Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected])

ANN ARBOR — Why study the social sciences? 

Researchers at the Institute for Social Research (ISR) and elsewhere often face versions of this question when the social sciences are compared to some of the “hard” sciences. The answer can come in many forms, as the Consortium of Social Science Associations attempts to demonstrate through its ongoing “Why Social Science?” blog series.

Recently, Narayan Sastry, Ph.D., of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) at ISR recently had his chance to answer the question, and focused his answer on some of the youngest beneficiaries of his work: children.

“For empirical researchers in the social and behavioral sciences who focus on children, adolescents, and young adults, high-quality survey data are an essential ingredient for studying important scientific and policy research questions,” he wrote. “Such data are a public good and foundational infrastructure for the social and behavioral sciences. They are the equivalent of the Hubble Telescope for researchers across all career stages—but especially for new and early-stage investigators. Survey data are typically offered to the research community as a free and shared resource that can answer an untold number of questions. Recent budget cutbacks, however, threaten the future of these essential data.”

Read Sastry’s full answer here, exploring why his work in the social sciences is a long-term social good through its service to the youngest among us.