What is the Campaign for Social Science?

The Campaign for Social Science was launched at the House of Lords on 20th of January 2011. The Campaign will raise the profile of social science in the public, media and Parliament. This is against the context of changes to funding teaching and research. The Campaign will build substantially on the Academy’s activities in Making the Case for Social Sciences over the past 12 months.

The Campaign will:

• Lobby MP's
• Create a popular vision of what social science can do
• Clearly identify for public(s) what social science is and what might happen without it
• Encourage social scientists to publicise their work more widely
• Place social science stories in the media, on internet, radio and television
• Find, encourage and support social scientists who are talented popular communicators
• Engage with the blogosphere to stimulate discussion and suggestions for further activity
• Make clear the benefits of a social science education

A successful Campaign will see social science as publicly valued and appreciated, as well as better understood both within policy making circles and the public at large. In short, social science will be widely understood as a necessary core ingredient of a successful economy and society.

A successful Campaign means:

• All social scientists are more active in promoting their science
• There is clear understanding of what the social sciences are, both in public and in Parliament
• Social science stories appear regularly in the national media
• A greater number of social scientists are familiar public figures
• Social scientists interact more frequently with those outside of their profession through social networking channels
• It is harder for policy makes to sideline the social sciences without public outcry

To deliver this Campaign successfully the Academy's existing resources need to be strengthened, so an associated development Appeal will seek to raise £250,000 from the social science community. This will be to fund research and public engagement units over five years. Donations have already been gratefully received from members of the CfSS Board, the Academy Council, several member learned societies and key social science publishers. All social scientists will be invited to contribute to the Appeal.


How is the Campaign being run?

The Campaign Board is chaired by Professor Tony Crook AcSS, former PVC at the University of Sheffield and Chair of Shelter UK. The other members are: Professor Michael Harloe AcSS (former V-C of the University of Salford), Ceridwen Roberts AcSS (Oxford University) and Robert Upton AcSS (Infrastructure Planning Commission), who are all members of the Academy’s Council, together with Professor Paul Wiles (former Government Chief Social Scientist), Ms Kate Barker (former member of the Monetary Policy Committee), Professor Ivor Gaber AcSS (Professor of Political Journalism, City University), Judith Mudd, Chief Executive of the British Sociological Association, Helena Djurkovic, CEO of the Political Studies Association, and Stephen Anderson, Executive Director of the Academy of Social Sciences. Stephen Anderson oversees the delivery of Campaign activities.


How will the Campaign work?

From our uniquely representative and extensive membership - the Academy reaches over 85,000 social scientists - we will seek to discover how funding cuts are really affecting social science and what knock-on effects this is having on society. We will also build on the Making the Case for the Social Sciences series of booklets and amass more evidence of social science success. Then we will communicate to government and public(s) the vital role that social science plays in the well being of society. Money raised by the Appeal will pay for a dedicated researcher and a dedicated Public Engagement Officer. Anne Nicholls has been appointed to the role of press officer and is in (part time) action immediately. She can be contacted at a.nicholls@acss.org.uk .


How will the Campaign be rolled out?

Campaign events have been divided into two types:

Launch Event
The launch event on 20th January was aimed specifically at politicians, civil servants, opinion formers and influencers. This was an initial opportunity to engage key influencers and decision makers in dialogue about the social sciences.

Regional Roadshows
Academicians and other social scientists are being invited to Regional Roadshows which will bring the Campaign to the social science community. These events provide an opportunity to discuss the Campaign's aims and strategies and the various ways in which all social scientists can help. These are normally lunchtime events, hosted by local universities wanting to show their support for the Campaign. They include formal presentations on the Campaign and its progress plus ample opportunity for Questions and Answers and lively discussion. Key members of the Academy and Campaign and Appeal Boards are present at each Roadshow.

Find out more about the Regional Roadshows.