European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH): Better research requires the social sciences and humanities

12 Jan 2017 | Policy paper

EASSH argue for a pivot towards a more open, interdisciplinary and extended research agenda in the design of the next Framework Programme.


The group of European associations, networks and institutions researching social science and humanities calls for social sciences and the humanities to be put on a level playing field with technological research within FP9. They argue for a more open, interdisciplinary and extended research agenda, better incorporating SSH disciplines in the design of FP9. They call for an enhanced use of SSH to better understand, and develop strategies to tackle, the multiple challenges facing Europe.

Stating that Europe is world-leading in SSH, with nearly half of the top 100 universities researching humanities being based in Europe, they suggest FP9 learn lessons from H2020 and seek to leverage this strength.

From the text:

“The Anthropocene is a time where business-as-usual…could see the extinction of our species…[this calls] for proactive public policies based on cutting-edge scientific insights as well as on solid participatory design… Funding calls for innovation and creativity must move beyond the predominantly technological framing of today, and fully integrate socio-technological solutions within the complex nature of the social and cultural organization of human life.”

 

Read the full report here

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