| social sciences and uinversities 2011 |
Dec. 11th, 2010|07:25 pm |
Dear colleagues,
> >
> >I think the situation is growing worse and worse
> >for the social sciences and the humanities.
> >Se below (and attachment) about the forthcoming 8th Framework
> Programme
> >
> >Included is also a Dutch-language address of the
> >former dean of the social sciences Klandermans
> >(VU) which gives you all the numbers that in
> >fact prove the success of the social science.
> >The numbers are maddening as they underscore the
> >inequality in terms of financial support that
> >the social sciences and the humanities receive
> >compared to the life and exact sciences.
> >
> >---
> >
> >We would like to draw your attention to some
> >alarming developments in the preparations for
> >the 8th Framework Programme. These include:
> >
> >
> >1. The downgrading of socio-economic and
> >humanities research in DG Research from a
> >department to one single office (taking effect January 1, 2011).
> >
> >2. The plan to abolish broader, long-term
> >integrated projects and the like in social
> >sciences and humanities in the 8th Framework
> >Programme. Instead, a focus on "grand
> >challenges" with topics that are more applied
> >than basic research and are supposed to foster
> >European competitiveness on global markets
> >(social science as an ‘auxiliary’ discipline to
> >be mainstreamed into the other sciences) .
> >
> >3. The downsizing of funding for
> >socio-economic and humanities research projects in the 8th Framework
> Programme.
> >
> >There is nothing we can do against the
> >structural decision of DG Research to down-grade
> >social science and humanities. There is still
> >time to mobilize against its thematic and
> >financial downsizing. Given the decentralized
> >structure of social sciences, concerted action
> >is difficult to organize. However, we suggest
> >that you use the connections and networks you
> >have to disseminate the following demands, both
> >to EU and national policy-makers:
> >
> >1. No downsizing of socio-economic and humanities research;
> >2. continuation of integrated projects and
> >networks on both smaller scale (1-3 Mio Euro)
> >and larger scale (5-12 Mio Euro);
> >3. strengthening of social sciences in the Marie Curie
> Programme;
> >4. if grand challenges, they should focus
> >on "social and cultural cohesion" of Europe instead only on
> innovation;
> >5. less focus on partnering with industry,
> >rather focusing on public sector and civil society.
> >
> >Please find attached a ‘non-paper’ on why it is
> >important to strengthen social science research beyond 2014.
> >
> >Feel free to forward this email to other colleagues.
> >
> >Thomas Risse, Carina Sprungk and Tanja A. Börzel |
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