Dangerous Liaisons: An Evaluation of Current and Future Contributions of Social Scientists to the Study of Climate Change

Abstract

The urgency of addressing climate change demands a multidisciplinary approach, integrating both natural and social sciences. While natural sciences have traditionally dominated the discourse, there is a growing recognition of the indispensable role of social sciences in understanding and addressing this complex issue. The article illustrates how, since the late 1990s and especially in the first decade of the 2000s, there has been a significant increase in academic production in the social sciences on climate change. It explores key concepts and methodologies in the social sciences of climate change, emphasizing the diverse array of disciplines contributing to this interdisciplinary field. Furthermore, it explores critical discussions on the role of social sciences, including their potential to catalyse societal transformation. In addition, the article discusses the prospects for the social sciences of climate change, reviewing the main answers to the question of what the role of the social sciences in climate change science should be. The article concludes that the field of social science in climate change is still in its early stages and needs to be integrated into the broader field of climate science. The social sciences have a potential comparable to that of the natural sciences to conduct independent research. For this integration it is essential that academia recognises the social sciences as a diverse and autonomous field, with the freedom to set its own methodologies and research agendas, rather than being subservient to the priorities of the natural sciences.