SOCIAL IMPACT AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES: THEORY AND PRACTICE IN THE ERA OF PROPAGANDA, FAKE NEWS AND MEDIA MANIPULATION

The impact that social science research has on society is attracting increasing attention in public debate. Academic researchers are called upon to make their investigations relevant to the everyday needs of citizens, the economy, and organisations in the corporate, public and non-profit sectors.
We live in challenging times for researchers and practitioners who seek to have an impact on the world. New technologies and socio-cultural and geopolitical developments have generated propaganda, fake news, misinformation and ideological manipulation. In many cases the very authority of science is under question, often being used as a vehicle for perception management and mis-management.
What is the social impact of social science in our time? How should we analyse and assess impact? What are the best ways for the epistemic communities of social scientists to respond to current challenges? How can one avoid the abuses of scientific authority, which contribute to propaganda and mass manipulation? How should social science communities deal with the confusion and turmoil created by propaganda? How can communities of social scientists increase the positive social impact of their research and findings?

Conference co-conveners:
• Professor Marian Zulean – Professor habil. and Director of the Division of Social Sciences, Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), Romania.
• Associate Professor Gaby Ramia, Public Policy Program, Department of Government and International Relations, School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia; 2019 Visiting Professorial Fellow, ICUB, Romania.
• Dr. Ioana Ramia, Lecturer and Research Fellow, Centre for Social Impact, UNSW Sydney; 2019 Visiting Fellow, Research Institute for Quality of Life, Romanian Academy, Romania.
• Professor Dragos Paul Aligica, Department of Economic and Administrative Sciences at the University of Bucharest and Senior Research Fellow at Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
• Diana Dumitrescu, PhD Candidate, Project Manager, Division of Social Sciences, Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), Romania.
For more information, please visit https://icub.unibuc.ro/siss