# social science

> academic disciplines concerned with society and the relationships between individuals in society

**Wikidata**: [Q34749](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34749)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_science)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/social-science

## Summary
Social science is a branch of science and an academic discipline concerned with society and the relationships between individuals within it. It encompasses a wide range of fields that study human behavior, social structures, and cultural interactions, serving as a major category of scientific study alongside natural and formal sciences.

## Key Facts
- Classified as a branch of science, an academic discipline, and a specific field of study.
- Major sub-disciplines include economics, political science, anthropology, sociology, psychology, geography, and demography.
- Intersects with the humanities to form the combined area of scholarly activity known as "social sciences and humanities."
- Serves as the foundational academic basis for "social studies," a cross-disciplinary subject taught in schools.
- Utilizes specific analytical methodologies such as coding (categorizing data for analysis) and social network analysis.
- Encompasses specialized fields like criminology (inception 1900), gerontology, and computational social science.
- Related to key theoretical debates and concepts including structure and agency, situationism, and modernity.
- Connected to prominent research institutions such as the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (founded 1997) and the Hoover Institution (founded 1919).
- Recognized through international awards including the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize (established 1996) and the Avicenna Prize (established 2004).

## FAQs
**What specific disciplines are included in social science?**
Social science comprises core fields such as economics, political science, anthropology, sociology, and psychology. It also includes geography, demography, social statistics, business studies, legal science, and social psychology.

**How does social science intersect with other academic fields?**
It is intrinsically linked to the humanities through the "social sciences and humanities" scholarly area and serves as a parent or related field for regional science, communication studies, public health, international studies, and religious studies. Additionally, it informs applied areas like civics, economic planning, and jurisprudence.

**What are some notable research institutions associated with social science?**
Notable institutions include the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (established 1997 with 452 employees), the Hoover Institution (a public policy think tank founded in 1919), and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (founded 1954). Other significant bodies include the Institut Jean Nicod (founded 2002) and the Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales (founded 1967).

**Who are some prominent figures in social science?**
Prominent individuals include Charles Tilly (American sociologist), Silvia Federici (Italian American scholar and feminist activist), and Margaret Gilbert (British philosopher). The field also counts Malcolm Gladwell (Canadian journalist and science writer), Sherry Turkle (American social scientist), and Paul Werbos (American social scientist and computer scientist) among its notable contributors.

**What awards are specific to this field?**
Specific awards include the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize, the International Simón Bolívar Prize, and the UNESCO/Juan Bosch Prize for the Promotion of Social Science Research in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Avicenna Prize, established in 2004, is another significant biennial international prize in ethics and science associated with the field.

## Why It Matters
Social science is essential for systematically understanding the complex dynamics of human societies, relationships, and institutions. By providing frameworks to analyze social structures, economic systems, political behaviors, and cultural norms, it enables policymakers, educators, and leaders to address societal challenges effectively. Its influence extends into diverse areas, from preventing disease through public health strategies to informing legal theories and economic planning, making it indispensable for the development and governance of modern civilizations.

## Notable For
- Encompassing a vast spectrum of sub-disciplines ranging from the hard statistical analysis of demography to the qualitative study of anthropology.
- Serving as the academic foundation for "social studies," ensuring the subject is taught comprehensively in schools.
- Integrating with modern technology through computational social science and analytical processes like coding.
- Addressing specialized and contemporary issues through niche fields such as queer studies, development studies, and psychohistory.
- Producing influential works like the *Course in General Linguistics* (published 1916) and supporting media such as *Scientific American* (established 1845).

## Body

### Core Disciplines and Sub-fields
Social science functions as an umbrella term for numerous academic disciplines that focus on society and human relationships. Primary sub-disciplines include **economics**, which studies the production and consumption of goods and services; **political science**, the scientific study of politics; and **anthropology**, the study of humans and societies. **Sociology** focuses on human society and development, while **psychology** examines mental functions and behaviors. The field also incorporates **geography** (the study of terrestrial surfaces and societies), **demography** (population statistics), **social statistics**, **business studies**, **legal science**, and **social psychology**.

### Interdisciplinary Connections and Applications
The reach of social science extends into specialized and interdisciplinary areas. It is a core component of **social sciences and humanities**, **regional science**, and **communication studies**. The field informs **public health**, **international studies**, **political studies**, and **religious studies**. Practical applications are found in **civics**, **economic planning**, and **jurisprudence**. Methodologically, it utilizes frameworks such as **force-field analysis**, **social network analysis**, and **action research**. Specialized branches include **criminology** (study of crime, inception 1900), **ethnography**, **psychohistory**, **queer studies**, **development studies**, **computational social science**, **gerontology**, and **media studies**. It also encompasses theoretical concepts like **functionalism**, **culturology**, and **sociography**.

### Key Concepts and Methodologies
Within the study of social science, several key concepts and analytical processes are central. **Coding** is defined as an analytical process where data is categorized to facilitate analysis. Theoretical debates such as **structure and agency** are fundamental to the field. **Situationism** is another recognized concept, while **modernity** is studied as both a historical period and a set of socio-cultural norms. The field is also associated with significant scholarly works, such as the *Course in General Linguistics*, compiled from notes by Ferdinand de Saussure between 1906 and 1911.

### Notable Individuals
A vast array of scholars and practitioners contribute to the field of social science.
*   **Sociologists and Anthropologists:** Charles Tilly (American), Erik Allardt (Finnish), Salvatore Babones (American), Héctor Béjar (Peruvian), Wendy Larner (New Zealand geographer), and Yehouda Shenhav (Israeli).
*   **Economists and Political Scientists:** Hu Angang (Chinese economist), Anton Menger (Austrian jurist and social theorist), Peer Steinbrück (German politician), Félix Ovejero (Spanish economist), and Azmi Bishara (Palestinian intellectual).
*   **Historians:** Gholam Reza Afkhami (Iranian), John D'Emilio (American), Vitorino Magalhaes Godinho (Portuguese), Kenneth T. Jackson (American), and Charles Terlinden (Belgian).
*   **Psychologists and Scientists:** Sherry Turkle (American social scientist and psychologist), Steven Rose (British biologist), Paul Werbos (American social scientist and computer scientist), and Kate Crawford (Australian researcher).
*   **Writers and Journalists:** Malcolm Gladwell (Canadian), Katrine Kielos-Marçal (Swedish), and Michel Orcel (French poet and musicologist).
*   **Activists and Philosophers:** Silvia Federici (Italian American feminist activist), Margaret Gilbert (British philosopher), John W. de Gruchy (Anti-apartheid leader), and Naomi Feil (German-American gerontologist).
*   **Academic Faculty:** Alon Tal and Hanna Herzog (members of the social science faculty at Tel Aviv University), Lynn McDonald (Canadian politician and academic), and Boris Meissner (Baltic German lawyer and social scientist).

### Institutions and Organizations
Social science is supported by a global network of research institutes and organizations.
*   **Research Institutes:** The **Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology** (founded 1997, 452 employees), the **Hoover Institution** (founded 1919, headquarters at Stanford University), the **Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences** (founded 1954), and the **Institut Jean Nicod** (founded 2002 in France).
*   **Think Tanks and Councils:** The **Institute for US and Canadian Studies** (Russian think tank founded 1967, 55 employees) and the **Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales** (founded 1967).
*   **Universities:** **Mohamed I University** in Morocco (founded 1978).
*   **Media:** **Scientific American**, a popular science magazine established in 1845.

### Awards and Prizes
The field recognizes achievement through various international prizes. The **UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize** was established in 1996, while the **Avicenna Prize** (biennial) began in 2004. Other notable awards include the **International Simón Bolívar Prize**, the **International José Martí Prize**, and the **UNESCO/Juan Bosch Prize for the Promotion of Social Science Research in Latin America and the Caribbean**. The **UNESCO-UNAM / Jaime Torres Bodet Prize** also covers social sciences, humanities, and arts.

## References

1. Directory of Open Access Journals
2. Nuovo soggettario
3. [Source](https://acss.org.uk/what-is-social-science/)
4. [Source](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-science.asp)
5. [Source](http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/Documents/isced-fields-of-education-training-2013.pdf)
6. [Source](https://acss.org.uk/what-is-social-science/v)
7. [Source](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cambridge-law-journal/article/abs/is-law-really-a-social-science-a-view-from-comparative-law/6ACA2AFCAA60E78AAC730F1289399C11)
8. [Source](https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/demography/)
9. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
10. [Nuovo soggettario](https://thes.bncf.firenze.sbn.it/termine.php?id=4834)
11. [Registros de autoridad de "Materia" de la Biblioteca Nacional de España. Spain open data portal](https://www.bne.es/media/datosgob/catalogo-autoridades/materia/materia-UTF8.zip)
12. Integrated Authority File
13. Library of Congress Authorities
14. BBC Things
15. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
16. BabelNet
17. UMLS 2023
18. Quora
19. FactGrid
20. National Library of Israel
21. All Science Journal Classification Codes
22. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)
23. [Source](https://www.dfg.de/dfg_profil/gremien/fachkollegien/faecher/)
24. [About - sciences.social](https://sciences.social/about)