Social science
Social science is the systematic study of human society, social relationships, and institutions using empirical and theoretical methods.
Sociology: The study of social relationships, institutions, and patterns of collective life. It examines how social structures shape groups, identities, and everyday interaction.
Social research: Systematic inquiry into social phenomena using qualitative or quantitative evidence. It is the practical process through which social-scientific questions are investigated.
Age of Enlightenment: An intellectual movement emphasizing reason, criticism, and systematic inquiry, especially in eighteenth-century Europe. Its confidence in rational inquiry helped inspire the study of society as an explainable order.
Natural science: The systematic study of the natural world through observation, experimentation, and theory. It studies physical and biological phenomena, while social science focuses on human social life.
Public policy: The decisions and actions governments use to address public problems. Research on social conditions can guide policy design and evaluation.
Economics: The study of how people and institutions produce, distribute, and consume goods and services. It analyzes choices and institutions involved in allocating scarce resources.
Survey research: A research method that gathers standardized responses from a sample of people. Surveys estimate attitudes and behaviors across populations when samples are well designed.
Industrial Revolution: The transition to mechanized production that transformed economies and social life from the eighteenth century onward. Its upheavals raised questions about class, cities, labor, and social change.
Humanities: Fields that interpret human culture, history, language, and artistic expression. Humanities often prioritize interpretation and meaning where social sciences also seek empirical patterns.
Evidence-based policy: An approach to policymaking that uses research evidence alongside practical and political considerations. It applies empirical findings to decisions about programs and institutions.