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Managing social research:a practical guide

Tarling, Roger (Roger J.) - Nama Orang

The recent Commission on the Social Sciences (2003) found it difficult, if not impossible to define social science other than in the broadest terms. 'In essence, then, we have come to see the social sciences as about "disciplined curiosity about societies in which we all live", leading to the creation and sharing of social knowledge.' The Commission felt the term social science was a misnomer
'given the huge range of interests, ways of operating, research methodologies and value systems extant' and had no alternative but to adopt a working definition based on the academic disciplines. The Economic and Social Research Council recognises sixteen disciplines as falling within its remit: area studies; economic and social history; economics; education; environmental planning; human geography; interdisciplinary studies; linguistics; management and business studies; political studies and international relations; psychology; social anthropology; social policy; socio-legal studies; sociology; and statistics, computing and methodology. This classification could be endlessly debated. Where does criminology fall within this schema, and could certain aspects of health care be seen as social rather than medical? Nevertheless, the list does serve to illustrate the breadth and diversity of social science

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