Evidence in the Social Sciences: specificities, challenges, and developments

Date: 23-24 May 2024

Venue: Philosophy Room 0.06, Edificio de Humanidades, UNED, Madrid, Spain

Workshop’s description

Given the growing popularity of evidence-based practices (EBM, EBP), the concept of evidence has achieved a growing centrality both in some methodological discussions in contemporary Philosophy of Science and in broader debates on the public understanding of science. In the case of social scientific fields, the concept of evidence nevertheless raises important specific questions. These questions include, but are not limited to, the limitations of experimental methods in the social sciences, the difficulties in the extrapolation of causal claims, reflexivity, etc. 

This workshop explores new approaches to the nature, use, and evaluation of evidence in the social sciences. It aims to address both analysis of current evidence-based practices and development of alternative proposals. 

Invited speakers

Donal Khosrowi (University of Hannover)

Jaakko Kuorikoski (University of Helsinki)

Caterina Marchionni (University of Helsinki)

Mariusz Maziarz (Jagiellonian University)

Program

Thursday, 23 May 2024

10.00-10.15 Welcome

10:15- 11:45 Caterina Marchionni (University of Helsinki) – “Evidence, Mechanisms and Behavioural Public Policy”

11.45-12:00 Break

12.00-12.45 Valeriano Iranzo & Saúl Pérez-González (University of Valencia) – “Evidence and Computer Simulations in Public Health”

12.45-13.30 María Jiménez-Buedo (UNED, Madrid) – "Measurement, Coordination, and Standardisation in Experimental Economics"

13.30-15:00 Lunch

15:00-16:30 Mariusz Maziarz (Jagiellonian University) – “What is the role of economic theory in delivering mechanistic evidence: the case of toy models”

16.30-16.45 Break

16.45-17:30 Héctor Cebolla (CSIC) – "Optimizing Engagement: Factors Influencing Participation in Positive Parenting Programs among Vulnerable Householders with Children"

17:30-18:15 EviSoc Research Meeting

20.00 Workshop Dinner

Friday, 24 May 2024

09:30-11.00 Jaakko Kuorikoski (University of Helsinki) – "Data, evidence and diagnostic reasoning"

11:00-11:15 Break

11.15-12.00 Rosa Runhardt (Radboud University) – "Legitimate reactivity at the macro-social level"

12.00-13.30 Donal Khosrowi  (with Finola Finn) (Leibniz University Hannover) – "Leaving the methodological comfort zone - towards theories of evidence for synthetic social science"

13.30-15.00 Lunch

15:00-16:30 EviSoc Meeting

Organizers

Losner Briones (UNED)

María Jiménez-Buedo (UNED)

Valeriano Iranzo (University of Valencia)

Saúl Pérez-González (University of Valencia)

This event is organised by the project “Evidence and Mechanisms in the Social Sciences” [PID2021-125936NB-I00] funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. The event is supported by the METIS research group (Department of Logic, History and Philosophy of Science. UNED).