integrates basic social science research, graduate and undergraduate research training, and engaged, policy-relevant research related to issues of race/ethnicity in the urban context. CAS annually collects original social science data that addresses complex social and cultural forces that influence the quality of life of residents in the Chicago metropolitan area. This yearly data collection is structured around a two semester research methods training practicum. Each year the method of inquiry varies (face-to-face survey, telephone survey, qualitative study, etc.), as well as the specific topic of the study and the faculty investigator. The initiative’s goal is to stimulate, promote and support innovative social science research related to race and public policy that is of clear value to community leaders, policy-makers, and residents of the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois.
