Research in the social, behavioral and economic sciences could suffer a 22 percent cut in federal funding if recently proposed legislation is voted into law. <\/p>\n
Earlier this month, a House of Representatives committee advanced legislation that if passed will keep the National Science Foundation funding approximately the same but cut deeply into the pool of funding for humanities- and-social-science research. The current $256 million funding level would be reduced to $200 million. <\/p>\n
Tom Birkland, associate dean for research and engagement in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said the proposed legislation would be a savage cut, and that CHASS researchers would only receive about 60 percent of the funding they received in 2000. <\/p>\n
It really beats it up, Birkland said. <\/p>\n
Currently, social, behavioral and economic research funding composes a small 3.5 percent of the NSFs $7.28 billion budget, and Birkland said the proposed changes would save the agency very little money. <\/p>\n
The problem is that sometimes, Congress doesnt see the point in social-science research, Birkland said. <\/p>\n
Last year, the NSF awarded a group of researchers to study how Native American communities used legal strategies to effect policy change, Birkland said. <\/p>\n
Congress looks at that and thinks, What is the value? Birkland said. They think, Do we want to encourage that? <\/p>\n
But some things are worth knowing simply for the sake of knowing them, Birkland said. <\/p>\n
Astronomy has little practical benefit, Birkland said. Congress rejects certain research on the grounds of fiscal responsibility, or other ideological grounds. Thats a legitimate conversation to have in a democracy, but why cant we pursue the science of sociology as well as biology and astronomy? <\/p>\n
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Continue reading here: Research in the social, behavioral and economic sciences could suffer a 22 percent cut in federal funding if recently proposed legislation is voted into law. Earlier this month, a House of Representatives committee advanced legislation that if passed will keep the National Science Foundation funding approximately the same but cut deeply into the pool of funding for humanities- and-social-science research. The current $256 million funding level would be reduced to $200 million. Continue reading
\nU.S. House bill threatens social- science funding<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"