Why Social Science? is a COSSA initiative that shares relatable and accessible information about research in the social and behavioral sciences with public audiences by highlighting the benefits and contributions of this research and encouraging its widespread use in tackling challenges of national importance.

The primary home for this activity is a dedicated website, www.whysocialscience.com, which serves as COSSA’s centralized hub for social science information written for a lay audience. The main feature of the site is a monthly blog that features guest posts from partners from within and outside the social sciences, including in federal agencies, Congress, industry, non-governmental organizations, other scientific communities, and elsewhere. Past posts have covered the social science relevance to natural disaster response, diversity in STEM, cybersecurity and computing, health disparities, and educational attainment, to name a few.

COSSA also uses the Why Social Science? branding to bring its message about the public value of social and behavioral science research to Capitol Hill by hosting Why Social Science? Congressional briefings featuring authors of guest posts on the blog.

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Send us your "Why Social Science?" Pitch

Telling real-life stories about the impacts of your research, discipline, or organization can help COSSA make the case for supporting the social sciences and help your work reach a new audience.

The blog reaches a broad audience of COSSA member organizations, university administrators, faculty, and other stakeholders; policymakers at federal agencies and in Congress; and science enthusiasts across the country. Why Social Science? blog posts are one of the hallmark resources COSSA staff use in their advocacy to legislative and executive agency staff.

Our short, straightforward format gives you the opportunity to distill the real-world impact your work can have and explain why people should care about its success. All blog posts are published online and as a polished PDF that can be easily shared with others.