Future of Social Sciences
The ‘Warwick Commission on the Future of Social Sciences’ will lead a sector-wide conversation on the future direction of the social sciences. The Commission brings together key stakeholders over an extended period to consider the purpose of social science, take stock of how social science is done, and map out a future-proofing agenda. It serves as an opportunity to ask difficult questions about social scientific methods, theories, concepts, and interrogatives, considering whether they are fit-for-purpose to understand and solve the major societal challenges of the twenty-first century. Our vision is to stimulate a discipline-defining debate about the future direction of social science research and education.
The Commission is undertaken in partnership with both the Academy of Social Sciences and the ESRC and centres around three broad themes. More information about Commission activities will appear here as it progresses.
Register for Workshop
We will host a workshop on 6-7 July 2026 on campus to discuss and debate issues related to the three themes. Register to attend below:
The purpose of the social sciences in the twenty-first century
There is a growing tension about whether the discipline should pursue curiosity-driven scholarship or whether it should prioritise direct policy or mission-led work, addressing societal challenges such as sustainability. Another growing tension relates to whether the social sciences can (or indeed should) be value-neutral or whether more work should be openly pursuing social justice causes. We would also consider how social sciences should connect with society and regain the trust in the voice of experts.
Social science methods and technical disruption
The rise of large datasets (digital traces, surveys) and computational methods (AI, machine learning) will have significant impact on both research and education in social sciences. There are also vital ethical issues to consider, for example the use of social media data and algorithmic analysis raises privacy concerns because securing informed consent is difficult to achieve in digital spaces. For social scientists to maintain trust, they will need to resolve these issues.
The academic enterprise of social sciences
Considering here issues such as academic freedom, interdisciplinarity both within the social sciences and how social sciences can connect with other disciplines, how training and education is best delivered within universities but also in schools and for lifelong learning, who are the social scientists of the future, and how social science should be funded.