Social Science Research Council Issues Final “To Secure Knowledge” Report
The Social Science Research Council (a COSSA member) convened the To Secure Knowledge task force in 2017 to consider optimal conditions for social science in this moment, including the infrastructure of social research, standards of inquiry, and the role of rigorous understanding in public affairs. The task force released its final report at a livestreamed event on September 17. The report includes recommendations and describes how present and future scholarship can be secured through partnerships between the academy, government, philanthropy, and the private sector.
The report’s key recommendations include:
- New funding partnerships should be created to facilitate coordination between government, the private sector, the academy, and philanthropy.
- Cross-sector data experiments, such as the Social Data Initiative, should be encouraged.
- New approaches to secure data and make it safely available to researchers should be developed, while standardizing and improving best practices for data use.
More information about the Social Science Research Council, the To Secure Knowledge task force, and the full report can be found on the SSRC website.