Introduction: Social Science Matters

Abstract

Knowledge in general has been identified as the fundamental resource determining the capacities of societies to master the challenges ahead of them. Population growth, poverty, global inequality and the state of international relations are some of the core issues identified by the comprehensive ‘Japan Vision 2050’, published by the Science Council of Japan. These topics resonate closely with the central fields of concern for many working in the social sciences; however, the ‘Principles of Strategic Science and Technology Policy’ are conspicuously silent about their particular potentials for shaping the society of the future. In order to explore the significance of the social sciences for politics, economy, science and society in Japan, The German Association for Social Science Research on Japan hosted a conference on ‘Social Science Matters’ in November 2006. Specialists on Japan from different disciplines and regions highlighted issues such as university reforms, quality-control standards, science management, the practical applicability of social science intelligence and other questions of importance for the future relevance of the disciplines, both in national as well as in larger contexts. While we are convinced that ‘social science matters’—probably more than ever—why, to whom, and what kind of social science actually matters in Japan is still an open question.