We need our scientists to build models that frame our policies, not to tell stories that shape them

Basbøll, Thomas (2018) We need our scientists to build models that frame our policies, not to tell stories that shape them. Impact of Social Sciences Blog (30 Jul 2018). Website.

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Abstract

One of the principal ways in which research can be said to have had an impact on society is when it is judged to have shaped public policy. Storytelling is increasingly presented as an effective way of doing this, with researchers encouraged to construct narratives that point towards a clear "moral", something to be done. Thomas Basbøll argues that researchers should resist this temptation to craft an arresting story, to simplify matters and present policymakers with an obvious solution. Instead, researchers should focus on using the methods they have to build models correlating possible courses of action with likely real-world outcomes; not telling us what should be done, but showing us what can be done.

Item Type:	Online resource (Website)
Official URL:	http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2018...
Additional Information:	© 2018 The Author
Divisions:	LSE
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Date Deposited:	10 Dec 2018 14:51
Last Modified:	08 May 2024 22:52
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/91140

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