This report draws together the insights of over 100 leading social scientists on policy-applicable insights from social science research and practice across eight themes relevant to the UK Government’s missions and broader policy agenda. Covering health & social care, inequalities & welfare, housing, macroeconomics, regional equity & growth, borders & migration, knowledge & technology, and energy & climate, these evidence-based contributions draw on a wide range of social science methodologies and underline the great potential of social science research, from across a very wide range of disciplines, to help shape policy and practice.
Although the report does not make specific policy recommendations, albeit many individual contributions and the included case studies do put forward evidence-based proposals, it documents five overarching areas of consensus, based on the contributions of experts, for improving the intersections of evidence, practice and policy, for the UK Government to consider:
- In setting cross-cutting missions, the UK Government will benefit from policymaking processes and infrastructures which incorporate a broad range of evidence in ways that are transparent and robust.
- The new UK Government would benefit from a more joined-up approach to policymaking.
- Greater attention to the evidence base underpinning controversial and contentious policy areas could lead to calmer and more reasoned deliberation.
- There is still significant scope for policy innovation by drawing on successful practice from the devolved nations and regions.
- Policy development and discourse should include adequate space and time for social and societal elements to be fully explored.
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‘Beyond the ballot: social science insights on eight key policy challenges’ is a joint publication between the Academy’s Campaign for Social Science and Sage, authored by Dr Ed Bridges, Steve Grundy and Theresa Flach.
To cite this report: Bridge, E., Grundy, S. and Flach, T. (2024) Beyond the ballot: social science insights on eight key policy challenges. London. Sage/Academy of Social Sciences.