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Why Social Science? - Because It's the Most Reliable Way to Understand the Public's Point of View
This week's Why Social Science? post comes from Kathy Frankovic, former Director of Surveys at CBS News and former President of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, who writes about the science behind public opinion polling and its role in predicting the outcome of elections. When…
News Topics: Why Social Science?Public Policy
Why Social Science? - Because It Tells Us How to Create More Engaged Citizens
By Adam Seth Levine, PhD, Associate Professor of Government, Cornell University; President, research4impact Engaged citizens are not born. They are made. Leaders of voluntary civic associations play a critical role in this process. They offer people opportunities to exercise their voice on issues…
Why Social Science? - Because Social Science Is a Form of Service that Improves Quality of Life for People Around the World
By Arthur Lupia, PhD, Assistant Director for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences, National Science Foundation If you are reading these words, chances are you are a social scientist or someone who cares about social science. Either way, I am grateful to you and everyone who devotes…
Why Social Science? - Because It Can Improve the Lives of Those Who Serve Our Country
By Leanne K. Knobloch, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Communication, University of Illinois & Steven R. Wilson, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Communication, University of South Florida Throughout our nation’s history, members of the U.S. military have served our country with honor, courage,…
Why Social Science? - Because It Helps to Address Graduate Unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa
By Joseph K. Assan, PhD, Assistant Professor of International Political Economy of Sustainable Development, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University Social scientists are actively involved in working with government officials, academics, the private sector, NGOs and…
Why Social Science? - Because Social Science Equips Us with Tools We Will Need to Face Down the Biggest Issues of Our Time, Including the Growing Global Threat of Climate Change
By The Honorable Paul Tonko, United States Representative, New York’s 20th Congressional District, U.S. House of Representatives Our Earth is in crisis. More frequent and severe droughts, rising sea-levels, extreme weather and ecological damage are already here, with more loss and hardship on the…
Scott and Crowley author latest “Why Social Science?”
Explaining how social science can improve government efficiency via government policy, Penn State’s Taylor Scott, research assistant professor with the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, and Max Crowley, assistant professor in human development and family studies, co-authored this…
Why Social Science? - Because Social Science Research and Education Are Critical for National Security
By Claudia Brugman, PhD, Research Scientist and Technical Director for Language in Social Systems, Center for Advanced Study of Language, University of Maryland Each of the social sciences contributes irreplaceable content knowledge and methodologies to our collective understanding of other…
Why Social Science? - Because It Helps Build Resilience in the Face of Disasters
By Brandi Gilbert, Ph.D., Research Associate, Urban Institute & Nnenia Campbell, Ph.D., Research Associate, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado, Boulder We are dedicated to using social science to improve disaster recovery for those on the margins of society—in particular on the…
Why Social Science? - Because It’s Proliferating
By Alondra Nelson, President, Social Science Research Council Social scientists and the research we pursue with such passion are being buffeted on all fronts, a fact not unknown to frequent visitors to this space. Today social scientists confront scarcities: of funding, of career opportunities in…
Why Social Science? - Because Social Science Can Have an Impact on Public Policy
By Peter B. Wood, Professor of Sociology and Criminology, Eastern Michigan University Why Social Science? Because social science can—and should—have a real impact on public policy at the federal, state, and local levels. More than a decade ago, while serving as President of the Southern Criminal…
Why Social Science? - Because It Can Challenge Conventional Wisdom
By Olugbenga Ajilore, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Economics, University of Toledo Social science research provides evidence that helps us understand the drivers of social problems. A lot of times, this evidence is in contrast to the conventional wisdom and may on the face of it seem…
Why Social Science? - Because It Helps Us Identify and Combat Misinformation
By Melanie C. Green, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Communication, University at Buffalo To make good decisions, we need good information. Every day, people form opinions on health treatments, political policies, and consumer products. Social sciences help us understand how people can…
Why Social Science? - Because It Can Improve the Lives of City Residents
By David Yokum, J.D., Ph.D., Director, The Lab @ DC There’s a movement underway to integrate scientific research into the everyday workings of government at all levels. Increasingly, research professionals are being called upon to roll up their sleeves and lend their advice, expertise, and…
Why Social Science? - Because It Produces Essential Data for Our Democracy
By Ronald L. Wasserstein, Ph.D., Executive Director, American Statistical Association The social sciences are vitally important to the institutions of democracy. Those institutions include a constellation of federal statistical agencies responsible for collecting and disseminating data. With these…
Why Social Science? - Because It is an Engine for Social Progress
By Darla Spence Coffey, PhD, MSW, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Social Work Education & James Herbert Williams, PhD, MSW, MPA, Arizona Centennial Professor of Social Welfare Services at Arizona State University The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is dedicated…
News Topics: Social ScienceWhy Social Science?
Why Social Science? - Because Social Science Fosters Robust and Trustworthy Knowledge
By Felice J. Levine, Ph.D., Executive Director, American Educational Research Association As Chair of the COSSA Board, it is an honor to conclude the inaugural year of “Why Social Science?” with some reflections and aspirations. When COSSA launched this initiative in 2017, the aim was to invite…