About the ESRC Festival of Social Science
The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual celebration of research and knowledge about humans and society. It’s an opportunity for anyone to explore topics relating to social science – from health and wellbeing to crime, equality, education and identity – through events run by researchers from UK universities. There’s no cost to attend, and most are open to everyone, though some are aimed at specific groups.
WHAT IS SOCIAL SCIENCE?
The term social science covers a broad range of subjects relating to society, communities and people, including economics, psychology, sociology, management and business studies, law, economic and social history, politics and human geography, among others.
The events shaping our world – from Brexit and the pandemic to geopolitical tensions and civic protests – reveal how social science is more key to understanding the world than ever. From big ideas to the most detailed observations, social science affects us all every day – at work, in school, when raising children, within our communities, from the personal and local, to the national and global level. Our broad range of subjects are working to help our understanding of these complex areas.
FESTIVAL AIMS
- To encourage, support and create opportunities for social science researchers to engage with non-academic audiences
- To promote and increase awareness of the social sciences and ESRC-funded research
- To promote and increase awareness of the contribution social science makes to the wellbeing and the economy of society in the UK
- To enable the public to engage with social science research
- To engage with teachers and young people and to raise their awareness of the social sciences