1

Put simply, the social sciences are important because they create better institutions and systems that affect
people’s lives every day. Creating frameworks for understanding the origins and effects of regime type, the
purpose of political parties, the reasons for polarization, the structure of social networks, the goals and
structures of government agencies, or the challenges and opportunities faced by service providers and
nonprofits are all attempts to make sense of structures that have real and profound on-the-ground impacts.

Importantly, social scientific approaches, whether they immerse researchers in new perspectives or
systematically analyze and compare institutions and phenomena, often challenge “common-sense” or prevailing
understandings. These studies provide a better evidence-based grounding for evaluating our social and political
world. Clearer evidence and greater knowledge can help strengthen institutions by providing data for policy
outcomes and better mechanisms for promoting civic participation and engagement.

Just as significant, beyond building more accurate and functional general understandings of the world and its
institutions and social and political systems, social science helps individuals better understand how to engage
with these systems both for their own and society’s benefit. In a democracy, this understanding is crucial.

We recognize the importance of the natural sciences in investigating the physical world, including personal
health, space travel, and improved transportation. However, the actual prevention of disease or the adoption of a
new and improved public transit system is a political problem, requiring an understanding of political
institutions, public management, and policy implementation. Thus, social sciences help people understand how
to interact with the social world—how to influence policy, develop networks, increase government
accountability, and promote democracy.  These challenges, for many people around the world, are immediate,
and their resolution can make a vast difference in people’s lives.

While many social science disciplines are important in helping people to understand and engage with the wide
variety of institutions that shape their lives, political science is particularly valuable in helping people learn to
be citizens. Through participating in government at all levels, holding lawmakers accountable, and upholding
democratic norms and values, individuals must have the resources to understand how government works and
how laws and regulations are made; evaluate policies and outcomes based on effectiveness and values; make
informed decisions about policy preferences; and, especially, understand the importance of participating in
government, from voting to protesting. Political scientists are essential in providing these resources, in
classrooms and in the public sphere.

Consequently, political science, through teaching and research, provides a solid framework for understanding
the political and social systems that shape our lives. Social science research tells us that effective public
services, active participation in public policy, and engagement with local community organizations are very
challenging if the government is not transparent and accountable and citizens are not sufficiently engaged. 
Thus, social science is important because it provides an evidence-based foundation on which to build a more
effective government and democracy. Why social science? Because it helps people understand and engage
with the key political and social institutions, thus benefiting individuals and society as a whole.
Social Science is the study of the activities of the physical and social environment. Basically, it is the
study of human relations or the scientific study of human society. It deals with the humans-their
relationships, behaviour, development and resources they use and many kinds of organizations they
need to carry in their daily life like the workplace, school, family, government, etc. It is important
because its study helps us to gain knowledge of the society we live in. Generally, Social
Science focus on the relationships among individuals in society. It is the mixture of many subjects like
History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Social Psychology and many more.
 2

The main definition of social science is – “The social sciences subjects are those subjects which
describe and examine the humans”. Social science is the society related study — the primary reason
for Social studies to help students to develop the ability to make the right decisions. It increases the
social considerate of students.

Why Study Social Science?

 Social Science aware the students about our surroundings and the incidents happened in the past. It
has significance to develop an international viewpoint. It is also important for the moral progress of
society. It helps to form the man social character. Study of Social Science makes us an efficient
citizen of a democracy, and it also helps us to solve the practical problems in our daily life. It is
essential for communities and organizations. It also helps the students to know how different societies
are managed, structured and governed.

Subjects in Social Science:-

As we know, social science includes many subjects each subject give us different knowledge like
history provide the knowledge of the ancient period, from this subject we come to know that what
happened in the past. Another subject is Geography from this subject we know about our natural
environment or natural vegetations like plants, animals, etc. We also learn about the evolution of
animals, water bodies, flora, fauna, the impact of the environment in the present and future life,
preservation and conservation importance in our life. Political Science is the subject from which we
know about politics, democracy and the fundamental proficiencies poverty rate in the world,
citizenships, moral and virtues, rights and duties etc. Economics is the subject from which we learn
how to manages the finances, about effective economic policies etc. From social science, students
know about the different culture and religion in the world and how to value and respect our culture.

Aims of Teaching Social Science in Schools:-

1. It gives knowledge about civilization and culture.
2. It provides knowledge of social development.
3. It develops social behavior.
4. It  develops civil qualities.
5. It develops the power of thinking and reasoning.
6. It develops the feeling of universal brotherhood.
7. It develops modernization.
8. It develops suitable proficiency and good habits.
9. It develops the moral and social values.
10. It develops the all-round personality.

 Objectives of social science:-

Social science help students to know about the duties towards human society and make us
understand how a man can fulfil their needs. Because of Social science students understand the
fundamental rights in our constitution, freedom fighters who fought for the nation. It also provides
knowledge of the social environment and nature. It also develops the human qualities, desirable
attitudes in students, and it also expands the critical thinking and imagination of students. Students
learn many different things from social science like cultural and social beliefs, religions, caste,
nationalities, languages, festivals, clothing, food etc. From these things, students come to know that
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in the society they live is multicultured, diverse and interrelated between the countries, culture and
religion.

Social Science helps the students to know the importance of democracy, freedom and rights and
how to live in society. It makes the student responsible, active and reflective towards the society. And
also makes the students well informed about the culture, religion and society; in short, it makes the
student well-informed citizen.

Social science has many roles in our society. It is used to understand society, identify potential social
problems create an hypothesis and try and formulate answers to those problems. For example our
aging population. Social science considers issues like loneliness and how I can be combated it also
considers the potential crises arising from ill health in older people who at not have anyone to care
for them and support falling on the limited resources of the state. It can be argued that this is due to
the decline in the extended family and the great spacial mobility of families. You could also take into
consideration need for some families to have both partners earning. These are all social issues. If a
family needs to work and has to move to gain that employment then a social issue arises when an
older, more infirm relative cannot draw on the family. It is one of the roles of the social scientist to
identify such social problems and suggest ways they can be overcome

10 reasons why we need social science

Reproduced with kind permission from the Campaign for Social Science.

We know that Britain’s social scientists are world leaders in their fields, but why do we need them? And if they
weren’t around to analyse what’s going on, would you miss them? Audrey Osler suggests 10 reasons why you
need social science

1. Social scientists help us imagine alternative futures.

Social science can open up debate and give us a say in shaping our collective future. The social sciences
developed as a field of study during the nineteenth century. Social science helped people understand the
consequences and application of the new technologies of the age, such as steam power.
The growth of railways and factories not only transformed the economy and the world of work, but also
changed forever the way people organised their family lives and leisure. Today nanotechnology and advances in
medical research will have a significant impact on the way we live.
They present us with a bewildering range of ethical, legal and social issues. But it isn’t enough to rely on the
scientists. We also need social scientists to analyse and critique what’s going on. That way we will make
informed choices that shape the future

2. Social science can help us make sense of our finances.

Social science is not just important for the future but for what’s happening now. We all resent paying to
withdraw our money from cash machines. Charges can amount to £120 per year. Social scientists working on
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behalf of the Runnymede Trust found that this doesn’t just this depend on where we live, but that black and
minority ethnic people are more likely to live in areas where they’re forced to pay.
This put pressure on banks to ensure we all have access to machines that don’t charge. A range of social
scientists – not just economists but also psychologists, sociologists and political scientists, for example ‐ can
help us understand the economic crisis and weigh up decisions we make for ourselves and those which
governments make on our behalf. Without this kind of analysis we may feel like pawns in a global game of
chess.
With the knowledge and understanding that social science offers us, we will feel empowered to act for
ourselves, and to influence decisions being made on our behalf.

3. Social scientists contribute to our health and well‐being.

From sports sociologists to public health experts, from those interpreting medical statistics to those evaluating
policies for our care in old age, social scientists are working hard to make sure that our health, leisure and social
care services work to best effect.
Social geographers at the University of Sheffield, for example, have shown that those of us who don’t follow
eating advice are not simply weak‐willed or ignorant. Our eating habits are influenced by a whole range of
circumstances. Some apparently unhealthy choices may seem rational: if the person doing the shopping knows
that others will simply not eat the healthy option and it will just go to waste, they may simply not buy it.
So it’s no good just giving people a booklet on healthy eating. Effective nutritional advice needs to be tailored
to people’s everyday lives and contexts.

4. Social science might save your life.

Psychologists at the University of Liverpool spent time in a steel factory to work out what needs doing to create
a safer environment. Accidents at work happen even in the best regulated companies that provide staff training
and take all necessary precautions.
A top‐down imposed safety regime simply doesn’t work. It’s when people see unsafe work practices as
unacceptable and take decisions as teams that workplaces become safer. Employers need to see people as
individuals who take their lead from those with whom they identify. These principles have also been shown to
work in crowd control.
When those responsible for crowd management at football matches are trained in techniques which take this
into account, there’s virtually no trouble.
5. Social science can make your neighbourhood safer.
One common myth is that if you take measures to reduce crime in one neighbourhood the criminals simply
move on, leading to increased crime in another area. Sociologists at Nottingham Trent University worked
closely with police to reduce crime through a method involving scanning for crime patterns.
They were able to identify patterns that regular police work had not picked up, so avoiding guess work and lost
time. A technique called situational crime prevention developed by the same team is now regularly used by the
police, working with the public and private sectors to prevent crime. Together they make things more difficult
for would‐be criminals.
For example, in one area there was a serious problem of lead being stolen from community building roofs. By
working with dealers in the scrap metal market, and persuading them to keep records, it then became too risky
to buy what might be stolen lead.
ate.
 5

6. We need social scientists as public intellectuals.

British society is sometimes said to be anti‐intellectual. Yet in our fast changing world, there is a place for the
social scientist as public intellectual. This doesn’t have to be a succession of boring grey talking heads, such as
you can find on French TV any night. That’s enough to cause anyone to start channel surfing. Social scientists
have a duty to make their work interesting and engaging to the rest of us.
They need to explain not only why social science is relevant but do it in a compelling way. Then we will want
to listen, read and find out more. Perhaps more social scientists will have to become active listeners, talking
more often to the public, each other and to scientists.
Then we can get all the disciplines around the table together. In a knowledge‐based world, we need people who
can integrate a variety of different types of knowledge, and that come from different intellectual roots and from
a range of institutions to work together.

7. Social science can improve our children’s lives and education.

All societies and all governments want to show they are dong the best for children. Yet too often education
reform seems to take place without regard for the best interests of the learners. Education research shows that
many parents, particularly parents of younger children, are more concerned that their children enjoy school,
than that they are academic stars.
By working with students of all ages to understand their perspectives on schooling, researchers at the
universities of Cambridge and Leeds have discovered new insights into what makes effective schools, and what
makes for effective school leadership.
We just need to listen to children, provide structured opportunities for them to give their views, and prepare
adults to really listen. Today even OFSTED, the school inspection service, has to listen to children’s
viewpoints.

Informal Education, Childhood and Youth: emphasises how geography – space and place – matter to informal
education practices, through a range of examples.

8. Social science can change the world for the better.

We can generally agree that world needs to be a safer place where all people can enjoy basic dignity and human
rights. This is the case even when we can’t always agree on what we should do to make this happen. Social
scientists working in interdisciplinary teams have made their mark in the area of human welfare and
development.
They are concerned with the social and economic advancement of humanity at large. They work with
government institutions, UN organisations, social services, funding agencies, and with the media.
They are influencing the work of strategists, planners, teachers and programme officers in developing and
growing economies, like India, to influence development so that it impacts on the lives of the poorest members
of society. For example, social scientists from the Delhi School of Economics are cooperating with colleagues
at SOAS, University of London to explore the impact of legislation in India to guarantee minimum wages for
rural unskilled manual labourers on the loves of women.
 6

They found the new law provided opportunities for some women to become wage earners where none had
existed before, reducing the risk of hunger and the chances of avoiding hazardous work. But they also identified
barriers to women benefitting from the changes, including harassment at the worksite.
Those working in development studies are then able to support women’s ability to benefit by looking for
creative solutions to such problems.

9. Social science can broaden your horizons.

For debates about feminism, peace, ecology, social movements, and much more, social science offers each of us
new perspectives and new ways of understanding. Whether your idea of relaxation is visiting a museum,
watching soaps, or chatting online, social science encourages a fresh look at our everyday activities and culture.
Social scientists at the University of Leicester are making an impact on museums across the world, with the
goal of making them more inclusive, abler to challenge prejudices, inspire learning and be more relevant in
contemporary society.
One example is their work with the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow to involve local communities and
international visitors alike in engaging with exhibitions on a range of social justice issues from sectarianism to
gay rights, through programmes including arts workshops and residencies.

Radical Feminism: is a radical and pioneering feminist manifesto for today's modern audience written by one
of the cornerstones of today's feminist scene.

10. We need social science to guarantee our democracy.

Social science offers multiple perspectives on society, informs social policy and supports us in holding our
politicians and our media to account.
The Centre for the Study of Global Media and Democracy at Goldsmith’s College, London is monitoring how
transformation from traditional to digital media is examining the move away from traditional journalism and
politics to where we as citizens try to be community journalists, presenting our own accounts on‐line. The work
brings together specialists in media and communications, sociology and politics.
Individual citizens may feel empowered by this but there are risks in turning away from traditional journalism,
including fewer opportunities for in‐depth analysis and critique of powerful interests. This work by social
scientists is critical in protecting a modern and transparent democracy. Just think what might happen without it!

.3 The limitations of social science

We might usefully conclude this section by drawing attention to the limitations of social
science. It is important to do this because some social scientists have created false
expectations by suggesting that clear answers and successful formulae may be produced
at short notice. In doing this they over-simplify by omitting that which does not fit into
their neat schema, and this tends to lead to a failure to recognize what really amounts
to the intrinsic unpredictability of our field.

When he was Chairman of the Social Science Research Council in Britain, Andrew
Schonfield wrote:
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"In the social sciences it is rarely possible to pose questions and provide answers in the
manner of some of the natural sciences, and it is a refusal to recognize this that has
often led us up the wrong path. It is the nature of most of our work that it tends to
produce useful ideas and an increasingly firm factual base, rather than clear-cut answers
to major policy questions. We must try to tease out the relationships which have a
crucial effect on policy and, in doing so, provide not so much widely applicable
generalizations as a sound, informed basis for decision-making and, at the same time,
cut down the area of reliance on guesswork and prejudice." (Schonfield, 1971).

This is the framework within which we have to operate.

DISADVANTAGE

As I rushed to attend my sociology class the other day in school, my friend — a student of pure sciences —
stopped me in my tracks. “Bunk the class, man,” he urged. “Such a loser you are for attending classes of the
easiest subjects.” I just laughed off his obnoxious comment because I was getting late, but more importantly
because I knew better than to tell him that sociology is not such a piece of cake. I really didn’t want to hear
him boasting about physics or biology.

But many other students have gotten annoyed with similar comments. When a classmate asked me
which subjects I had selected for my A levels (which by the way are purely social sciences), my
response made her blurt out, “Did you flunk your O levels?” The look of surprise and sympathy she
gave me was infuriating and how she assumed that choosing social sciences had a relation with
flunking O levels was beyond me.

I simply hate the generalisations associated with being a student of the social sciences. Yes, I have
taken up social sciences in my A Levels and I’m absolutely delighted about it. Now I would very
much appreciate it if you don’t quibble about how easy my life must be or come up with reckless
theories of how I must have had horrible grades in O levels, to land with subjects which are
“useless”.

No, I wasn’t forced to jump into the social sciences bandwagon because I was a poor student who
failed to make it to the allegedly more difficult streams of commerce or applied sciences. I also
didn’t choose to take these subjects because I want my life to be a breeze. The fact is that I happen to
be genuinely interested in studying sociology, psychology and English literature. Physics and
chemistry don’t fascinate me at all. Will I have to give up citizenship of the country for not pursuing
a career in medicine or engineering? Will everyone now call me a “psycho” for studying psychology?

A deep-seated and narrow-minded notion in our society is that the social sciences don’t have ‘scope’
in our society. What on earth does “scope” mean? Abused and overused as this idea is, ironically
many of us don’t know what it means. We are just used to repeating the clichéd dialogue we’ve
heard over and over again from our parents, adults or friends.

We need to move beyond a society which only aims to produce doctors, engineers and accountants
and realise that the social sciences are just as important. As a matter of fact, they are even more
important, in many ways. I appreciate the value of natural sciences; they are an essential branch of
education and are required because they state the laws of nature. Nevertheless, they are exact
 8

sciences. Anywhere in the world you go, it’s acknowledged that two atoms of hydrogen and one
atom of oxygen make water. This formula will never change. Social sciences, on the other hand, are
approximate sciences and they examine change in social interaction across time and space. The
charm of social sciences comes from the uncertainty of things.

Studying about society, people and their interactions is no less helpful than healing patients. If we
want to improve our lives, choices, and institutions do we not first need to learn about how they
work, why they exist and their history?

Did materialism always play an important role in human societies? Why does military rule keeping
recurring in Pakistan’s politics? Why did the Arab Spring happen so spontaneously in countries
which had experienced decades of stable dictatorship? How should we interpret our dreams? Is our
society traditional or modern?

All these are important questions and the social sciences give us answers for them. How else will we
be able to explain social relations and change societies for the better without their knowledge?
There is so much that social sciences have to offer and people just don’t realise that.

But luckily I do. I know that students of commerce and science will continue to give me looks of
surprise, shower me with naïve criticism about lack of “scope” and pass sardonic comments about
not carrying books half as heavy as theirs. But I’ll just excuse their ignorance and continue to study
the subjects I love.

Throughout my career as a professor of public policy, public administration, and political science, I have been
convinced of the value of social science, especially political science. For more than three decades my research
has focused on the role nonprofit organizations play in public policy. This research is grounded in expanding
our understanding of the relationship between government and nonprofits, including developing effective
strategies for collaboration and partnership in support of innovation and social impact.

Since my appointment as Executive Director of the American Political Science Association in August 2013, I
have been committed to broadening and deepening the impact of political science research in the advancement
of knowledge. Indeed, social science research is fundamental to understanding—and making the best of—the
world around us. As I work with our political scientist members, I have been impressed with the tremendous
diversity of important research projects now underway, including why people vote, why states go to war
(proven prevention techniques), effective strategies to teach citizenship in local communities, and improving the
provision of public services. Overall, it is impossible to ignore the myriad ways in which social science helps us
understand, create, and engage with the institutions that shape our lives.

Put simply, the social sciences are important because they create better institutions and systems that affect
people’s lives every day. Creating frameworks for understanding the origins and effects of regime type, the
purpose of political parties, the reasons for polarization, the structure of social networks, the goals and
structures of government agencies, or the challenges and opportunities faced by service providers and
nonprofits are all attempts to make sense of structures that have real and profound on-the-ground impacts.

Importantly, social scientific approaches, whether they immerse researchers in new perspectives or
systematically analyze and compare institutions and phenomena, often challenge “common-sense” or prevailing
 9

understandings. These studies provide a better evidence-based grounding for evaluating our social and political
world. Clearer evidence and greater knowledge can help strengthen institutions by providing data for policy
outcomes and better mechanisms for promoting civic participation and engagement.

Just as significant, beyond building more accurate and functional general understandings of the world and its
institutions and social and political systems, social science helps individuals better understand how to engage
with these systems both for their own and society’s benefit. In a democracy, this understanding is crucial.

We recognize the importance of the natural sciences in investigating the physical world, including personal
health, space travel, and improved transportation. However, the actual prevention of disease or the adoption of a
new and improved public transit system is a political problem, requiring an understanding of political
institutions, public management, and policy implementation. Thus, social sciences help people understand how
to interact with the social world—how to influence policy, develop networks, increase government
accountability, and promote democracy.  These challenges, for many people around the world, are immediate,
and their resolution can make a vast difference in people’s lives.

While many social science disciplines are important in helping people to understand and engage with the wide
variety of institutions that shape their lives, political science is particularly valuable in helping people learn to
be citizens. Through participating in government at all levels, holding lawmakers accountable, and upholding
democratic norms and values, individuals must have the resources to understand how government works and
how laws and regulations are made; evaluate policies and outcomes based on effectiveness and values; make
informed decisions about policy preferences; and, especially, understand the importance of participating in
government, from voting to protesting. Political scientists are essential in providing these resources, in
classrooms and in the public sphere.

Consequently, political science, through teaching and research, provides a solid framework for understanding
the political and social systems that shape our lives. Social science research tells us that effective public
services, active participation in public policy, and engagement with local community organizations are very
challenging if the government is not transparent and accountable and citizens are not sufficiently engaged. 
Thus, social science is important because it provides an evidence-based foundation on which to build a more
effective government and democracy. Why social science? Because it helps people understand and engage
with the key political and social institutions, thus benefiting individuals and society as a whole.
n present times, as education systems around the world endeavor to promote the importance of
STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, the social sciences are, more
often than not, put on the backburner. Nevertheless, social sciences can be instrumental in producing
critically thinking and globally connected people.

Defining Social Sciences

Social sciences can be defined as the scientific study of human society and social relationships. This
encompasses everything from history and sociology to economics and political science. Among
others, through social sciences, we study how democracies morph into dictatorships, research the
causes of unemployment and delve into the psychology of criminals.

Social sciences and STEM very frequently complement each other. For example, medical
researchers may have determined that a disease is caused by polluted water supplies. But to enable
effective change in society, social scientists will look into which industries contributed to the polluted
 10

water, which communities are disproportionately affected by the disease and how to implement
policies to prevent this from recurring.

Let’s take a closer look at how the different areas of social sciences are essential to both a student’s
and society’s growth.

Economics and Finance

A surprising amount of people lack a rudimentary knowledge of economic systems. Occasionally,
they even support financial policies that act against their interest. For example, most people assume
that raising taxes is bad without understanding how taxes aid in funding better government services.
Hence, knowledge of economics is indispensable for every single individual in society. It helps us
gain more effective economic policies, manage our finances wisely, choose appropriate investments
and even get a foothold in the business world.

Ethics and Citizenship

Social sciences also instill the importance of being a virtuous and well-informed citizen.
Understanding the historical and sociological growth of a nation helps individuals value their liberties,
rights and role in it more. Students learn how the various levels of government function and become
familiar with their ability to shape their nation’s legal and political landscapes. In addition, subjects like
philosophy provide an opportunity to explore ideas around morality and, just as importantly,
encourages critical thinking. More than just imparting ‘moral values’, it invites students to interrogate
their systems of belief and establish strong codes of ethics for themselves.

Diverse Perspectives and Social Awareness

There is a popular saying that “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” This is
because history reveals the inner workings of society itself. It shows us what needs reforming, what
has failed or what can succeed. It can, in fact, help us examine the future and give us insights into
current issues. For example, we can learn how technological innovations influence the workforce by
investigating the effects of the Industrial Revolution.

Those who study social sciences tend to understand the importance of a society of equality and
diversity. They learn about and recognize the cultures in their community and the world. This is
especially important in today’s interconnected international communities.

Holistic Education System

The American education system takes into consideration the value of studying social sciences. In
fact, USA universities typically require their STEM students to take a number of social sciences
courses as well.

At Shattuck-St. Mary’s Forest City International School, we utilize an American-based curriculum

where, in addition to a focus on science and technology, students are also taught subjects in social
sciences areas, such as Economics and History, starting from Lower School. We believe in equipping
students with the knowledge, skills and character necessary to become active participants in our
diverse, changing world.
 11

 
Why we need social sciences more than ever
For the first time, the Earth is being shaped more by humans than by nature. This is why we
need more research about human behaviour, say social scientists.
Anne Ringgaard
PUBLISHED Monday 30. january 2017 - 06:25
  
BASIC RESEARCH
Some of the biggest global challenges are man-made: human activities are causing both dramatic
climate change and the extinction of animal species.
This is why many geologists and social scientists suggest that we are now living in a new era: the
Anthropocene—a period in time where the collective activities of human beings are, for the first time
in the history of the Earth, having a bigger influence on the planet’s development than natural
processes.
“Humanity has now left such a large imprint on the planet that the physical climate is changing. We
are lacking progressive, research-based solutions to how we should meet these challenges,” says
Associate Professor David Budtz Pedersen from the Department of Communication and Psychology,
Aalborg University, Denmark.
    Basic Research

 
ScienceNordic takes you into the engine room of basic research to find out:

 What is it?
 Who does it?
 And how does it benefit us?
 12

Read More: What is basic research?

Humanities research could encourage us to change our behaviour so that we reduce CO2 emissions
and deliver solutions to global challenges such as terrorism, political extremism, globalisation, and
mass migration, says Pedersen.
Read More: Humanities research contributes to artistic creation
The humanities offer solutions
In contrast to natural sciences, social scientists deal with something we all experience: culture. We
cultivate nature, use technology, consume products, communicate and share knowledge, form
opinions, engage in politics, exercise, have families, and use language.
“We are faced with such large-scale cultural and human challenges that societally speaking it’s a
problem to not include the humanities and social sciences in the conversation about how to solve
these global problems,” says Pedersen.
He believes that basic research in humanities can guide us in how we can best organise ourselves to
address and ultimately to survive the Anthropocene.
Read More: In the digital age, the humanities can afford to go on the offensive
Biotech is a hot topic
But social sciences are rarely included in such discussions between scientists and politicians.
For years, only the natural and technical sciences have been seen as the research areas that will
save us all, says Pedersen.
“Our entire research system and our view of basic research are modelled upon an ideal of
'technological breakthroughs'. Since we began to map the human genome in the 1990s, biosciences
and biotechnology have become the ideal model for conducting research. Before that it was physics,”
he says.
“Humanities research has long been subject to a structural marginalisation. The methods used to
measure the value of research to society is modelled on a scientific ideal that humanists and social
scientists cannot meet. Patents, licenses and royalties are not typical proxies for impact in the
humanities. Instead we should look for novel explorations and interpretations,” he says.
Read More: Humanities cutbacks hit women
Humanities are not the ideal
Future ideals are that science should lead to technological innovation and economic growth. And
research is given extra weight if the results are published in one of the top-ranking scientific journals
such as Science or Nature.
Medical programs, green technology, and consumer goods take pride of place—and in recent years,
health sciences, natural sciences, and technological innovation have received the highest share of
the funds from both public and private foundations.
The humanities have struggled to keep up with this scientific ideal.
“The breakthroughs in social sciences are not technological. They’re breakthroughs in our patterns of
understanding,” says Pedersen.
“We often talk about concepts like multiculturalism, social cohesion, and post-truth politics as
concepts that have just fallen from the sky. The reality is that these concepts stem from basic
research in the social sciences,” he says.
Read More: Room for interdisciplinary engagement
Society needs more than just growth
Christian Kock is a professor in rhetoric at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. He agrees that
the big challenges of the day require social science solutions.
 13

“There’s a massive tendency to place the natural sciences ahead of social sciences. We don’t hear a
single politician speak about the importance of protecting and supporting the humanities. At the same
time they stand shoulder to shoulder, stating how important the natural sciences are,” he says.
Basic research in the natural sciences can be more directly converted to economic growth than social
sciences, admits Kock. But society needs more than just growth and technological advances are only
beneficial if we use them appropriately.
“Breakthroughs in the natural sciences are not necessarily converted into improved quality of life.
New technology has the potential to enrich our lives, but only if we study how to use technology and
what it does for people and society,” he says.
Read More: "Climate change needs to be adressed locally, not globally"
Social sciences create order
History, literature, art, anthropology, philosophy, religion, and other social science topics are the basis
for civilisation, says Frederik Tygstrup, a professor in the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies at
the University of Copenhagen and chairman of the Humanities section of the Danish Council for
Independent Research.
Without the social sciences we would be barbarians, says Tygstrup.
“It’s crucial that there’s an awareness of the history of society and the way people organise their lives
with each other. The humanities prevent society from becoming random and barbaric,” says Tygstrup.
“The humanities don’t provide unambiguous answers, but it does make us better at asking the right
questions about how we can best live our lives together from day to day in a changing world,” he
says.
Does it ever bug you why people act in certain ways? Has your mind ever
wandered far and you asked yourself what is the role you play in society?
Perhaps, social science can help you answer these questions! The study of
social science has been one of the oldest areas in the education field and
has made significant contributions in the development of society throughout
history.

In a general sense, social science is the study of society and how people
behave, interact, and influence each other inside a community. Need more
convincing on what makes this course interesting? Here are more reasons you
should try studying social science now!
It will give you a better understanding of mankind
Humans have an innate curiosity, and we are always fascinated by other
people. One of the most exciting reasons why you should consider
studying social sciences is that it can help you have a deeper
understanding of yourself and other people’s behavior through psychology.
What drives you to do a particular thing? Looking outward, you can also
have a grasp of the society as a whole. Then, comprehend how collective
actions and behaviors form a culture through sociology and anthropology.
It can help you make better choices for your future
The first step in shaping your future is to learn from lessons of the past.
What has happened before? What are the relevant things you can get from it?
History, as one of the branches of social sciences, can help you understand
society more and look into it from different perspectives. It helps
students develop critical thinking; from there, you can make informed
decisions and holistic perspectives.
 14

It can help you manage your resources better

Social science is not just about knowing the past and the future, it is
also concerned about the present and how we deal with it. People might find
this surprising but economics is a branch of social science, an important
branch for that matter, because it studies how society deals with
scarcity. Economics is concerned with how people can have the optimal use
of their limited resources. Social science will show you a lot about how
the world around you works. It will give you a better comprehension of how
governments, companies, or countries make decisions that have great
consequences for the people. Through the study of economics, you will
gain knowledge on how to interpret various data in order to make educated
recommendations that can be very essential in an industry that you are
planning to thrive in.
It will expose you to different cultures
As you learn about different societies and the people involved in it,
you’ll be exposed to various cultures and traditions. Why are some actions
considered good in one place and deemed immoral in another? How do social
norms affect societal development? These are just some of the questions
that social sciences can answer!
It can provide you with a lot of career opportunities
Studying social sciences not only helps you understand how things around
you work, but most importantly, it provides you with the necessary skills
you need to participate in it. These skill sets include critical thinking,
analytical thinking, logic, problem-solving, and communications skills
which you can learn through political science or law. With a degree in
social science, you can have a number of careers. This can be in politics,
academe, business industry, community development, media and a whole lot
more!
The Social Sciences in a Changing World

Library of the Ecole Nationale de la France d’Outre-Mer, 1955

Theme for 2017 - 2018
Readings and Seminar Schedule

Over the past century and a half, social scientists have conducted research on a multiplicity of topics
and societies, including the worlds of science and technology, but similar investigation into their own
disciplines had been relatively limited until recent years. Since then, historians and sociologists in
particular, have examined the politics and practices of the social sciences, their epistemologies and
methods, their institutionalization and professionalization, their national development and colonial
expansion, their heterogeneous globalization and local contestations, their public presence and role in
society. Strikingly, this trend is concomitant with a reconfiguration of their landscape and a reshaping
of their borders with neighboring fields. The history, sociology, and philosophy of social science have
evolved in parallel and remain relatively separate communities, but their studies provide new
challenges as the humanities come under increasing pressure while cognitive and evolutionary
sciences as well method-driven and big data approaches stake out new claims to understand society.
It is thus an interesting time to undertake a critical inquiry into the social sciences.
 15

The theme of the School of Social Science for 2017-2018 explores multiple and diverse perspectives in
the social sciences and the humanities, including history, sociology, anthropology, philosophy,
economics, political theory and political science. The constitution and evolution of scientific fields,
controversies and their resolution, debates within and across disciplines, explicit and implicit
construction of knowledge, comparison between countries or regions of the world, and relationships
between the social sciences and society at large are some of the topics deemed of particular relevance.
Through the conversations that will occur during the year, we hope to contribute to a social science of
social sciences. 

Into the future with social sciences

Jean-Eric Aubert
Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry
Page 76 

Increasing violence, ageing, ethnic strife and global warming – these problems present the
often  misunderstood social sciences with a chance to prove their worth. But should they
change first? 

It is not forbidden to dream of building a better world, which is by and large what the social sciences
try to help us to do. How to make cities more harmonious, reduce crime rates, improve welfare,
overcome racism, increase our wealth -- this is the stuff of social sciences. The trouble is that the
findings of social sciences are often dismissed as being too theoretical, too ambitious or too
unpalatable.

The methods of research are also often attacked for their lack of rigour, and critics are quick to point
out that the people who make the important decisions pay little attention to what social scientists have
to say anyway. This would change if the social sciences made themselves more relevant and ready
for the society of the 21st century.

Social sciences began to take shape in the 19th century, but came into their own at the beginning of
the 20th century, when a number of well-established disciplines, including economics, sociology,
political science, history and anthropology really made their mark. Geography and psychology could
be added to that list. However, only sociology, political science and economics have succeeded in
consolidating their position in the social sciences mainstream. The others were virtually all
marginalised. Moreover, powerful institutional barriers now separate the various disciplines.

Hardly the right atmosphere in which to grow and deal with the harsh criticism which the social
sciences have come in for from many quarters, including governments and international
commissions. Radical measures are now being suggested to turn things round, from how to award
university chairs, to setting syllabi and raising funds.

The need for decompartmentalising and striking a new order in the relationship between the
disciplines concerns all of the social sciences, though perhaps economics most of all. Only it has
acquired a dominant position in management and public affairs. Some would say it has fallen under
the sway of "unitary thinking", with little room for debate, for example, on the question of debt
reduction or monetary tightness. Moreover, many people do not believe that economic science forms
part of social sciences at all.
 16

This is a somewhat problematic position to uphold, particularly as economic developments are largely
determined by political, social and cultural factors. Yet, economists often have difficulty understanding
or taking such factors into account. This has left economics exposed to attack, for example, over its
prescriptions for development and its analysis of events, such as the causes of the Asian crisis. To
many, economics relies too heavily on hypothetical and sometimes unrealistic assumptions.

It seems clear that to explore the socio-cultural foundations of economies rigorously and
methodically, one must draw on the other social sciences. Take anthropology, for example. It is a
discipline which can attempt to explain the influence of value systems, institutions, family structures
and even religious backgrounds on the behaviour of individuals. But for many years, anthropology
and its related offshoot of ethnology were confined to the study of exotic societies. However, it can
also throw light on the functioning, if not the future, of our own societies.

So does that mean it is high time to give fuller backing to the study of an anthropology of
contemporary societies? Probably yes. The discipline has not only begun to acquire academic
legitimacy, it has already attracted the serious attention of businesses eager for a detailed
understanding of the behaviour of households, investors and the like. This is particularly true of
multinational enterprises dealing with cross-cultural operations. A survey commissioned by IBM in the
1970s in over 60 countries where the company had subsidiaries is a perfect example of this. Many
surveys since then have highlighted the influence on management of socio-cultural factors, such as
the degree of individualism, control over uncertainty and attention to hierarchical structures and
gender balance in employees' behaviour.

Apart from the multi-disciplinary qualities of the social sciences themselves, there is also the
proposition of a closer relationship between the social sciences and natural sciences. There is
already an overlap as a result of what is happening in the development of neuro-sciences: for
example, research centres in this discipline have biologists, doctors, psychologists, sociologists,
mathematicians and philosophers working closely together. Another example features the quality of
the environment, the availability of natural resources, and even the productivity of marine
environments: all are strongly influenced by human, or anthropogenic, factors. Now, world-wide
programmes conducted in fields such as the study of global warming bring researchers in natural and
human sciences together at the same table. There is no question that the demand for people who
have been well trained in both types of science will increase from now on, and academic programmes
will have to be introduced to meet this need.

Governments have a sense of how social sciences can help in the management of societies. They
are also relying increasingly on the social sciences to deal with particular problems they are now
facing. The UK government runs research projects on young people in urban environments and the
findings of these studies have had a powerful influence on the design of government programmes for
combating social disintegration, exclusion and unemployment.

It would not be foolhardy to suggest that the research helped to forge the climate of opi-nion that
marked the 1997 general elections.

Still, the circumstances in which the social sciences have been integrated into political debate vary
from country to country, although numerous recent initiatives have been influenced by a desire to
bring researchers and users closer together. The Canadian government has, for example, set up a
national network of centres for research into issues like immigration, with the close co-operation of
local authorities, immigration services and other concerned bodies.
 17

Generally speaking, the social sciences will wield more influence in the management of public affairs
and will find their proper role when the right conditions exist for democratic and informed debate at
every level, whether national or local. Currently, dialogue between social science researchers and
"society" all too often takes the form of one-way lecturing, with researchers given little opportunity for
interaction with social groups. Sweden has acted on this by recently launching an important
programme that involves the social sciences in the question of sustainable development, and which
expressly provides for in-depth consultations between researchers and civil society.

IT can make a difference

There is every reason to believe that social sciences will be transformed -- maybe more so than
natural sciences -- by advances in information technology and the ability to collect, process, stock
and disseminate enormous quantities of data. It is beginning to be possible to link existing data bases
in many fields in different countries, and to carry out large-scale, integrated, comparative analyses.
Huge surveys can now be conducted on an extensive range of subjects on the Internet, which is
clearly helpful in studying the perceptions and behaviour of a wide variety of people. And IT has
opened up the possibility of working in virtual laboratories that link up large numbers of research
teams on a worldwide network.

This is no technological fantasy of the social scientist. Through the National Science Foundation, the
US government has already instituted experimental initiatives in several fields. For example, a virtual
research centre on violence has been set up to collate and supply information from dozens of
researchers in some 20 institutes working in all disciplines from psychology and criminology to
economics, biology and statistics. In some ways, the potential technology holds for the social
sciences can be compared to the effect it has had on climatology. A few decades ago climatology
relied on information that was provided haphazardly and intermittently by observatories scattered
round the world. Now, with the use of satellites, our understanding and forecasting of climatic
phenomena has improved immeasurably.

So can social sciences bounce back and assert themselves in the 21st century? We will probably not
be able to tell for a few decades, since the ways in which societies analyse themselves develop very
slowly. After all, the social sciences are rarely given to sudden discoveries and headline
breakthroughs like some other sciences. What is more, social sciences may continue to face the stout
resistance of established institutions defending their own territory and opposing innovation and
change. Could it be that society, which by definition seeks stability, has an inbuilt resistance towards
indulging in any form of self-analysis? Few people have an appetite for hard truths. But perhaps in the
information age and in the dematerialised economy of the knowledge world, all that could change.
Perhaps society will discover a pressing need to know itself much better, if only to survive. Social
sciences will then be very much in demand.

What Can the Social Sciences Contribute?

I had my first experience with the sociology when I went off to college. Like most students, I had never heard
of the discipline. My professor was passionate about each class she taught. The introduction class I was taking
seemed to cover everything that life was about; families, religion, race, crime, etc. As I waded in deeper and
deeper I saw that what I had gotten myself into was a class all about the big picture. What has gotten into me
ever since then is a desire to help others understand how deeply we are social creations.
 18

These days I spend most of my time trying to convince new college students that they are indeed social
constructs. That means helping them to pay attention to and analyze much of what they take for granted. One of
the first places to start is our family. Sure, each student is able to list some of the important contributions that
their family has made in the creation of his/her self. But they tend to focus on concrete examples like food,
clothing and shelter. Maybe a few will point out important lessons that were taught or even a central value like
hard work. Every now and then, someone will point to their faith as having been passed down from their family.
These are all correct answers, but, being “invented” by your family goes even deeper than that.

 Physical and Social Survival Skills: Think about all of our taken-for-granted skills that families
teach, how to speak, look others in eye, be responsible, tie your shoes, eat with a knife and fork…These are
basic survival skills we all need once we leave and head off school. Once this happens, we will spend more
awake time away from home than at home with our family – from then on. Once we leave home, other members
of society begin to contribute ever more to this building project.
 Social Placement: We are all born into families that have “placed” us into a social class. The
neighborhood and schools we grow up in are not choices we make as children. These are important dimensions
of our environment that our parents station in life hand to us.
 Worldview: Our family shapes the way each one of us comes to understand and define the world
outside – is it a place of opportunity and achievement or is it an environment filled with hostility and obstacles
that one may never overcome? This will get even larger as maturity progresses. It will become an ever more
complex worldview shaped by other social experiences.

The object is to help students to dig deeper and discover how important their families are in shaping their
personalities and futures.

I believe the social sciences have much to contribute to each one of us in our search for explanations behind
human behavior. Throughout my adult life I have become convinced of the tremendous benefits for us as
citizens, employees, family members and even followers of Christ in the local church. Let me elaborate on three
specific ideas that I introduce to new college students as they are taking one of their first social science courses
and I hope becoming convinced of these benefits. I think these ideas are beneficial to all of us.

1. We create a world that in turn creates us

The social scientist that helped to invent sociology, Emile Durkheim, used the term Social Facts to describe
aspects of the context we live in that we ourselves create and that in turn influence how we think and feel,
almost as if they were a force unto themselves. We get ourselves into trouble when we forget most of the ideas,
actions and things that surround us and shape our lives are man-made. They can be reshaped if they get out of
order and don’t work as they should. Of course, it’s always easier said than done. Examples of social facts
include:

 The suicide rate

 The divorce rate
 High school graduation rates
 Percent of the population that claim to be Christian
 Number of hours teenagers spend online

When we talk about this in class, my students always bring up the divorce rate in America. They express fears
about their own marriages because they believe that divorce has always been on the rise during their lifetimes.
Perhaps it’s contagious, like swine flu? The divorce rate is an example of a social fact – something we create by
getting divorced which in turn influences our decisions about getting married.
 19

If we could better understand social facts, we might make more wise decisions about our own lives and the
organizations to which we belong. At the end of our discussion about social facts, marriage and divorce I
always have to tell my students that divorce has not been on the rise – in fact, for most of their lives it has been
on the decline. I wonder why we continue to believe in rising divorce rates? Why are we defining the situation
like that?

The way that we think and feel is too often influenced by social facts. Our Christian faith teaches us to be
careful about how we are influenced. “Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be
transformed from the inside out  by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills
and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.” (Romans 12:2, The Voice). This is easier to do when
we understand what social facts are, how to get them right and what kind of influence matters the most.

2. What do you believe is real?

The Definition of the Situation is a concept introduced by W. I. Thomas, a sociologist at the University of
Chicago in the early 1900’s. Thomas described the power of social beliefs, the way people “defined situations”
such as violent interactions between police and blacks in urban neighborhoods or legal and illegal immigration.
Think about some of the beliefs that we have heard during our lives about other groups:

 Men and women and how they should relate

 Racial and ethnic groups
 Religious groups, even the other Christian denomination around the corner
 Political beliefs and differences

For Thomas, what was most important wasn’t just the facts about a given situation but also what people
“believed to be real.” Our beliefs are powerful predictors of how we will act. Our culture is made up of religion,
education, family structure and values. It is the source of most of our basic beliefs. It shapes the ways that we go
about making sense out of our experiences.

If we want to understand why groups of people do what they do, we need to find out how they are “defining the
situation.” One way we learn about beliefs is by conducting surveys. We see them all the time reported in the
news. In a recent Pew study, about two-thirds of the public say they are “very sympathetic” (23%) or
“somewhat sympathetic” (42%) toward immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. Now, what will those
“sympathetic” feelings look like during an election, political debate or the next family reunion? How are people
defining that term “sympathetic”? That’s the important follow up question in this kind of survey. What will our
feelings lead us to do or not do?

“We love because He has first loved us.  If someone claims, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother or sister, then he
is a liar. Anyone who does not love a brother or sister, whom he has seen, cannot possibly love God, whom he
has never seen.  He gave us a clear command, that all who love God must also love their brothers and
sisters” (I John 4:19-21 The Voice). Our Christian faith calls upon us, no commands us, to redefine our
situations. We do this by reclaiming relationships with people, even with strangers. If we understand that beliefs
about reality are powerful forces in shaping action, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad, then we can
more carefully reflect on the source and accuracy of our own system of belief and what is truly real and really
true.

3. Why do people act like that?

 20

During our interactions with others we often work to attribute cause for other people’s actions. Why did he do
that? Sometimes even, why does he always do that? The social sciences can help us to understand the context of
our interactions as we try and attribute cause. When we make mistakes about attributing cause, humans tend to
favor dispositional explanations. The reason he keeps doing that is because of his personality or his
mood. Instead, I’ve learned from my study of the social sciences, both sociology and social psychology, that
people are just as likely to do what they do because of situational causes – bad traffic on the way to work
caused that bad mood, stress from missing deadlines trickled down to become unkind remarks to colleagues
and looks like inherent grumpiness.

When we are trying to understand why people do what they do, we are trying to decide if the reason is
something internal like their personality or external like a critical spouse. When we think about this here’s how
it works:

Was it her fault or not? Something he should be able to control or not? We think about how common this
behavior is, does it keep happening and is it something unique to this particular person.

Sometimes we fall into the trap of making an error when we go about attributing cause. When we are explaining
our own actions, especially failures, it’s easy to attribute them to external causes. But when we don’t really
know any better, when we are trying to figure out the reason behind someone else’s poor behavior, we usually
err on the side of internal causes. This is what used to be called the Fundamental Attribution Error. My bad
mood is caused by economic stress, yours is probably caused by a flawed personality. See how this can cause
problems?

I had an academic dean who was a wonderful model of how NOT to do this. We would all sit around and blame
our bad fortunes on all the bosses making terrible decisions. These superiors were just foolish, mean or blind to
reason. He would always reflect a bit (he was a Quaker), and point out all of the external factors that could be
causing these circumstances we so quickly complained about. We would stop, think, feel ashamed, and realize
how wise he was. We were probably making attribution errors. How could such smart people make such
mistakes like that? It’s because none of us are as conscious of how we think about other people as we would
like to be.

Research tells us that people who suffer with depression often make attribution errors because they tend to
believe that negative experiences are due to their own internal personality faults and that positive experiences
happen only because of temporary external factors, like good luck. You can see how this attribution mistake can
turn into a self-defeating belief – I can’t control the positive experiences and the negative ones are a part of
who I am.

What social science contributes to help solve these kinds of errors is a more deliberate awareness of the context
and environment – the situational factors that contribute to our actions. Our history of past interactions and our
current social environment are powerful forces that contribute to who we are, the ways that we make/ decisions
and the tone of our social connections.