PS9001 Critical Engagements: Social Sciences in a Changing Society Emneplan

This course provides an in-depth exploration of social science’s evolving role within society, alongside the potential influences of societal stakeholders on the social sciences. Closely related to the courses on the philosophy of science and science ethics, this course covers issues of new expectations and requirements of research to interact and engage with society, and how they may reflect more general societal transformations affecting the production and valuation of knowledge.

These expectations and requirements concern issues such as achieving societal impact, bringing onboard various groups of stakeholders, disseminating research findings to a wide range of and increasingly diverse set of audiences, reaching out to groups in vulnerable positions, and of incorporating non-researchers into the processes of planning, doing and publishing social science research. The course explores these trends against a backdrop of science integrity and academic freedom, which, in some European and wider international contexts, face challenges from political and societal pressures.

Theoretically, the course explores the transformation in knowledge production, moving from a traditional, discipline-centred approach to a more dynamic, context-driven and interdisciplinary one. It delves into, the ‘knowledge economy’ as a real and as an imagined phenomenon, and it considers the theoretical underpinnings of ‘evidence-based research’, including the realist approach. This course will allow candidates to critically reflect upon the drivers of recent trends that increasingly obliterate the borders between the field of science and surrounding fields of politics, practice, and the public sphere. Hereby candidates are prepared to utilize the many possibilities offered by these developments in terms of engaging with the wider society, while recognizing the pitfalls. Candidates will work with practical cases of how their own doctoral research can generate societal and practical impact, involve stakeholders and end-users in the science process, and integrate the principles and practices of ‘open science’.

Arbeids- og undervisningsformene omfatter forelesninger, selvstudium, ekskursjoner, hverandrevurderinger, gruppearbeid og ulike fremføringer. Digitale læringsressurser vil bli gjort tilgjengelig for studenter på forhånd, og deler av tiden på universitetet vil bli benyttet til oppgaveløsning og gruppearbeid.

Knowledge

After completing the course the PhD candidate:

• Has advanced knowledge about major trends in social science’s relations to the wider society
• Has extensive knowledge about specific topics that have come to dominate the academic field such as outreach, user-involvement, stakeholders in research and knowledge translation, citizen science, science skepticism and the politization of science
• Has advanced knowledge about theories explaining current trends in the relations between research, universities and society

Skills

After completion of the course, the PhD candidate:

• Can discuss his or her own research in terms of possible societal impact and is able to set up a concrete plan outlining the pathway to impact
• Can discuss his or her project in terms of strategies to involve ordinary citizens in fieldwork or end-users in the design, implementation and dissemination of the research

General competence

After completion of the course, the PhD candidate:

• Will have strengthened critical awareness when it comes to identifying trends in social science research’s engagement with society
• Will have improved understanding of their own role as researchers vis-à-vis diverse groups of stakeholders such as state agencies commissioning research, professional associations, user associations and the general public

Individuell skriftlig eksamen under tilsyn, 4 timer

Ingen hjelpemidler tillatt

Gradert skala A-F

En intern og en ekstern sensor vurderer 20 prosent av besvarelsene. 2 interne sensorer fortsetter deretter sensuren. Vurderingene fra første del oppsummeres og er retningsgivende for de interne sensorenes vurdering.

10 credits overlap with VERN1110/VERD1110/VERNL1110

The final essay is assessed by the course lecturer. The assessment of the essay is based on the learning outcomes for the course.

The course is elective for PhD candidates in the PhD programme in Social Sciences at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University.

Prior to the course, candidates are asked to fill-in an online survey to provide the course manager information to make the course as relevant as possible to the group of PhD candidates.

The course may be canceled if there are fewer than five qualified applicants.