The Campaign for Social Science demonstrates how social science improves public policy, society and all our lives. It highlights the value of applied social science research and advocates for its greater use in decision-making and in government.
We promote the benefits of investing in social science to deliver evidence-based solutions to the significant challenges and opportunities facing our society. The Campaign is supported by a coalition of universities, social science societies, and publishers.
The contemporary relevance of the social sciences
The social sciences play an essential role in harnessing the many opportunities and mitigating the numerous and varied challenges we face in our contemporary human world. Our new report explores this by outlining eight principles about the UK’s social science sector, each of which is supported evidence and case studies, serving as a user-friendly reference for policymakers, academics and practitioners
Achieving Good Growth
Our new hub showcases research and evidence-based insights from the social sciences which might make it possible for the UK to achieve growth that is fair, inclusive, carefully targeted, and environmentally sustainable.
Truth and Trust: The Vital Role of Social Science in a Divided World
Thursday 20 November, 6.30pm-8.30pm, London
This year’s Campaign for Social Science Annual Sage Lecture will be delivered by the Honourable Julia Gillard AC, 27th Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership.
In her lecture, Julia will share her insights on how social science can still have global impact in an era of political polarisation and widespread misinformation, public scepticism, political interference, and funding reductions. Yuan Yang, the Labour MP for Earley and Woodley, and Stian Westlake FAcSS, Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), will also share their own thoughts on the vital role of social science in our increasingly divided world.
Watch: The contemporary relevance of the social sciences launch
To mark the launch of our new report, The contemporary relevance of the social sciences, we held a webinar to discuss the essential role of the social sciences in helping to both harness the many opportunities and mitigate the various challenges that we face in our contemporary human world. Chaired by the Academy’s President, Will Hutton, the webinar featured reflections from Professor Linda Bauld FAcSS, Michael Davis, Gavin Kelly and Professor Rosie McEachan on some of the report’s key themes and draw on their own experiences, from their research and work, of why the social sciences matter.
Beyond the ballot: social science insights on eight key policy challenges
Our new report showcases a breadth of social science-based research, ideas and evidence relevant to addressing some of the country’s political and social challenges, many of which are relevant to the UK Government’s policy agenda.
Election 24: ideas for change based on social science evidence
This Campaign for Social Science project foregrounded social science perspectives, research and evidence relevant to public policy in the run up to a UK General Election in 2024. Drawing on the expertise of distinguished social scientists, the Election 24 project aimed to identify positive and constructive policy suggestions on many key policy areas
Life, health and wellbeing: the transformative potential of interdisciplinary social science
In this guest feature, Dr Paul Meller, Wellcome Trust, discusses how research within the social sciences and in exciting new combinations with other fields such as STEM offers huge potential to transform our understanding of life, health and wellbeing.