A big thank you to all of our Fellows and supporters for your ongoing encouragement and support of the Academy’s activities throughout this year. We wish you a happy and enjoyable festive season.  

Owing to the festive break and staff holidays, the Academy will be closed for Christmas from 5pm on Friday 20 December and will reopen on Monday 6 January 2025. Please note that emails will not be responded to during this time and that the next eBulletin will be sent in February.

Contents

Latest News
Policy and Research
Campaign for Social Science
Fellows' News
Member Societies' News
Events

New Academy report foregrounds social science research to help shape UK public policy

A new report by the Academy of Social Sciences' Campaign showcases a breadth of social science-based research, ideas and evidence relevant to addressing some of the country’s political and social challenges, many of which are relevant to the UK Government’s policy agenda.

Academy responds to the UK Government's Curriculum and Assessment Review for England

Social science subjects lie at the heart of developing and enhancing knowledge and skills essential to the futures of the next generation, to their role as informed citizens, and to the UK's future economic prospects. The Academy argues for sustaining a strong and recognised presence of social science through a core pathway for 5-14 years and a good range of choices at 14-19 years, and for that to be equitably available to all regardless of school ‘type’, location or socio-economic status. We also recognise the need to deepen some existing skills including numeracy and to meet the need for new skills of the future, including green skills, financial literacy skills, AI skills, and an extension of critical thinking skills to evaluate information reliability on the internet and social media. We argue that many of these are better studied with a curriculum that balances knowledge and skills and integrates the teaching of them so that skills are applied in ‘real world’ settings. These and many other transferable skills can be naturally embedded or reinforced in the social sciences curricula. The Academy has identified ten key points in its response to the UK Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review for England and a full response can be found here. The response was drafted in consultation with our learned society members.

Professor Jane Falkingham FAcSS appointed as next REF Panel C Chair

We are delighted with the news that Professor Jane Falkingham FAcSS, Professor of Demography and International Social Policy and Vice President International & Engagement at the University of Southampton, has been appointed as the Chair of Panel C for REF 2029. The Academy congratulates Research England on their admirable choice of Chair and sends Jane every good wish in this vital role for the social sciences community.

Tribute to Professor Tony Crook CBE FAcSS FRTPI

The Academy was deeply saddened to receive the news of Professor Tony Crook’s sudden passing at the end of last month after a very short illness. Tony contributed enormous expertise, energy and enthusiasm to the Academy over several decades both formally, and informally supporting Stephen Anderson as Executive Director and Rita Gardner as Chief Executive. During two six-year terms on the Council, he helped the Academy flourish into what it is today. Alongside Michael Harloe, he was a driving force behind the establishment of the Campaign for Social Science and served as its inaugural chair. These strong foundations were fundamental to the Campaign’s wide-ranging breadth of work it currently encompasses. Tony was also a steady guiding hand on many of the Academy’s committees, including being a strong voice for practitioner social scientists among the Fellowship and the first Chair of the Practitioner Fellow Search Committee. He truly believed in the Academy and what we stand for.

Tony was a remarkable champion for the social sciences community more widely too, especially in his chosen field of planning research and practice and in university senior management. The Academy joins with those wider communities in saying how privileged we are to have had his expertise, commitment and support in so many ways. We pass our heartfelt condolences on to his family, friends and colleagues.

EDI Project: hub updated to showcase funded initiatives

The EDI Project, a joint partnership between the Academy, its member learned societies and the Economic and Social Research Council, has awarded funding to 12 EDI initiatives in 2023 and 2024. Now 12 months on from the first round of grant funding being awarded and four months on from the second round of funding, we have added a new area to our EDI Hub which showcases each of the funded EDI initiatives to share how our learned societies are progressing in their respective projects.

Fellowship subscription renewal

In mid-November we sent an email to all Academy Fellows, which included updates about our work and the Fellowship subscriptions rates for 2025, which are being held unchanged from 2024. If this did not reach you, we would be pleased to send a copy. If you have changes to make to your subscription, such as recent retirement for example, please could we ask that you do this before the Academy closes for Christmas. Email the Membership and Database Manager at administrator@acss.org.uk.

Policy update

This month we examine news of a rise in English university tuition fees and the potential impacts – particularly against the increasingly challenging financial backdrop facing institutions. Whilst the Secretary of State for Education in England has been keen to talk up long-term plans for reform, the short-term picture remains challenging, as evidenced this month by both the OfSE and the Scottish Funding Council releasing bleak reports about institutions’ financial health, and HEPI releasing equally bleak polling on students’ confidence on the issue.

Elsewhere, we report on a major new policy report from the Campaign for Social Science. 

MP contacts

The Academy is in the process of building connections with relevant new MPs elected in 2024. We are inviting Fellows to help where they can please by effecting introductions. We will only contact MPs in a carefully managed way, for example with information on new publications and events that may be of interest to them. If you have an established contact with any of the new MPs, including your local MP, who you believe is, or might be, sympathetic to the social sciences and you are willing to effect an introduction to the Academy’s Chief Executive and/or Head of Policy and Public Affairs, please email Rita on r.gardner@acss.org.uk.

Catch up on the Campaign for Social Science Annual Sage Lecture by Dr Hannah White

The lecture was attended by a mix of guests from academia, policy and practice, and members of the public. You can catch up on the lecture which is available to watch on the Academy’s website.

Book now: Will AI Change the World? Evaluating AI in the Public and Private Sector

11 December 2024, 12.30pm-2pm, online

The Campaign for Social Science is excited to be partnering with the UK Evaluation Society and the Social Research Association for a free webinar with Professor Oliver Hauser on evaluating AI in the public and private sector. In a world of fast paced change where AI promises to be able to do anything and everything for us, Oliver will highlight the importance of “test, learn, adapt” and discuss how policymakers, researchers and evaluators should think about evaluating the causal effects of AI in policymaking and business.

New comment and analysis

A new Guest Feature has been published in the Campaign’s Comment and Analysis collection.

• Dr Karen Bickerstaff, Professor of Human Geography, University of Exeter: A new look at Net Zero

Opportunity to write for our hubs

If you and/or your colleagues are interested in submitting an evidence-led comment piece for any of our hubs, please contact Steve Grundy, Senior Campaign Manager at s.grundy@acss.org.uk to discuss your idea.

Professor Helen Gunter FAcSS awarded prize for A Political Sociology of Education Policy

Congratulations to Professor Helen Gunter FAcSS who has been awarded the 2024 Book Award from the Society for Educational Studies, for her book A Political Sociology of Education Policy published in 2023 by Policy Press.

Obituary: Professor David Bewley-Taylor FAcSS

The Academy was sad to hear the news of the recent death of Professor David Bewley-Taylor FAcSS. A Professor of International Relations and Public Policy and founding Director of the Global Drug Policy Observatory (2013) at Swansea University, David was an active member of the drug policy reform community holding many advisory, committee and associate roles at a range of key organisations in the sector. Our condolences go to his family, friends and colleagues who worked with him during the course of his distinguished career. Read his full obituary here.

Professor Alexander Betts FAcSS authors Social Science: A Very Short Introduction

Professor Alexander Betts FAcSS, Professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs at the University of Oxford, has authored an accessible overview of social science in his new book, 'Social Science: A Very Short Introduction'. Aimed at equipping students, scholars and practitioners with the skills to analyse, interpret and undertake social science research, the book explains how methods and theory from different disciplines can be applied and combined to address major global challenges.

New books by FAcSS

• Social Science: A Very Short Introduction, Betts, A. (2024) Oxford University Press
• Rethinking rural studies, Brown, D. and Shucksmith, M. (2024) Elgar
• New Perspectives on Intergovernmental Relations: Crisis and Reform, Kuhlmann, S., Laffin, M., Wayenberg, E. and Bergstrom, T. (eds) (2024) Palgrave Macmillan Cham
• The Sociology of Emotions. Feminist, Cultural and Sociological Perspectives, Brooks, A. (2024) Bristol University Press
• Creating Empowering Environments for People with Dementia, Charras, K., Hogervorst, E., Wallcook, S., Kuliga, S. and Woods, B. (eds) (2024) Routledge
• Volunteering in the UK: the spirit of service, Mohan, J. (2024) Manchester University Press
• Criminal Psychology in Action: A Project Based Approach, Canter. D (2004) Routledge
• Pandemic Societies: A Critical Public Health Perspective, Petersen, A. (2024) Bristol University Press
• The New Governance of Religious Diversity, Modood, T. and Sealy, T. (2024) Polity Books
• The Resilience of Multiculturalism: Ideas, Politics, Practice, Sealy, T., Uberoi, V. and Meer, N. (2024) Edinburgh University Press
• The Handbook of Creative Data Analysis, edited by Kara, H., Mannay, D. and Roy, A. (2024) Bristol University Press
• Contesting the World: Norm Research in Theory and Practice, Orchard, P. and Wiener, A. eds (2024) Cambridge University Press
• Trade Unions and the British Industrial Relations Crisis: An Intellectual Biography of Hugh Clegg, Ackers, P. (2024) Routledge
• Intellectual leadership, higher education and precarious times, Fitzgerald, T., Gunter, H.M., and Nixon, J. (Eds.) (2024) London: Bloomsbury
• Critical Education Policy and Leadership Studies: The Intellectual Contributions of Helen M. Gunter, Fitzgerald, T. and Courtney, S.J. (Eds.) (2023) Cham, Switzerland: Springer (A festschrift of Professor Helen Gunter FAcSS’ work).
• Everyday Eating: food, taste and trends in Britain since the 1950s, Warde, A. (2024) Bristol University Press
• Development, Education and Learning in Sri Lanka: An international research journey, Little, A. (2024) UCL Press
• Trafficking Chains: Modern Slavery in Society, Walby, S. and Shire, K.(2024) University of Bristol Press.
• Sustainable Human Settlements within the Global Urban Agenda; Formulating and implementing SDG 11, Simon, D. (2023) Agenda Publishing
• School: An exposé – Kindle Edition, Kushner, S. (2022) Google Books.
  

If you are an Academy Fellow and have a new book you would like included in these listings, please email us with a link to your publication at media@acss.org.uk

BAAL news

With the support of the Academy of Social Sciences and Economic Social Research Council's EDI small grant, the British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL) and UK Association for Language Testing and Assessment (UKALTA) hosted two EDI leadership workshops at our respective annual conference which took place at the University of Essex (5 September 2024) and the University of Bedfordshire (22 November 2024).  

BAAL have held a number of events over the autumn including: the Multilingualism in Education event, held on 22 November which included plenary presentations by Dr Judith Rifeser (UCL Institute of Education) and Becky Winstanley (SOAS, Goldsmiths and The Osmani Trust). Dr. Rifeser’s was entitled “Multilingualism and the learners of the 21st century”, and Ms. Winstanley’s talk was entitled “A new heritage language education: grassroots projects in London’s east end”. In addition, the BAAL Language & Education for Social Justice SIG Online Summit with the theme of “Bridging Social Justice and Applied Linguistics: Transforming Communities Through Language Education" took place on 21 November 2024; and the BAAL Language Curriculum SIG Autumn Webinar 2024, featuring speakers John Macalister, Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics at Victoria University of Wellington, and Fei Victor Lim, Associate Professor and Deputy Head (Research), English Language and Literature, at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, took place on 8 November 2024.

BAAL also contributed to the submission of the review led by the Committee of Linguistics in Education (CLiE) in response to the UK Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review. 

BAM news

The call for papers for the upcoming BAM MKE Teaching Practice Conference 2025, to be held on 5 June 2025 in London, is now open. The conference theme is "Innovating Management Education for a Sustainable and Responsible Future". The deadline for submissions is 14 April 2025. Find out more.

The call for papers for the Artificial Intelligence and Creativity: Opportunity or Threat Symposium taking place between 15-16 April 2025, is now open. The deadline for abstract submissions is 27 January 2025. Find out more.

Registrations for BAM’s Research-Oriented Professor Development Programme are now open. The programme is designed to offer support and provide guidance for members of the BAM community at mid-career stage for whom research is a core element. The workshop will take place on 11 April 2025 between 9am-5pm in Birmingham. Find out more.

Registrations for BAM’s Becoming an Education-Focussed Professor programme are also open. The programme is a unique development programme designed specifically to support Business and Management academics on a teaching and scholarship track at all levels to develop their own scholarship profile and career. The programme comprises four workshop sessions (amounting to 5 days total) throughout 2025. Find out more.

BAM news

REF 2029: Invitation for contributions to the BERA Blog (Demystifying and exploring the Research Excellence Framework 2029) - BERA is excited to invite contributions to a new BERA Blog series that aims to shed light on the REF’s significance, the expectations it sets and how researchers can navigate and contribute to it effectively

The BERA Guide to Decolonising the Curriculum - Equity and Inclusion in Educational Research and Practice which is available from the Emerald Bookstore was published on 4 November 2024.

BERA Master’s Dissertation Award - Every year BERA recognises academic excellence and rigour in research by a Master of Education student. This underscores BERA’s commitment to championing educational research, and celebrating and recognising excellence in the education research community. The deadline for nominations is 22 January 2025.

BERA Doctoral Thesis Award - Every year BERA recognises academic excellence and rigour in research by a Doctoral student. This underscores BERA’s commitment to championing educational research, and celebrating and recognising excellence in the education research community. The deadline for submissions is 22 January 2025. 

BSG Annual Conference 2025: abstract submissions open

The abstract submissions portal for the 54th Annual Conference of the British Society of Gerontology, being hosted by the University of Surry from 25 to 27 June 2025 is now open. The conference theme is ‘Care, Creativity, Connection and Change’ and papers that address this theme are particularly encouraged, however other areas will also be accepted. The deadline for submissions is 24 January 2025. Find out more on the BSG website.

BSPS is now on Bluesky

The British Society for Population Studies (BSPS) is now on Bluesky. You can find and follow them on the platform.

PSA news

The Political Studies Association (PSA) has announced its new Vice-Chair, Professor John Craig, who will succeed Dr Andy Mycock who has now completed his term. Find out more.

Nominations are now open for the PSA’s 2024/25 academic prizes, with winners being presented with their prizes during the PSA’s Annual International Conference in Birmingham which will be held from 14-16 April 2025. The deadline for nominations is 24 January 2025. Find out more.

The PSA have also responded to the Call for Evidence on the Curriculum & Assessment Review. Find out more and read the response in full on the PSA website.

The PSA with the American Political Science Association (APSA) are pleased to announce that entries are now welcome for the 2025 PSA/APSA International Partnerships Award which recognises the very best in cross-Atlantic scholarly partnerships. Applications should be received by close of play 24 January 2025. Find out more.

As part of their ongoing strategy work, the PSA are also inviting their community to participate in a short survey to help shape their new 2025-2028 strategic plan. Find out more.

The PSA has also announced the recipients of their Diverse Voices PhD Student Programme. Find out more. 

Statistics Under Pressure

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) has published its principles for its Statistics Under Pressure initiative, supporting statisticians when balancing competing demands to feed data into decision-making. The RSS hopes the principles will be a helpful checklist when making suitable trade-offs under pressure. Find out more on the RSS website.

SLSA Annual Conference 2025: registration and call for papers and posters now open

The next SLSA Annual Conference will be hosted by the University of Liverpool from 15 to 17 April 2025. The call for papers and posters is now open. Closing date: 18 December 2024. Early bird registration is also open. See website for full details.

You can find out more about the Academy's forthcoming events in the items above.