The Impact of the Social Sciences: How Academics and their Research Make a Difference [Paperback]

The impact agenda is set to shape the way in which social scientists prioritise the work they choose to pursue, the research methods they use and how they publish their findings over the coming decade, but how much is currently known about how social science research has made a mark on society?

Based on a three year research project studying the impact of 360 UK-based academics on business, government and civil society sectors, this groundbreaking new book undertakes the most thorough analysis yet of how academic research in the social sciences achieves public policy impacts, contributes to economic prosperity, and informs public understanding of policy issues as well as economic and social changes. The Impact of the Social Sciences addresses and engages with key issues, including:

• identifying ways to conceptualise and model impact in the social sciences
• developing more sophisticated ways to measure academic and external impacts of social science research
• explaining how impacts from individual academics, research units and universities can be improved.

This book is essential reading for researchers, academics and anyone involved in discussions about how to improve the value and impact of funded research.

This book provides a timely and expansive study on the subject of the impact that academic social science has across a broad societal canvas, including on government and public policy, commerce and business, and the third sector and public engagement.

The Impact of the Social Sciences is a very important book, because it shows the enormous impact the social sciences have made in business, government, and civil society. At a time when governments overly concentrate on science and engineering, l³