The field of Science, Technology, and Innovation policies is an established area of research - and one that is well covered. However, when it comes to investigating science policies, there are some big absentees: the social sciences. But are they really forgotten in everyday political practice? When political stakeholders talk about ‘islamoleftism’ in France or ‘wokeness’ in the UK, it is palpable that specific disciplines are being targeted, often as part of the wider ensemble of what is defined as ‘social sciences’. Similarly, when academic freedom or university autonomy are publicly called into question, it is often a pretext for talking about certain disciplinary fields by metonymy.
By approaching social science as a policy area, by studying specific aspects (or not) of social science policy, and by trying to see the place given to social scientists in the making of social science policy, students of this seminar will see what is at stake behind the demand made of this disciplinary field to provide turnkey solutions that can be implemented easily and quickly in ‘evidence-based policies’ (Parsons 2002). Based on theoretical readings and practical case studies (the British Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, the recent developments around the notion of islamoleftism in France, or the gender studies policies in Europe), this seminar aims to restore social science policy to the status of a research object.
Parsons, W. (2002). From muddling through to muddling up-evidence based policy making and the modernisation of British Government. Public policy and administration, 17 (3), 43-60. https://doi.org/10.1177/095207670201700304
Die Veranstaltung wurde 4 mal im Vorlesungsverzeichnis WiSe 2024/25 gefunden: