SSH-FUTURES studies the opportunities for complementary development and closer coupling of the social sciences and humanities in Europe, their mutual interactions with social demands, and the potential value of including such an approach within research policies in Europe. In order to get a better understanding of the potential of these fields of enquiry, the project starts by looking at the ways in which the social sciences and the humanities can and do have impact on economies, societies and their political institutions, ways which we expect to differ clearly from those of the natural and technical sciences. The project examines the institutions of social science and humanities knowledge production, what methods are applied to produce knowledge and to disseminate this knowledge and what expectations there are from both the side of the ‘producers’ and from that of the (potential) ‘users’ at the national, European and international levels. SSH-FUTURES comprises a retrospective and a prospective part and in-depth explorations of specific programmes and policies both from the demand and supply sides. SSH-FUTURES is being implemented by a consortium which comprises international umbrella organisations of professional social sciences associations (national and sectoral ones), research institutes and universities in the ‘old’ and ‘new’ member states and the associated countries. Besides research comprising surveys and expert interviews, SSH-FUTURES organises a series of expert panel consultation meetings and workshops. |
The International Social Science Council (ISSC), France
