Contents

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

The Academy of Social Sciences collaborates with the Nuffield Foundation and Leverhulme Trust to produce the We Society Podcast 

The Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust both fund research which advances understanding of challenges and which benefits society and improves people’s lives, a significant proportion of which comes from the social sciences. Through their collaboration on the We Society podcast, all three organisations will work together to promote the innovative social science research taking place across the UK which benefits people, communities and society at large. 

Season 8 of the We Society podcast, the first being produced as part of this new collaboration, is coming later in May, and all earlier episodes are available to listen to online.

Find out more, subscribe and catch up on any episodes you might have missed.  

Register for the Academy’s 2025 Annual Lecture

We're delighted to announce that Professor Mariana Mazzucato FAcSS will be delivering this year’s Academy Annual Lecture on Tuesday 3 June 2025 online between 5pm and 6pm.

A short Q&A, chaired by the Academy’s President, Will Hutton FAcSS, will take place following Mariana’s lecture. The event is open to all - register now so you don't miss out. 

Academy launches new web section to highlight why social science matters

As part of our work to raise awareness of the importance and value of the social sciences with different audiences, including the public, policymakers and wider civil society, we have developed a new web section called Why social science matters.  

Supported by a range of new case studies showcasing the positive impact the social sciences make to our daily lives, the page explores how social science is highly relevant to helping us understand and manage many of the issues facing society, the environment, the economy and places, in the UK and internationally. As well as showcasing the economic value they provide, the tangible differences they make to society, the innovation they facilitate, how they help to guide good policy decisions, and that the social sciences offer opportunities to all, through the skills and knowledge they afford and the diversity of careers they can lead to. 

Explore the case studies, our new webpage and share with your networks to help us spread the word on why the social sciences matter! 

AGM and elections to Council

The Academy’s 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday 18 June 2025 between 4pm and 5.15pm online. All Fellows are invited to attend and an agenda and other relevant information, including a joining link, will be circulated closer to the time.   

This year, the Academy has five vacancies for election on its Council, which will be announced at the AGM. All Fellows and member social science societies have been contacted with full details of the election process. If you have not received this, please contact administrator@acss.org.uk

Reminder: Fellowship nominations for autumn 2025

As a reminder, the second and final round of Fellowship nominations for 2025 is now open, and we encourage nominations from the academic, public, private and third sectors. Nominees must be people of established status and reputation, shown through evidence of eminence in their field and the impact made to wider social science. We are committed to increasing diversity in our Fellowship and welcome nominations from all backgrounds.   

Visit the Nominate a Fellow section on our website for the guidance and nominations forms. The deadline for nominations is 1 June 2025. 

Call for Speakers: UK Government AI in Social Research Workshop Series

The Government Social Research Profession in Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, and No.10 are running a programme of workshops aimed at increasing government social researchers' skill and knowledge in applying applications of AI within their work. The workshop programme includes an introduction to the practical uses of AI in quantitative research, qualitative research and systematic reviews, alongside covering topics around risks, opportunities, ethics and the “what works” of AI in social research. They are seeking guest speakers from across academia with expertise in applying AI applications in social research to contribute to the programme. Speakers will be asked to share real-world examples and case studies of their experiences with AI, discussing both the benefits and challenges of using AI and automation in social research. 

If you are interested in speaking at one of the events in the programme, please contact our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Ed Bridges with an expression of interest by Wednesday 21 May 2025.

Meet some of our new Fellows

Following the election of our newest cohort of Fellows this spring, why not find out more about some of our new Fellows? In the Meet our Fellows series, we introduce some of the leading social scientists in the Academy’s Fellowship from across academia, the public, private and third sectors, including exploring their reasons for why the social sciences matter.

Don’t forget, you can view and search the full list of Fellows in our Fellows Directory.

Policy update

Whilst the Chancellor’s spring statement in March contained relatively little on research and development issues, the weeks that followed saw several important interventions which may have longer-term implications. The future of QR funding remains unclear, not least with UKRI’s overall budget falling as part of UK Government spending plans. The Academy will be watching this carefully and advocating where appropriate given the importance of QR funding to the social sciences. Also in this context, remarks by the science minister, Patrick Vallance, that there are plans for longer-term reform of the R&D system are significant, and his four stated priorities will have repercussions for how the sector engages over the months ahead. 

Elsewhere, headlines were made by a Sunday Times investigation into fraud and abuse of franchised HE courses, and both Research England and the Office for Students in England issued releases relating to the ongoing financial travails of universities. 

IAG Policy briefings

Over recent months, the Academy’s International Advisory Group has sought to bring an international dimension to the Academy’s policy positions by developing a series of policy briefings covering four overarching and interlinking global societal challenges. These briefings have seen contributors document their experiences of collaborating across countries to explore interdisciplinary solutions to the complex challenges facing contemporary societies.  

To date, 16 briefings have been posted on four topical themes: 

• Green issues (climate change and energy security) 
• Health (global health crises, anti-microbial resistance, drug prevention, food security) 
• Digital (children and digital platforms, AI and labour markets, open government, research ethics & integrity) 
• Population change (growth, decline, renewal, migration, ageing and generations). 
  

Further contributions are sought from Academy Fellows and their colleagues, particularly from those based overseas, on any of the four topics. There is no closing date, and all briefings are made publicly available. Proposals for briefings should be sent to Linda Hantrais FAcSS, who will work with authors and the Academy’s editorial team to process the drafts prior to posting on the hub using the agreed format. 

Read the latest additions to the Campaign’s new Good Growth hub

We’ve recently published the following new pieces on the Campaign’s Good Growth Hub, where you can read these and explore the rest of the content related to the project.   

• The essential and urgent need for growth - Paul Johnson FAcSS, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, strongly emphasises why growth is essential and urgent if we are to improve living standards and cover the costs of vital public services. Paul highlights the scale of the challenge and the consequences of failing to address the problem of a lack of growth across the past couple of decades.
• What is Good Growth without Good Strategy? - Dr Roshan Boojihawon, University of Birmingham, emphasises the importance of implementing a long-term strategic approach to increasing good and lasting economic growth. He also highlights the indispensable role of social science research in supporting the design of the kind of strategic economic policy that can help meet this objective.  
  
• Wealth Accumulation: Good or Bad? - Stewart Lansley FAcSS, University of Bristol, explores good and bad wealth accumulation and the impact of growing wealth inequality on the economy and public services. Stewart suggests that addressing wealth inequality and a better use of the nation's resources are essential if we are to deliver good economic growth for the UK along with social progress and improved living standards. 
• What kind of ‘growth’ for ‘left behind places’? - Professor Andy Pike FAcSS, Professor Danny MacKinnon FAcSS, (both Newcastle University), Professor John Tomaney FAcSS (UCL) and Dr Sanne Velthuis (University of Southampton) explore geographical inequalities and the plight of "left behind places" and highlight the negative impact this issue has on economic growth and how this can be addressed.
• Growth begins at home – how retrofitting the UK’s social housing can support economic growth - Bridget Rosewell CBE FAcSS, Senior Independent Director; Sheer Khan, Chief Impact Officer; Rob Towers, Deputy Chief Economist and Head of Economics and Evaluation; all at The National Wealth Fund demonstrate how retrofitting social housing to improve energy efficiency will positively impact on health and productivity and boost economic growth in the UK as well as creating savings for public services including the NHS. 
• What does ‘good growth’ mean in devolved Wales? Lifting wellbeing for the long-term - Joe Rossiter, Co-Director, Institute of Welsh Affairs, puts the spotlight on what good growth means for Wales and emphasises a connection with the Welsh Government's landmark legislation, the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Join us for our forthcoming Campaign events

Applications of AI in the Public Sector 

8 May 2025, 12.30pm-2pm, online 

In partnership with UKES and SRA, the Campaign presents this webinar featuring speakers from Ofsted and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) who will talk about their use of AI in analysis and how it can drive productivity and improve outcomes whilst dealing with large volumes of responses.   The speakers are Dr. Verena Braehler (Deputy Director for Research and Evaluation, Ofsted); James Bowsher-Murray (Head of Data Systems and Data Science, Ofsted); and Kiyoshi Bhuiyan (social researcher at DESNZ, currently working in the Social and Behavioural Energy Research team). 

Democracy in decline? The risk and rise of authoritarianism 

8 May 2025, 6pm-9pm, Sage Publishing, 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road, London, EC1P 1SP 

Join us for the latest in the Social Science Perspectives series in collaboration with Sage and The Conversation. This networking event features Professors Melissa Butcher and Scott Williamson discussing the forces currently challenging global democracy. Drawing on recent research, they’ll examine global and generational perceptions of democracy and authoritarianism, and what these perspectives could reveal for the future.  There will be opportunities to network after the panel discussion. 

Social Science Perspectives is a quarterly series of informal talks led by Sage Publishing and co-hosted by the Campaign for Social Science and The Conversation.  

Exploring the impact of AI in the Financial sector – with Jonathan Hall, Bank of England

11 June 2025, 1pm-2.30pm, online

The Campaign for Social Science in partnership with the Social Research Association and the UK Evaluation Society, is delighted to host this webinar as part of our joint series on different aspects of the AI revolution. In this session Jonathan Hall of the Bank of England explores AI in the Financial sector. Jonathan will discuss how AI can create ‘deep trading agents’, the risks these might create and the potential implications on market stability if new technologies are not managed correctly. Jonathan will also explore how we can mitigate the risks and ensure that AI technology is a positive force in FinTech rather than a threat to economic stability.    

Obituary: Professor Claire Callender OBE FAcSS 

The Academy was sad to hear the news of the recent death of Professor Claire Callender OBE FAcSS. Claire was an expert on student funding and graduate experiences of indebtedness and held joint professorships at UCL Institute of Education and Birkbeck, University of London. She played a central role in policy related to the student funding debate and made significant contributions to many national reviews in this area. Claire was awarded an OBE for services to higher education in 2017. Our condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues who worked with her during the course of her distinguished career. A full obituary is available here.

New books by FAcSS

• Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Legal Education, Cownie, F., Bradney, A., Jones, E. (2025) Edward Elgar  
  NICE: A Contemporary History of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Atkinson, P. and Sheard, S. (2025) Routledge 
• Controlling Contagion: Epidemics and Institutions from the Black Death to Covid, Ogilvie, S. (2025) Princeton University Press
• Our Subversive Voice: The history and politics of English protest songs, 1600-2020, Street, J., Cox Jensen, O., Finlayson, A., McShane, A., and Worley, M. (2025) McGill-Queen's University Press
• The Experience of ‘Defending’ the Doctoral Dissertation. International comparative studies of the final oral examination, Byram, M. and Stoicheva, M. (2025) Routledge
• Linking Theory with Practice in the ClassroomA Hybrid Model of Lesson Study Research in Action, Elliott, J. and Christoforatou, V. (eds) (2024) Routledge
• Changemakers. Radical Strategies for Social Movement Organising, Holggate, J. and Page, J. (2025) Bristol University Press 
• The Balancing Act: An Evidence-Based Approach to Teaching Phones, Reading and Writing, Wyse, D. and Hacking, C. (2024) Routledge 
• Integrity: The Rise of a Distinctive Western Idea and Its Destiny, Albrow, M. (2024) Polity
• International Cooperation When Mistrust Deepens, Perri 6, and Heims, E. (2024) Oxford University Press. We have been advised that the following promotion code will provide a 30% discount when ordering through OUP: ASFLYQ6
• Thinking Through Family. Narratives of Care Experienced Lives, Boddy, J. with Hanrahan, F. and Wheeler, B. (2023) Bristol University Press
• 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
  

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

BERA news 

The British Educational Research Association (BERA) has announced their 2025 BERA Doctoral Thesis and Masters Dissertation winners.This award underscores BERA’s commitment to developing capacity, advancing quality and methodological originality within the field of educational research. Find out more.  
  
Nominations are now open for BERA’s Equality in Education award which recognises an individual whose work has sought to address wider issues of inequality and discrimination in education. The deadline for nominations is 26 June 2025. Find out more. 
  
BERA has developed the opportunity to put forward a ‘Hot Topic’ session for their 2025 Conference that was not submitted through the usual abstract system. These sessions are meant to highlight topical research that may have been developed after the usual abstract submission deadline. The deadline for submissions is 9 June 2025. Find out more.  

BISA’s Susan Strange Best Book Prize 2025 shortlist announced  

The British International Studies Association is delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2025 Susan Strange Best Book Prize for an outstanding book published in any field of International Studies. The books which made the shortlist are: Depletion: The Human Costs of Caring, by Shirin Rai (Oxford University Press); Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women’s Health, by Sophie Harman (Virago); and Struggles for the Human: Violent Legality and the Politics of Rights, by Lara Montesinos Coleman (Duke University Press). Find out more.

BSPS news

The call for papers for the British Society for Population Studies Annual Conference being held at Swansea University between 2-4 September 2025 is still open. Abstracts for papers and posters across the entire demographic and population studies spectrum are welcomed. The deadline for submissions is 9 May 2025. Find out more. 

The BSPS is calling for nominations for its Anne Shepherd New Investigator Award. The award celebrates a promising early career demographer by giving them the opportunity to present their research in a plenary session at the BSPS annual conference in September. Any BSPS member in academia who is within 5 years of receiving their PhD on the deadline is eligible to be nominated. Nominations are also welcomed from early career researchers working in local or national government, within 5 years of their appointment. The deadline for nominations is 5pm on 12 May 2025. Find out more.  

DSA news

Following cuts to aid budgets in OECD countries, including the rapid termination of US AID and a significant drop in investment in UK aid, the Development Studies Association are hosting a series of activities: 

• The Development Studies Association held a lively panel discussion on the re-imagining of a better aid system with Peter Sutoris (Leeds); Nicola Banks (Manchester), Divine Fuh (Cape Town), Nick Jepson (Manchester), Sue Roberts (Kentucky) Bright Simons (ODI). Watch the event and view the resources  
• DSA are interested in hearing from researchers and practitioners who would like to share thought leadership and insights on the impact across social science work streams, for short pieces on LinkedIn, or who may wish to write blogs or be interviewed. Get in touch with Rowena, communications lead.  
• DSA member Andy Sumner (Kings) writes on the EADI blog about the new Washington Dissensus: Trump’s five principles for development Cooperation. 

The Development Studies Association’s annual conference will take place at the Centre for Development Studies, at the University of Bath in the year of the Centre’s 50th anniversary. The conference is open to practitioners, researchers and students across all fields relevant to development studies. Find out more.  

DSA member David Lewis (IDS) proposes a new sub-field of Development Humanities (DH) that aims to extend the multidisciplinary base of Development Studies in Towards a ‘Development Humanities’: widening the multi-disciplinary field of development studies.  

PSA news

A new issue of the Political Studies Association’s (PSA) Political Insight magazine is out now. Read here.  

PSA’s 2025 student blog competition invites students, from across the UK and abroad, to submit a blog in response to this question ‘Can social media help save democracy?’. The deadline for submissions is 25 May 2025. Find out more.  

The PSA is committed to fostering an environment that is accessible and inclusive to all. To achieve this, they encourage their members and guests to be part of their efforts in ensuring everyone feels welcome to the PSA by being an active bystander. Read this new online equity and inclusion resource on what is an active bystander and why is it important here.   

The PSA has also launched a new short video introducing the Political Studies Association’s approach to being an active bystander, which you can view on the PSA website.  

The PSA have also recently published a blog, written by Professor Rose Gann, on recognising and rewarding the growing number of those on teaching-focused career tracks. Read more.   

New research from the RSS on barriers to diversity

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS), in partnership with the Alan Turing Institute was commissioned by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to carry out an independent exploration of its portfolio of research grants to better understand the barriers some groups face in obtaining funding. Read more.

RTPI early career research grant recipients publish reports

Three reports have been published from recipients of the Royal Town Planning Insitute’s (RTPI) early career research grants. These are: 

• Young adults’ attitudes to car dependency and the implications for planning by Dr Charles Goode, University of Birmingham. 
• Living with rain: planning for everyday life in Glasgow by Dr Andrew Hoolachan, University of Glasgow. 
• Planning time and performance: The use and impact of Extensions of Time (EoTs) in planning practice in England by Dr Mark Dobson, University of Reading. 

Find out more. 

Call for papers for SRHE International Research Conference 2025

The deadline for the call for papers for the Society for Research into Higher Education’s International Research Conference 2025 is fast approaching. The conference theme is compassion, collegiality and communities in higher education: challenging the discourse. The conference will take place on 28 November online and between 2-4 December 2025 in-person at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham, and registration is now open. The deadline for the call for papers is 15 May 2025. Find out more.