SAGE announces major sponsorship of new research report highlighting the value of social science to be released ahead of UK General Election

London, UK - SAGE a leading independent academic and professional publisher today announced that it will be a major sponsor and publisher of an authoritative report, written by the Campaign for Social Sciences (CfSS), to set out the value of social science to the UK’s economy and society ahead of the General Election in May 2015.

The announcement was made last night by The Campaign’s Chair, Professor James Wilsdon, at a SAGE event held in central London attended by policymakers, funders and senior academics to celebrate the social sciences and third anniversary of the CfSS.

The CfSS General Election report, expected to be published in January 2015, will be written by a working group of 12 experts, selected from key disciplines, practitioners and users of social sciences.

Welcoming this new initiative Ziyad Marar, Global Publishing Director SAGE, said:

“In the media, in policy making and government discussions, and in our daily lives, we can see social science at work. The value of such research has obvious and far reaching importance in explaining our social world. Since SAGE’s inception nearly 50 years ago, disseminating social science education and research has been one of our key founding principles, and our commitment to advocacy and support for these disciplines remains paramount.

“SAGE sees the Campaign’s initiative as a tremendous contribution to the debate on social science funding ahead of the next General Election and the subsequent Autumn Spending Review in 2015. We are delighted to sponsor and publish their landmark report to help ensure that the true significance of social science is widely understood.”

Outlining the report at the SAGE event, Professor Wilsdon, Chair of the Campaign remarked:

“This will be a landmark report which spells out how important social science is to Britain’s future.  Just as the natural sciences and engineering will have a chorus of voices speaking up on their behalf in 2015, the Campaign wants to ensure that the case for the social sciences is being made more loudly, and with better quality evidence, than ever before. This is a goal that is closely aligned with that of our publishing partners and major sponsor SAGE, and as such we are delighted to be working with them to achieve this aim. Together this report will help to tell the fantastic impact story of UK social sciences.”

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The Campaign for Social Science was launched in 2011 to advocate social science to the UK Government and to the public, at a time of significant change in the higher education system. They campaign for the restoration of the post of Government Chief Social Science Advisor and the retention of large-scale longitudinal research programmes, promote social science in the media and on the web, and organise roadshows and other events to emphasise the value of social science. The Campaign is supported by 80 institutions, including universities, learned societies, publishers and a charitable trust. It receives no state funding. www.campaignforsocialscience.org.uk