Introduction

Abstract

In recent years, problems of knowledge use in the social sciences and questions of the relationship between social science and public policy making have been a prominent topic of discussions which range from epistemological controversies about the nature of the social sciences to debates over the fruitfulness of single programs and proposed social reforms, for example in education. The conference on which the present volume is based was designed to arrive at a reformulation of some of the key questions in this discussion grounded in the experience accumulated in the last two decades, and broadened by relevant illustrations from the past and from the natural and technological sciences. In particular, the goal of the conference has been threefold:

• 1. The advancement and critique of theoretical concepts and models of knowledge utilization in regard to the use (or misuse) of social science research in policy making.

• 2. The discussion of scenarios of knowledge utilization derived from case studies of past and present programs or projects designed to achieve organizational and social reform.

• 3. An assessment of the role of social science knowledge and research in present socioeconomic systems based upon an evaluation of socio-economic trends and historical evidence.