NOTE: Faculty, if you are interviewed and quoted by news media, or if your work has been cited, and you have an online link to the article or video, please let us know. Contact us at news@csusb.edu.  

Iranians Children’s Adjustment to Parental Divorce
Family Transitions

Manijeh Badiee (psychology) was part of a group of researchers that included CSUSB alumna Bahaur Amini that published a study that “explored the experiences of Iranian adult children of divorce (ACOD) in the US.”

Laguna Beach shuts down council meeting after ‘Zoombombing’ incident
Los Angeles Times
Feb. 14, 2024

Brian Levin, the founding director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino, was interviewed for an article about Laguna Beach officials on Feb. 13 ending a city council meeting early after a handful of speakers unleashed antisemitic, homophobic, transphobic and racist tirades over Zoom during a public comment period.
“This was a targeted act by a relatively small number of people who are looking for publicity. They’re like ants,” said Levin. “This is really the conduct of a roving band of both small-numbered and small-minded bigots.”

Cities and schools across California from the Bay Area to San Diego have grappled with Zoombombing during their meetings. Many of the Zoombombing incidents are the work of individuals associated with a small, known hate group. The incident comes at a time when anti-Jewish hate is surging across the United States, Levin said.

Big spike in hate crime reporting
Precinct Reporter
Feb. 15, 2024

Brian Levin, founding director of CSUSB’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, during a recent meeting of the Los Angeles County’s Network Against Hate Crime, urged the public to report hate incidents by calling and reporting incidents through 211 LA County, or www.lavshate.org. Levin said that’s especially helpful for those who do not want to report calls directly to police.

For the Black community, which has faced historic police harassment and use of excessive force, he said there is a reluctance to call police to report hate crimes.

“Look at polls, 55% of African Americans have trepidation with reporting to call the police,” said Levin.

Levin, appointed by Gov. Newsom last year to the Commission on the State of Hate, addressed hate trends that increased 7% since 2022. He cited a 10% increase across 42 cities, and a 22% increase in the top ten of the more densely populated cities, while states are seeing about a 16% increase.

“The bottom line is that it hit a record last year for 2022 for overall hate crime [with] FBI going back to national data collection started in 1991,” said Levin, a civil rights attorney and retired professor from Cal State University San Bernardino.

These news clips and others may be viewed at “In the Headlines.”