'Trickle-down' Social Science: a Personal Perspective on Social Science Communication

Abstract

Social scientists on both sides of the Atlantic have gained a reputation for failing to communicate their research effectively. A few world-class social scientists have reached audiences far beyond their fields, but in most cases, the reputation is well deserved. This opinion piece was originally written for and published for Viewpoint in Social Sciences -January 1994 Issue 22, p. 2. The journal was published by the ESRC, but has since 1994 been discontinued, and therefore the article is reproduced here for public access. All notes and an addendum have been added to clarify references to programmes and institutions that have been dramatically changed or ended since the original publication. The facts have changed, but my basic argument against trickle-down social science remains relevant.

Keywords: communication, science, trickle-down, social science