Using (Social) Science as Evidence in Public Policy: 1820 to 2020

Transcription

1 Using (Social) Science as Evidence in Public Policy: 1820 to 2020 Kenneth Prewitt Columbia University DBASSE Roundtable on Application of SBS January 8, 2015

2 Pre-History: Two Tracks Count social problems and Advocate for change Race science

3 Application in the Pre-History Decades Count & Advocate -- meager science/little application Race Science bad science but substantial application had theory & measurement. engaged big issue mattered across the 19 th and into the 20 th century

4 Getting Started, Two Tasks

5 Separate Science and Advocacy American Social Science Association, Brief Life Academics left to establish the American Economic Association, etc. Advocates left to establish the National Conference on Charities and Corrections, etc.

6 De-Throne Race Science Biological essentialism forced to make way for social variables both sides of equation: independent & dependent F. Boas, Columbia and W.I. Thomas, U. Chicago

7 These Two Tasks Created Space for an Influential Social Science Grade SBS A+ Grade SBS C - for building a better science for building a better society

8 Application, More Failure than Success SBS in war effort, except for mental testing, did not amount to much Some success on the 1924 immigration regime first quota-based social policy Ambitious Presidential initiative -- Recent Social Trends. (Ogburn Report) ignored

9 Policy Failure = Scientific Plus Sorokin in a savage review: Ogburn obsessed with quantification, deploying measurement as a substitute for thinking. Weakened positivism; opened space for an active & reflective social science.

10 1930 s, 40 s, 50 s: Application Begins to Get Traction 1930s Population Sampling; National Accounts; Social Security WWII Regional Studies Espionage Civilian Morale American Soldier Cold War hearts & minds; Title VI Grade SBS B+ for building a better society

11 Golden Decades for Application Great Society, Civil Rights, Vietnam War Think tanks, policy schools; big social science the Coleman Report, social experiment, longitudinal studies; contract research (Rand, NORC, Westat) Funds, philanthropic and federal, NSF included. Application taken for granted

12 1980s Added Strength Reagan critique notwithstanding, SBS emerged stronger financially & politically Firmly planted in NSF; strengthened links with Federal Statistical System; COSSA; NRC-CBASS Neoconservatives -- unintended consequences, a key contribution. Unmake as well as make policy.

13 Funding from a wider base -health, defense, etc. Better methods, deeper theory Institutional density Links to natural sciences. One-Science Evidence-based-policy Human Dimensions of...nearly everything

14 Lesson From History For two centuries, SBS has been two inseparable projects. Build a better science Build a better society Neither understood absent attention to the other

15 Where We Stand Now Strong platform scientifically & institutionally But thinking about application stuck in the 1960 s give us funds and leave us alone later we ll tell you what works & what to do The 60 s aren t coming back.

16 Looking Ahead Need fresh thinking why the two projects are inseparable what scientific autonomy should mean what application can mean

17 For Example,* Talk less about two communities and more about coproduction, about making sense together? about making science useful under conditions of ignorance, uncertainty, multiple partial truths about framing scientific answers in the format of political decisions *Borrowed in part from D. Innerarity, The Democracy of Knowledge