Impact

Help ESRC Find the 50 Biggest Social Science Achievements

September 23, 2014 1583

Help us find the 50 biggest social science achievements – send in your suggestions!

In 2015 the United Kingdom’s Economic and Social Research Council, or ESRC, will be celebrating 50 years of funding research in economic and social issues. Over the last five decades ESRC research has helped change the world, providing deep insights into key social and economic questions. From big ideas to the most detailed observations, social science affects us all every day – at work, in school or college, within our communities, when exploring our identities and expressing our beliefs.

ESRC Logo“The social sciences are essential to understanding human behaviour, the wellbeing of citizens and promoting sustainable growth. Social science research generates vital knowledge that informs policy, helping us navigate our way through the world as individuals and as a society,” as David Willets MP, former Secretary of State for Universities and Science, has put it.

For example, it was an economist who came up with the idea of the National Health Service. And in the auction of radio bandwidth for 3G mobile phone licenses in 2000, advice from ESRC-funded researchers on how to run the auction raised £22.5 billion for the government – enough money to build 400 new hospitals.

The UK also runs a unique set of ‘longitudinal’ studies – tracking large groups of people through their lives in order to gather data on life circumstances, income, health, employment and other factors. These surveys provide invaluable data for research on a range of issues, their causes, and the effectiveness of different policies.

On an international scale, recent research into innovative methods for measuring poverty has helped the governments of Bhutan, Colombia, Mexico and the Philippines to track poverty and improve poverty eradication efforts.

To celebrate how social science has contributed to society and to mark ESRC’s 50th anniversary we need your help to identify the major social science achievements over the last five decades – in the UK or abroad. Tell us about the groundbreaking pieces of research, the crucial data resources underpinning major policies, the cases where social science changed society. All contributions are gratefully received – so please submit your suggestions on our online form HERE.


Arild Foss is the digital communications manager for the Economic and Social Research Council.

View all posts by Arild Foss

Related Articles

Three Decades of Rural Health Research and a Bumper Crop of Insights from South Africa
Impact
March 27, 2024

Three Decades of Rural Health Research and a Bumper Crop of Insights from South Africa

Read Now
Using Translational Research as a Model for Long-Term Impact
Impact
March 21, 2024

Using Translational Research as a Model for Long-Term Impact

Read Now
Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024: Pioneering Psychologist and First Director of OBSSR
Impact
March 4, 2024

Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024: Pioneering Psychologist and First Director of OBSSR

Read Now
New Feminist Newsletter The Evidence Makes Research on Gender Inequality Widely Accessible
Impact
March 4, 2024

New Feminist Newsletter The Evidence Makes Research on Gender Inequality Widely Accessible

Read Now
New Podcast Series Applies Social Science to Social Justice Issues

New Podcast Series Applies Social Science to Social Justice Issues

Sage (the parent of Social Science Space) and the Surviving Society podcast have launched a collaborative podcast series, Social Science for Social […]

Read Now
The Importance of Using Proper Research Citations to Encourage Trustworthy News Reporting

The Importance of Using Proper Research Citations to Encourage Trustworthy News Reporting

Based on a study of how research is cited in national and local media sources, Andy Tattersall shows how research is often poorly represented in the media and suggests better community standards around linking to original research could improve trust in mainstream media.

Read Now
Connecting Legislators and Researchers, Leads to Policies Based on Scientific Evidence

Connecting Legislators and Researchers, Leads to Policies Based on Scientific Evidence

The author’s team is developing ways to connect policymakers with university-based researchers – and studying what happens when these academics become the trusted sources, rather than those with special interests who stand to gain financially from various initiatives.

Read Now
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments