This webinar, hosted by Wendy A. Naus, director of the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) discussed what a new president and Congress means for US government funding for social science and what researchers, students, teachers, and the public can do to support the social sciences.

1. Los Angeles | London | New Delhi | Singapore | Washington DC | Melbourne
Social Science
in the Age of
Trump:
What We’d
Like to See
#SocialScienceLive

2. Los Angeles | London | New Delhi | Singapore | Washington DC | Melbourne
Michael Todd,
Editor,
Social Science Space
Wendy Naus,
Executive Director,
Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA)
#SocialScienceLive

3. Social Science in the Age of Trump:
What We’d Like to See
WENDY NAUS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FEBRUARY 9, 2017

4. About
Consortium of associations formed in 1981 amid attacks from Reagan
Administration
Primary Function: Advocacy for the shared policy interests of all fields of social &
behavioral science
We seek to reach 4 main audiences: Congress, Executive Branch Agencies & the
White House, Scientific & Higher Ed communities, and the general public

5. 5
MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS
Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
American Association of Geographers
American Evaluation Association
American Historical Association
American Psychosomatic Society
Association for Asian Studies
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Association of Academic Survey Research Organizations
Association of Research Libraries
Council on Social Work Education
Economic History Association
History of Science Society
Midwest Sociological Society
National Association of Social Workers
North American Regional Science Council
Rural Sociological Society
Social Science History Association
Society for Research on Adolescence
Society for Social Work and Research
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
Society of Behavioral Medicine
Southern Political Science Association
Southern Sociological Society
Southwestern Social Science Association
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
Arizona State University
Boston University
Brown University
Carnegie Mellon University
Clark University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Fielding Graduate University
George Mason University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Howard University
Indiana University
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Michigan State University
New York University
North Carolina State University
Northwestern University
Pennsylvania State University
Princeton University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Stanford University
Texas A&M University
The George Washington University
The Ohio State University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Chicago
University of Illinois
University of Iowa
University of Maryland
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of Missouri
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
University of Oklahoma
University of Pennsylvania
University of South Carolina
University of Texas, Austin
University of Texas, San Antonio
University of Virginia
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Virginia Tech
West Virginia University
Yale University
CENTERS & INSTITUTES
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Political and Social Science
American Council of Learned Societies
Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences
Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research
Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
Institute for Social Science Research, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst
NORC at the University of Chicago
Owens Institute for Behavioral Research, University of
Georgia
RTI International
Social Science Research Council
Non-Governing Members

6. COSSA’s Advocacy Goals
1. Nurture champions within Congress and
throughout Executive Branch agencies.
2. Enhance involvement of our members
in COSSA activities and advocacy efforts.
3. Connect with and equip partners,
stakeholders, foundations, and the
general public to advocate in support of
our sciences.
COSSA’s Mission: To promote the value of social and
behavioral science research to policymakers and the
public with the goal of enhancing federal support.
Public
Engagement
Member
Engagement
Direct
Lobbying
(COSSA)

7. Threats to Social Science
The direct attacks on SBS that led to the creation of COSSA still persist
35 years later
Challenges to SBS fall generally into 3 buckets:
1. Funding
2. Policy
3. Negative and/or misleading statements

8. Trump and Science?
More unknown than known
Science (generally) not yet an issue/concern/problem needing a fix
Quoted saying that “scientific research requires long-term investment”
So far:
◦ Federal hiring freeze
◦ Regulatory freeze
◦ Immigration ban
◦ Cancel Obama’s Executive Orders
◦ Holds on public release of scientific information (USDA, EPA, HHS)

9. Deep breath…
Agencies are not backing down
Congressional champions remain
Appropriators are not easily swayed
New members elected to Congress with serious science leadership
potential
Narrowed majorities in both chambers will force compromise

10. COSSA Transition Document
◦ 10 recommendations for shoring up and
enhancing U.S. scientific enterprise
◦ Funding
◦ Key appointments/advisors
◦ Data and statistics
◦ Focus on social science contributions
◦ First 100 Days:
◦ Final FY 2017 appropriations
◦ Sequestration
◦ FY 2018 budget
◦ Science Advisor
◦ www.cossa.org/press-publications/2017-transition-
recommendations

12. Changing the Conversation
◦ New public-facing website launched last month
◦ www.whysocialscience.com
◦ Upcoming blogs from:
◦ National Academy of Sciences
◦ American Anthropological Association
◦ Industry, stakeholders, practitioners, etc.

13. What can YOU do?
Engage your professional societies.
Consider joining other groups focused on advocacy.
Engage your elected officials directly.
March for Science – April 22
(www.marchforscience.com)

15. Wednesday, March 29:
◦ Keynote by Arlie Russell Hochschild, author of Strangers in Their Own Land
◦ Discussion with John Sides of The Washington Post’s The Monkey Cage Blog
◦ Breakout sessions:
◦ Social science in public service
◦ Advocating from home
◦ Tips for communicating with the media
◦ Social science student organizing on campus
◦ Capitol Hill Reception honoring Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI)
Wednesday, March 29
Register at: http://www.cossa.org/event/2017-science-policy-conference

16. Thursday, March 30

17. 17
Wendy Naus, Executive Director
Email: wnaus@cossa.org
Web: www.cossa.org and www.whysocialscience.com
@COSSADC • #WhySocialScience

18. Los Angeles | London | New Delhi | Singapore | Washington DC | Melbourne
Webinar recording, slides, and follow-up Q&A will be emailed to you and available on
socialsciencespace.com.
Thank you!
Be sure to check our sites for updates on our webinar series!
Wendy Naus
#SocialScienceLive