Social Science is a branch of science that focuses on societies and the relationships between the people who live in them. Originally, the term social science was applied to the field of sociology, which was considered the original “science of society”. The field of social science is vast and involves many different types of research. To learn more about it, check out the links below.
Applied social science
Applied social science courses allow students to develop their social and cultural skills and pursue a variety of career options. They provide students with insights into human development and behaviour and an orientation to research methodologies. They also allow students to specialize in certain areas. The courses are mostly offered online, though the Counselling Skills specialisation requires students to be on campus. Graduates of these courses are prepared for entry-level positions in many fields.
Applied social science fields include social work, social services, public health, urban planning, and public administration. They evolved from social reform movements and are a key component of management, community organization, and policy analysis. In addition, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning are also considered to be social sciences if they have a human-centered focus.
The College of Applied Social Sciences emphasizes the application of theories and practices from different disciplines, and a focus on real-world issues. It also emphasizes collaboration and community-based research in a variety of settings. The courses are designed to help students engage in real-world problems and develop innovative ways to improve their communities.
Engineering has played a major role in the development of applied social science. Frederick Taylor and Henry Ford were two prominent industrialists who utilized scientific management methods. Thorstein Veblen predicted that engineers would be the next revolutionary class in the United States. He wrote, “There are few chances for a Soviet in America, but there is a high probability of a Soviet of Engineers”.
Post-colonial theory
Post-colonial theory is a framework for studying the history of colonialism. It is a concept that emphasizes the historical and cultural context of colonialism. It has been used to understand the relationship between European nations and their colonies. This theory argues that European-led colonialism resulted in the development of non-European societies.
The first wave of post-colonial thought focused on the humanities. The second wave focused on politics and history. The third wave focused on the social sciences. Go identifies the gaps in contemporary social theory and engages with some of the more common criticisms of the social sciences. For example, the complicity critique claims that the social sciences have shape by imperialism and corruption.
Post-colonial theory has also develop by academics in North America. Among its most notable theorists are Stuart Hall and Paul Gilroy. Originally, postcolonial thought was influence by anticolonialists such as Frantz Fanon, Aime Cesaire, Amilcar Cabral, and W.E.B. Du Bois. The second wave of post-colonial thought was largely develop within the North American academy.
The earliest examples of post-colonial theory can be traced to the first wave of anti-imperial protests that began in the early twentieth century. During this time, the world saw a surge in anti-imperial movements, which illuminated the violence of the Anglo-European empire. Intellectuals such as Frantz Fanon and Edward Said pushed this wave to a second stage.
Post-colonial theory is a new paradigm for thinking about colonialism. It seeks to reconcile postcolonial thought and social theory. By pointing out that postcolonial thought emerged as an opposition to imperialism, postcolonialism strove to challenge the epistemological foundations of social theory.
Qualitative designs
Qualitative social science research is based on a grounded theory and focuses on answering questions by gathering information from the participants themselves. The main objective is to gain understanding of the social world and individuals’ life-ways. Qualitative social science research differs from quantitative research in several ways.
Qualitative research is a method that uses a variety of methods for gathering and analyzing data. These methods can include case studies, interviews, ethnography, fieldwork, archives, and more. They are used to investigate a variety of issues and problems. These research methods once constituted the cornerstone of the social sciences.
Case studies are the most common type of qualitative study. Researchers typically use a “bounded theory” approach when studying case studies. These case studies are often limited in space and time. The case study participants must have something in common with each other and a connection to the research question. Once the data has collect, the researcher will analyze the data to identify the major themes. Case studies can also involve in-depth interviews with the participants.
Qualitative data is difficult to quantify. They seek to reveal themes, patterns, context, and narrative rather than objective data. For example, if a social phenomenon has a causal relationship with another phenomenon, a qualitative study may reveal that the two approaches have opposite effects. A mixed-mode design can be used to combine quantitative and qualitative data.
As a social scientist, you can use qualitative research to understand how people experience the world. The aim is to preserve the rich meaning of the data collected. Common qualitative research approaches include ethnography, action research, and phenomenological research. These methods involve interviews with participants, in-depth interviews, and artifacts.
Historical materialism
Historical materialism is a school of social science that argues that human societies evolve from collective economic activity. Originally, this view was influence by the dialectical method of Hegel. However, Marx reject Hegel’s view that human beings are motivate by abstract ideas. He argue that human intentionality arises from material economic forces.
This school challenges the notion that humans know the world in a meaningful way, and that human beings are able to engage with it. Humans are only partially aware of the material world, and our relationships with it are mediate. While historical materialism has its place, it does not provide a foundation for a radically new view of society.
Historical materialism opposes historical idealism. It has the chief rival of materialist thought in history and sociology. Its opponent is unhistorical materialism, which attributes basic elements of social formations to fixed human nature. The former view is historically inaccurate. It posits that social formations can be change only if they are subject to changes.
Historical materialism focuses on the changes in the productive forces of a society, and how those changes result in social conflict. It also posits that specific forms of social organization reflect the underlying structure of the means of production. Although historical materialism does have some overlap with historicism, it is not the same thing.
In other words, materialism emphasizes materiality and its relationship to human happiness and well-being. The importance of wealth is not merely in its material value, but in the way it is use to assess the quality of a person’s life. The concept of happiness is root in economic activity, and it is also reflect in human psychology.
Methods of study
There are many different methods of social science research, each of which has its own set of characteristics. Each method is design to produce specific results, and each method requires careful selection of participants and data collection. A social scientist must then analyze these data and report the results. This textbook provides a thorough overview of the various methods available in social science.
Statistical methods are widely use in social science research. They allow researchers to determine causal relationships through analysis of data from many sources. For example, behavioral economists can use statistical methods to determine how factors affect behavior. These statistical methods have also help them build up valuable social and behavioral data. One example of this is the large experimental study of alternative health care financing, which relied heavily on statistical principles and randomization. The study’s design was complex, because it had to answer many different questions. It was also necessary to account for non-responses and self-selection bias.
Another type of social science research uses survey methods to gather data. Surveys are use to analyze a variety of social topics, including gambling laws and capital punishment. These surveys are usually very cost-effective and allow researchers to collect large amounts of data quickly. They also allow researchers to compare data from different groups, including those who share similar characteristics.
Qualitative research can also be an important method of social science research. These research methods often involve dialogue and involvement with the actors in a study. By using these methods, researchers can better understand and interpret complex issues. They can also be use to investigate issues that are hard to measure.
