[EQ] The impact of the social sciences on public policy and the impact of evidence-based policy on the social sciences

The impact of the social sciences on public policy
and the impact of evidence-based policy on the social sciences

 

Sarah Morton, Sandra Nutley and Tobias Jung

University of Edinburgh, July 2008

 

Available online PDF [44p.] at: http://www.crfr.ac.uk/norface/Report%20on%20seminar%202.pdf

 

The impact of evidence-based policy on the social sciences and vice-versa. The objectives were to explore:

• What we know about the impact of the social sciences on policy;

• How research impact is conceptualised and assessed;

• The impact of the evidence-based policy agenda on the social sciences.

 

“…..The past decade has seen growing interest in trying to understand the spread, use and influence of research in non-academic settings. This includes crossnational interest in the potential for research to improve policy making and contribute towards better social outcomes. …”

 

“…..There are concerns about the narrowness of many existing assessments of the influence of social research, such as bibliometrics and citation counts, one-off case studies and simple surveys of potential research users. This gives rise to a need for more sophisticated studies of research use and impact, studies that take into account how research-based knowledge flows and interacts in complex social systems. This means that research impact assessment needs to be shaped by a conceptual framework that captures the complexity of the research use process (see Roland Bal’s presentation)….”

 

Content:

Introduction

What has been the impact of social scences on policy?

What is research use and impact?

Assessing research impact

The impact of the evidence-based policy agenda on social sciences

International comparisons

Conclusions and next steps

Appendix 1: Programme for seminar two

Appendix 2: Participants

Appendix 3: Presentations

Appendix 4: Country presentations

 

Report Seminar 1:

Types of Knowledge for Evidence-Based Policy

Edinburgh, November 2007

PDF [35p.] at: http://www.crfr.ac.uk/norface/reports%20seminar%201/altered%20report%20seminar%201.pdf

 

Evidence and Policy

The University of Edinburgh (Scotland) is organising a seminar series on Evidence and Policy with the University of Iceland, National University of Ireland, University of Oslo and Erasmus University (Rotterdam). The seminars aim to advance international and comparative understanding of the use of different forms of knowledge and evidence in the policy process through a process of sharing of ideas and discussion across these jurisdictions. Three seminars and a final workshop will take place: • Seminar 3: Improving the use of evidence in the policy process   13th October 2008 Oslo   This seminar will seek to document the strategies and interventions employed in a range of countries to improve the use of evidence in the policy process and consider any evidence on the effectiveness of these strategies. Particular attention will be paid to how intermediaries and policy networks operate within more open and deliberative policy processes. • Final Workshop March 2009 Dublin   A final workshop will be held to allow participants to meet to reflect on the learning so far, finalise dissemination plans, consider the future of the network, and make plans for future joint work as a network or in smaller collaborative groups.

 

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