2024 has been a year of change, elections and political upheaval throughout the world. The UK General Election is just one of many prompts for analysis about the collective challenges we face and how best to address them. In these key moments, social scientists play an important role as part of wider multidisciplinary efforts to identify effective, equitable and affordable policy solutions.

This report provides a social science lens on eight contemporary UK policy challenges, to equip political parties and broader civil society with an understanding of the breadth of evidence that the social sciences can bring. Our contributors comprised a blend of academics and practitioners, including people who have served as ministers and as senior officials within government, resulting in a range of perspectives on policy challenges from different and sometimes competing standpoints.

Whilst this report does not make specific policy recommendations, we have documented five overarching areas of consensus, from the expert contributions, for improving the intersections of evidence, practice and policy – which we encourage the UK Government to consider.

The social sciences play an essential role in harnessing the many opportunities and mitigating the numerous and varied challenges we face in our contemporary human world. This report explores this by outlining eight principles about the UK’s social science sector: 

Each principle is set out in detail, along with supporting evidence and case studies, serving as a user-friendly reference for policymakers, academics and practitioners. 

Since the financial crisis of 2007-2009, the UK’s economic growth has been slow, with the nation languishing in the lower half of the OECD productivity rankings. The UK has higher levels of inequality in wealth, income and opportunity compared with its OECD peers. These challenges are linked but tackling them is no straightforward task.

This book showcases research, evidence and perspectives from the social sciences on how the UK might address its challenges around growth and productivity - and how this might be balanced against other competing policy priorities. What sort of growth might we want in the UK? Where should it be prioritised, how, and for whom? Are there ways the UK can achieve growth that is fair, inclusive, carefully targeted, and environmentally sustainable? This report foregrounds evidence-based ideas that explore these questions and highlights the role of the social sciences in supporting ‘good growth’ in the UK.

The Business of People looks at the backdrop to the UK elections taking place in May 2015 to argue that we need to invest in science and innovation – not just for the sake of ‘UK plc’ and prospects for growth and economic recovery, but to inform debate and policymaking on migration, housing, devolution of power within the UK, and the UK’s position in Europe.

The report sets out the need for new economic and social knowledge and illustrates the many ways in which social scientists are contributing to changing practice and deepening knowledge. It outlines the size and structure of UK social science, its contribution to GDP, how social science graduates are essential to the work of firms, government and the third sector.

The report ends with a set of recommendations for the next few years – urgent reading for the next government – on research funding, social science capacity and the use of expert advice by government.

The Business of People looks at the backdrop to the UK elections taking place in May 2015 to argue that we need to invest in science and innovation – not just for the sake of ‘UK plc’ and prospects for growth and economic recovery, but to inform debate and policymaking on migration, housing, devolution of power within the UK, and the UK’s position in Europe.

The report sets out the need for new economic and social knowledge and illustrates the many ways in which social scientists are contributing to changing practice and deepening knowledge. It outlines the size and structure of UK social science, its contribution to GDP, how social science graduates are essential to the work of firms, government and the third sector.

The report ends with a set of recommendations for the next few years – urgent reading for the next government – on research funding, social science capacity and the use of expert advice by government.

There is a critical yet under-explored role for the social sciences within the UK’s research, development and innovation system.  This report argues that the social sciences can elevate this country’s research output to a world-leading level.  There is, however, a danger of the social sciences being seen as an add-on or afterthought to STEM research whereby social scientists’ contributions are limited to identifying or ameliorating potentially negative ethical, legal or societal implications of scientific or technological advances. Our argument in this report is that social scientists have an essential role to play across the entire recipe - catalysing the development of new flavours - rather than simply being a garnish to a dish created by STEM.

Ideas from social science need to be incorporated into STEM research right from the beginning, thereby enriching our perspectives and understanding of global challenges.  Case studies include how social science can help us to develop effective climate change policies, combat AIDS rates amongst young people in South Africa, and assess the impact of AI technology on human rights.  The report provides a systematic overview of the ways in which social science can benefit STEM research:

1.       Social sciences enable whole systems thinking.

2.       Social sciences are critical for good policy development.

3.       Social sciences underpin smart & responsible innovation.

4.       Social sciences are essential to international collaboration and tackling shared global challenges.

2024 has been a year of change, elections and political upheaval throughout the world. The UK General Election is just one of many prompts for analysis about the collective challenges we face and how best to address them. In these key moments, social scientists play an important role as part of wider multidisciplinary efforts to identify effective, equitable and affordable policy solutions.

This report provides a social science lens on eight contemporary UK policy challenges, to equip political parties and broader civil society with an understanding of the breadth of evidence that the social sciences can bring. Our contributors comprised a blend of academics and practitioners, including people who have served as ministers and as senior officials within government, resulting in a range of perspectives on policy challenges from different and sometimes competing standpoints.

Whilst this report does not make specific policy recommendations, we have documented five overarching areas of consensus, from the expert contributions, for improving the intersections of evidence, practice and policy – which we encourage the UK Government to consider.

The social sciences play an essential role in harnessing the many opportunities and mitigating the numerous and varied challenges we face in our contemporary human world. This report explores this by outlining eight principles about the UK’s social science sector: 

Each principle is set out in detail, along with supporting evidence and case studies, serving as a user-friendly reference for policymakers, academics and practitioners. 

Since the financial crisis of 2007-2009, the UK’s economic growth has been slow, with the nation languishing in the lower half of the OECD productivity rankings. The UK has higher levels of inequality in wealth, income and opportunity compared with its OECD peers. These challenges are linked but tackling them is no straightforward task.

This book showcases research, evidence and perspectives from the social sciences on how the UK might address its challenges around growth and productivity - and how this might be balanced against other competing policy priorities. What sort of growth might we want in the UK? Where should it be prioritised, how, and for whom? Are there ways the UK can achieve growth that is fair, inclusive, carefully targeted, and environmentally sustainable? This report foregrounds evidence-based ideas that explore these questions and highlights the role of the social sciences in supporting ‘good growth’ in the UK.

The Business of People looks at the backdrop to the UK elections taking place in May 2015 to argue that we need to invest in science and innovation – not just for the sake of ‘UK plc’ and prospects for growth and economic recovery, but to inform debate and policymaking on migration, housing, devolution of power within the UK, and the UK’s position in Europe.

The report sets out the need for new economic and social knowledge and illustrates the many ways in which social scientists are contributing to changing practice and deepening knowledge. It outlines the size and structure of UK social science, its contribution to GDP, how social science graduates are essential to the work of firms, government and the third sector.

The report ends with a set of recommendations for the next few years – urgent reading for the next government – on research funding, social science capacity and the use of expert advice by government.

The Business of People looks at the backdrop to the UK elections taking place in May 2015 to argue that we need to invest in science and innovation – not just for the sake of ‘UK plc’ and prospects for growth and economic recovery, but to inform debate and policymaking on migration, housing, devolution of power within the UK, and the UK’s position in Europe.

The report sets out the need for new economic and social knowledge and illustrates the many ways in which social scientists are contributing to changing practice and deepening knowledge. It outlines the size and structure of UK social science, its contribution to GDP, how social science graduates are essential to the work of firms, government and the third sector.

The report ends with a set of recommendations for the next few years – urgent reading for the next government – on research funding, social science capacity and the use of expert advice by government.

There is a critical yet under-explored role for the social sciences within the UK’s research, development and innovation system.  This report argues that the social sciences can elevate this country’s research output to a world-leading level.  There is, however, a danger of the social sciences being seen as an add-on or afterthought to STEM research whereby social scientists’ contributions are limited to identifying or ameliorating potentially negative ethical, legal or societal implications of scientific or technological advances. Our argument in this report is that social scientists have an essential role to play across the entire recipe - catalysing the development of new flavours - rather than simply being a garnish to a dish created by STEM.

Ideas from social science need to be incorporated into STEM research right from the beginning, thereby enriching our perspectives and understanding of global challenges.  Case studies include how social science can help us to develop effective climate change policies, combat AIDS rates amongst young people in South Africa, and assess the impact of AI technology on human rights.  The report provides a systematic overview of the ways in which social science can benefit STEM research:

1.       Social sciences enable whole systems thinking.

2.       Social sciences are critical for good policy development.

3.       Social sciences underpin smart & responsible innovation.

4.       Social sciences are essential to international collaboration and tackling shared global challenges.