Suchergebnisse

Social sciences have gone too far in their specialization; their highly sophisticated methodological input is bringing diminishing returns in understanding the complexities & development trends of modern societies. More thought should be devoted to an integrated social science approach & to further elaboration of the broad-ranging theories of earlier times. In order not to fall victim to an orientation dilemma, ie, where one knows too much about too little, or too little about too much, a strategy of four-fold balance is delineated: balance in focus, in proportionality, in conceptualization, & in method. Modified AA.

"Provides a unified approach to social research, integrating both agent-based models and behavioral studies. Introduces the reader to all the concepts, tools and references that are required for conducting research in behavioral computational social science"--

At the time when the journal Sustainability [1] was launched, as a chemist and a scientist, I started to believe that social sciences may be more important to make humans sustainable. The broad journal title Social Sciences presents the opportunity for all social science scholars to have integrated consideration regarding the sustainability of humanity, because I am sure that science and technology alone cannot help. Science and technology may have in fact been contributing to accelerate the depletion of nonrenewable natural resources and putting human sustainability at risk since the industrial revolution about 150 years ago. I hope all intellectuals studying anthropology, archaeology, administration, communication, criminology, economics, education, government, linguistics, international relations, politics, sociology and, in some contexts, geography, history, law, and psychology publish with us to seek a solution to sustain humanity. Sustainability itself will also be a main topic of the journal Social Sciences. In addition to this integrated forum for social sciences, more topic specific journals, such as the already publishing Societies [2], will be launched. [.]

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]

xx

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]

Part of a written symposium on Soc Sci & Soc Policy. Some cautionary thoughts are expressed re soc sci's contribution to the future. It may be taken for granted that the need for soc sci will be great & growing. It is utopian, however, to expect that soc sci will be able to solve all problems of society. The soc sci's are unevenly adapted to assuming interventionist roles. There are diff's in the universe of rewards & penalties with which each is suited to deal. Soc sci'ts as a group operate under greater handicaps than do physical sci'ts. Professional discipline is weak, with the result that soc sci'ts are not under a strong compulsion to confirm or refute their own findings as well as those of others. Hence fallacies may stay alive & ideological considerations may help give shape to the views of soc sci'ts in respect even of their own specialties. While quantification is improving soc sci, it is often not adequately integrated with the underlying theoretical structure. It is possible, however, that growth in affluence will increase the importance of the goals espoused by the humanities. It may be recognized that the humanities can be mobilized in defense of the worth of the individual & in support of the importance of the life of the mind, both of which are endangered in an interventionist world. Reports on past interventionism of soc sci'ts are discussed, esp the Moynihan Report. Soc sci has so far not been up to the demands made upon it. Reduction of the immediate impact of the state & the large foundation upon the shape & purpose of the soc sci would conduce to its improvement & make soc sci ready to meet the analytical & policy-oriented challenges that lie ahead. M. Maxfield.