Research
Social science
Social science is concerned with human behaviour, and with the ways in which it is organised in both simple and complex societies. The breadth of this agenda means that there are many different social science disciplines and subject areas, each focusing on particular areas of interest. In addition, social science research embraces many different approaches and methodologies, ranging from highly theoretical work focusing on fundamental issues concerning human existence and motivation, to applied, near to market, work dealing with immediate issues of social concern.
This diversity of subjects and methodologies is well represented at Reading. The Faculty of Social Sciences is home to four social science Schools, and it also helps to promote the research activities of other academic Schools and subject areas which include social science research.Research is undertaken both by individual scholars and by teams of researchers working both within and across School and disciplinary boundaries. Much of this research is externally funded, by the Research Councils, major charities, government departments, international organisations, and a range of large and small commercial firms.
Social science Schools and subject areas
To find out more about social science research at Reading, both within the Faculty of Social Science and beyond, please follow the links on this page. Those below will take you to individual Schools and subject areas within which social science is undertaken; those in the 'Things to do now" box on the right hand side of this page will take you to examples of particular social science research projects and publications, aimed at giving you a flavour of the breadth and depth of our work.
In the Faculty of Social Science
Politics & International Relations
Beyond the Faculty of Social Science
Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences
Geography and Environmental Science (In the School of Human and Environmental Science)
Agriculture and Food Economics (In the School of Agriculture and Policy Development)
Research Institute for the Built Environment (in the School of Construction Management and Engineering)
History (In the School of Humanities)
Applied Linguistics (In the School of Languages and European Studies)
Graduate training in social science
An important part of our research activity is training future social science researchers. Postgraduate research students from most of the above Schools participate in our Graduate School for the Social Sciences, which organises generic research training and provides a range of other support for social science research students across the University.
Research support
Research and Enterprise Services (RES)
Administrative support on external research funding and business developments is provided to the Faculty by the Research & Enterprise.
Social Sciences Funding Guide
RES have produced a Social Sciences Funding Guide which gives information on sources of external funding for those involved in research in the Social Sciences.
RETF
The University Research Endowment Trust Fund provides funding for research applications from staff.
ESRC Recognised Outlets
The University has a number of ESRC Recognised Outlets which are entitled to offer research training programmes for ESRC-funded students, and to apply for Studentships and CASE awards.
Who to contact
Faculty Director of Research: Dianne Berry (Dean of the Faculty)
Responsible for directing and promoting the overall research policy for the Faculty.