“Research in the humanities, arts and social sciences is often driven by philosophies of social justice and public benefit, which don’t always sit comfortably with commercialisation. It thrives on an impressive degree of unpaid knowledge transfer and engagement that’s uncosted … Continue reading Driven by Social Justice
The Social Science Quote for the Week comes from Gabor Maté, a physician who specialises in mind-body wellbeing. His writing promotes principles founded in the social sciences, which he uses to address mental illness, addiction and disease. He also works in the area of … Continue reading Take Responsibility for the Mind
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.” ― Marshall McLuhan. McLuhan made an important contribution to the study of media. He wrote a book called The Medium is the Message which is … Continue reading A Dangerous Luxury
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Nelson Mandela inspiring us from high above a building in inner West Sydney. Continue reading Impossible
“The overcoming of urban conflicts has often been the source for an expanded civic sense.” – Dr Saskia Sassen, sociologist Continue reading Sociology of Cities in Conflict
In his book, The Public Value of the Social Sciences, sociology Professor John Brewer shows how the social sciences are “about educating global citizens for the 21st century.” He illustrates how social theory “simultaneously promotes moral sentiments and a sympathetic … Continue reading Social Science Teaching and Learning
“Der Rufer” (The Caller) was dedicated to torture victims and survivors. Originally created in 1967 by sculptor Gerhard Marcks, another version was recommissioned in 1989 in Berlin before the Wall came down. It was inscribed at the base with a … Continue reading I Wander Through the World and Cry “Peace, Peace, Peace”
Today’s quote comes from artist Ai Weiwei, who penned an essay for the New York Times on the impact of censorship on civil society in China. “The harm of a censorship system is not just that it impoverishes intellectual life; … Continue reading The Harm of Censorship
James Coleman’s classic sociology study on the structural inequalities of the American education system has an ongoing influence in academia and in public discussions.
“One implication stands out above all: That schools bring little influence to bear on a child’s achievement that is independent of his background and general social context; and that this very lack of an independent effect means that the inequalities imposed on children by their home, neighbourhood, and peer environment are carried along to become the inequalities with which they confront adult life at the end of school.”
William Rawlins, the Stocker Professor of Interpersonal Communication at Ohio University, speaks about his research on interpersonal communication and friendship across the life course:
Social Science Insights 