By ANDREA ESTRADA

Nelson Lichtenstein

Richard Appelbaum

UC SANTA BARBARA PROFESSORS Richard Appelbaum and Nelson Lichtenstein have been named to John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Chairs. Each professorship will be supported by a $1 million endowment for a five-year term, and the annual earnings on those funds will finance a range of teaching, research, and public service activities.

Appelbaum is a professor of sociology and of global and international studies, where he is also director of graduate studies. Lichtenstein, a professor of history, is also director of the Center for the Study of Work, Labor, and Democracy. The scholars will pursue joint programming and research focused on the theme of “Human Rights in the Workplace: At Home and Abroad.”

The MacArthur Foundation Chairs at UCSB are among seven chairs funded by a UC systemwide endowment from the MacArthur Foundation. The endowment was established in 2009 for the purpose of supporting research, public service, and teaching that promotes the objectives of the MacArthur Foundation. These include working to defend human rights, advance global conservation and security, make cities better places, and understand how technology is affecting children and society.

At the end of five years, the two endowed chairs will be redistributed to other UC campuses. Additional chairs are currently held at UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, and UCLA.

Applebaum and Lichtenstein plan to pursue a variety of scholarly activities during the period of their appointments. Among these are three important conferences on topics that will include an evaluation of the International Labor Organization and its work; a historical and comparative look at guest worker programs; and an examination of evolving labor conditions, laws, and enforcement in emerging economies.