Social Science Space

Centuries ago, myths helped the Greeks learn to reject tyrannical authority and identify the qualities of good leadership. Emily Anhalt argues that the same myths that long predate the world’s very first democracy have lessons for us today – just as they did for the ancient Greeks centuries ago.

CASBS at Stanford University and SAGE Publishing are announcing nominations to the fifth annual SAGE-CASBS awards. The award goes to researchers who have made outstanding societal contributions by using social and behavioral research to address or understand vital social concerns.

What is one’s legacy after a half century as an academic? Although it’s not his only legacy, our David Canter considers the ‘archive’ of surveys, old journals, letters and other reputed ‘data’ that makes up a paper simulacrum of the real David Canter.

In the latest iteration of a survey series she’s been running for four decades, Carol Tenopir aims to assess the value of access to scholarly journals by examining patterns of use and reading. Your input is sought.

When discussing the nexus of computer science and social science, the transaction is usually in one direction – what can computer scientists do for social scientists. But a recent paper from Tufts University anthropologist Nick Seaver reverses that flow, using the tool of ethnography to interrogate the tools of engineering.

Sue Sentance, senior lecturer in computer science education at King’s College London, explains some of the changes that have been happening in school around ICT and computing and calls for interdisciplinary research to explore how to make the subject accessible to all children.

How can universities train our scientists, technologists and engineers to engage with society rather than perform as cogs in the engine of economic development? Author Richard Lachman asks for educational system to require STEM students to take art and humanities courses, not as an attempt to “broaden minds” but as a necessary discussion of morals, ethics and responsibility.

In a keynote address delivered to the London Info International conference, Ziyad Marar, president of global publishing for SAGE Publishing, outlines the intersection between big data and social science research. He notes that social and behavioral researchers have seen some opportunities as beyond their grasp, and that SAGE is working to bridge that gap.

Last year Social Science Space presented more than 200 articles on the impact, infrastructure and industry surrounding social and behavioral science and research. Looking back over those articles, we’ve chosen a few of special merit. Social Science Space plans to continue to provide the latest that the new year has to offer. Stay up to date with us to see what is in store.

The year 2017 turned out to be the start for mainstream behavioral economics after a leading practitioner in the field won a Nobel prize for his work. Throughout 2017, The Conversation asked experts in economics, psychology and other areas to address the power of this burgeoning field, as well as its potential for misuse. Here are some articles for your consideration.

The big questions posed by our digital future sit at the intersection of technology and ethics. This is complex territory that requires input from experts in many different fields, including the social sciences, if we are to navigate it successfully. A new report makes an effort to give a first draft of that necessary input.

The success of academic research in reaching out beyond its own scientific community is a perennial concern, even more so following the rapid adoption of social media and the ability to easily transmit information to potentially millions of people. But is increased social media attention really indicative of “broader impact”? A new study suggests social media does not broaden scientific communication, but rather replicates and perpetuates pre-established disciplinary boundaries.