10 reasons why we need social science

[Sirazam Manira]

1 Social scientists help us imagine alternative futures: Social science can open up debate and give us a say in shaping our collective future. The social sciences developed as a field of study during the nineteenth century.
2 Social science can help us make sense of our finances: Social science is not just important for the future but for what's happening now. We all resent paying to withdraw our money from cash machines. Charges can amount to £120 per year. Social scientists working on behalf of the Runnymede Trust found that this doesn't just this depend on where we live, but that black and minority ethnic people are more likely to live in areas where they're forced to pay.
3 Social scientists contribute to our health and well‐being: From sports sociologists to public health experts, from those interpreting medical statistics to those evaluating policies for our care in old age, social scientists are working hard to make sure that our health, leisure and social care services work to best effect.
4 Social science might save your life: Psychologists at the University of Liverpool spent time in a steel factory to work out what needs doing to create a safer environment. Accidents at work happen even in the best regulated companies that provide staff training and take all necessary precautions.
5 Social science can make your neighbourhood safer: One common myth is that if you take measures to reduce crime in one neighbourhood the criminals simply move on, leading to increased crime in another area. Sociologists at Nottingham Trent University worked closely with police to reduce crime through a method involving scanning for crime patterns.
6 We need social scientists as public intellectuals: British society is sometimes said to be anti‐intellectual. Yet in our fast changing world, there is a place for the social scientist as public intellectual. This doesn't have to be a succession of boring grey talking heads, such as you can find on French TV any night.
7 Social science can improve our children's lives and education:All societies and all governments want to show they are dong the best for children. Yet too often education reform seems to take place without regard for the best interests of the learners.
8 Social science can change the world for the better: We can generally agree that world needs to be a safer place where all people can enjoy basic dignity and human rights.
9 Social science can broaden your horizons:For debates about feminism, peace, ecology, social movements, and much more, social science offers each of us new perspectives and new ways of understanding. Whether your idea of relaxation is visiting a museum, watching soaps, or chatting online, social science encourages a fresh look at our everyday activities and culture.
10 We need social science to guarantee our democracy:Social science offers multiple perspectives on society, informs social policy and supports us in holding our politicians and our media to account. The Centre for the Study of Global Media and Democracy at Goldsmith's College, London is monitoring how transformation from traditional to digital media is examining the move away from traditional journalism and politics to where we as citizens try to be community journalists, presenting our own accounts on‐line.