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RSNZ Social Sciences Committee 2003Report from Rosemary Du PlessisSocial Sciences Representative on the RSNZ Council9 December 2003 The Social Sciences Committee is a committee of social scientists from different disciplines and professional locations that meets three to four times a year at Science House, the RSNZ building in Wellington. It is charged with furthering the interests of social science in Aotearoa/New Zealand, forging connections between social scientists, nationally and internationally, and advising the Social Sciences Representative on the Council. It organises workshops and other events for social scientists, provides input into submissions on a range of different issues, liaises with government officials in relevant agencies and supports professional development opportunities for social science teachers. Travel expenses of those from out of town are met by the RSNZ and committee is supported by an administrator. It has an annual grant from the RSNZ Council to support its initiatives and meetings of the committee. 1. Strategies for Social Science Research - Building Research Capacity in the Social Sciences Forum – 9 October 2003Professor David Thorns (Sociology and Anthropology, University of Canterbury) chaired the sub-committee that organised a one day forum on building capacity in the social sciences at the National Library in Wellington in early October. It was jointly funded by TEC, the SPEaR Linkages Programme, RSNZ, and the UNESCO Social Sciences Sub Commission. This forum was initiated to ensure that social scientists had could comment on a draft paper on the TEC funded Building Research Capacity in the Social Sciences (BRCSS) initiative - 1.5 million per annum and 0.5 capital funding in the first year directed at capacity development in the social sciences. The money will be used to fund a ‘hub’ of experienced social science researchers to undertake ‘leading edge research’ in their fields which is of benefit to NZ. TEC is interested in programmes that: actively include future and emerging researchers and increase their skills and knowledge base, increase the skills of current and contribute to relevant theoretical developments and methodologies. The funding is available for the first time from mid 2004. Dr Colin Webb of TEC presented a draft paper on the BRCSS initiative for discussion by forum participants who were also invited to provide feedback via email. Hon Steve Maharey, Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary) and Minister of Social Development, also addressed the forum and responded to comments and questions. Some details of the BRCSS initiative were modified after input from social scientists attending the forum. TEC produced a request for proposals in November and some responses are being drafted by social scientists across different institutions. The BRCSS initiative was set in the context of other funding options such as FRST, Marsden and the SPEaR Linkages Fund. MoRST also presented some alternative scenarios for the future of social science research to stimulate discussion about the role and development of social science research and reflection on opportunities that social scientists might want to pursue. The forum was attended by almost eighty social scientists from a variety of different disciplines and institutional settings. It was a good opportunity to learn rapidly about the social science funding environment, meet with other social science researchers and network across different institutions. There was significant attendance by officials in relevant state agencies and by researchers in government agencies. The day long meeting combined plenary sessions and a number of opportunities for small group discussion. 2. Meeting of Directors of Social Science Research CentresThe Social Sciences Committee plans to facilitate a meeting of the directors of social science research centres in tertiary education institutions, state agencies and the private sector early in 2004. This would provide an opportunity to follow up on some of the discussion commenced during the Strategies for Social Science Research Forum. MoRST has applied for funding from the SPEaR Linkages Fund to assist the RSNZ in meeting the costs of such a meeting. An updated list of directors of research centres is being prepared and an agenda for that meeting has been developed. Currently we are awaiting information about the latest SPEaR funding round. 3. PBRF Forum – April 2004The Social Sciences Committee is planning a forum on the design, implementation and impact of the PBRF in April 2004. This forum is timed between the availability of the results of the PBRF and the scheduling of a Cabinet paper that could be informed by discussion at this forum. The forum is an initiative of the Social Sciences Committee, but it has the support of the RSNZ Council and two members of the Council have agreed to serve on the organising committee chaired by Professor Carolyn Saunders (Economics Division, Lincoln University). More information about the Forum will be available early in 2004. The development of this forum builds on work by committee members earlier in 2003 that included comment on the PBRF Evaluation Strategy proposed by the Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Commission. It looked critically at problems re the definition of ‘quality’ and how it might be measured, issues relating to conflicts between staff and institution incentives, funding for new researchers and consistency in their evaluation through the PBRF in different institutions. Concerns were expressed re how to evaluate the teaching research nexus and how those who are not currently research active might be encouraged to increase their involvement in research and writing. Concern was also expressed re the challenges of international comparability when the NZ system is significantly different from the UK, Australia or Hong Kong. 4. Teacher Symposium – July 2004Mark Wilson, a high school teacher on the Committee, organised a meeting of representatives of various Teacher Subject Associations in late 2002 and is facilitating a two day workshop in 2004 that is directed at middle managers in NZ schools entitled ‘Identifying Best Practice’. The workshop will cover a range of issues including implementation of the NZCEA, organizational strategies and staff development, teaching best practice, gender and learning strategies, Maori students and learning environments. There will be input from Ministry of Education, but most of the presenters will be teachers sharing experiences and research in the field with other teachers. 5 Social Sciences JournalThe Social Sciences Committee has been exploring the possibility of the RSNZ adding a social sciences journal to the journals it currently publishes with support from the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST) in fields such as Botany, Agricultural Research, Marine and Freshwater Research and Zoology. It is envisaged that such a journal would publish investigative work that cuts across disciplinary boundaries in the social sciences. It would direct itself to research that attends to contemporary political debate, is reflective about theoretical frameworks, methodological issues and the insights generated through cross-disciplinary collaboration. Such a journal would consider the relevance of international debates for the NZ context and provide a vehicle whereby those outside NZ could access NZ perspectives on these debates. It would be policy relevant, but not a social policy journal and would feature the outcome of ‘blue skies’ Marsden Fund research and more applied FRST research projects. It would provide an additional location for papers written by social scientists working in the private sector with an interest in academic publishing in the New Zealand context. In its Progress and Achievements Report (PAR) to MoRST in October 2003 the RSNZ identified a social science journal as one of three new journals it would like to establish from 2004. The RSNZ currently provides support for seven journals that it took over from the DSIR. Professional scientific editors are paid and the RSNZ meets a significant proportion of the costs of editing, reviewing, typesetting, printing and distributing the journals. It has recently developed online publishing of these journals. In its PAR the RSNZ has proposed that its journals be available electronically free of charge. Page charges to authors of papers, if they have research grants to meet these costs, will be a key source of financial support for the journals. Researchers without research funding would not pay this charge. This would apply to any social science journal established by the RSNZ. The RSNZ PAR proposes that publication of researchers without funding to meet publication costs should be subsidized by government funds and that the government support free access to the journals as a ‘public good’. During 2003 the Social Sciences Committee has been engaged in extensive discussion about the development of a social sciences journal with a number of papers being written, including one commissioned from Professor Charles Crothers (Social Sciences, AUT) which was very useful in clarifying the Committee’s thinking on options. The committee considers that the social sciences in New Zealand would benefit from the establishment of an electronic social sciences journal that receives financial support from the RSNZ. It is not, however, either necessary or appropriate for the editor/editorial team for that journal to be located in Wellington in Science House. A better arrangement would be for the editor and members of the editorial committee to be located in a tertiary education institution or a social research centre. The RSNZ would meet the costs of a part-time administrative assistant (located at the institution of the editor), publicity for the journal and the costs of maintaining the website and other technical assistance. (This could be done through the RSNZ website). The RSNZ Social Sciences Committee proposes the establishment of an Editorial Advisory Board that develops the policy for such a journal and sets up a suitable process for the appointment of the editorial committee. This editorial committee would be appointed for a limited term – 2-3 years. It is envisaged that editorship of the journal would move between institutions, as is the case with many disciplinary journals. The journal editor would report to the Editorial Advisory Board on a yearly basis. The RSNZ would fund the yearly meetings of such an Editorial Committee and any teleconferencing costs associated with members who were not located in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It is anticipated that the institution in which the editorial team is located would provide the editor with some relief from teaching, research or administration to facilitate their contribution to the journal. The Social Sciences Committee would assist in the setting up the Editorial Advisory Committee which would include two members of that committee, 4-6 New Zealand members and two members from outside New Zealand. The Committee is currently preparing a more detailed paper to circulate to all constituent organisations for their comment and feedback early in 2004. Issues that have been discussed include: links to the SPEaR website, Maori and Pasifika representation on the Editorial Advisory Board, connections with universities and research centres in the Pacific, a clear distinction between the Social Policy Journal and this journal, a clear distinctive title, consideration of a Te Reo component, a section for comment and discussion as well as formal peer reviewed papers, information about conferences and workshops. 6. Access issues with respect to NZ StatisticsThe Committee has also been active with respect to pushing for improvements in access to NZ Statistics Data Bases and official collections of administrative statistics. Social scientists in tertiary institutions are inhibited in their capacity to provide social research data because they have inadequate access to government data bases. These limitations are inconsistent with Government’s commitment to policy advice based on sound evidence. Committee members lobbied Deputy Vice Chancellors (Research) at NZ universities to explore a collective strategy to meet the costs of purchasing access to NZ Statistics data. Some discussion is currently occurring in this field and the Committee awaits the outcome. 7. Teacher FellowshipsLex Chalmers (Geography, Waikato University) chaired the committee that selected teachers for the 2004 Teacher Fellowships. These fellowships give teachers paid leave from their classrooms to pursue research and professional development projects in a range of different environments, including tertiary educational institutions and research centres. They need a host organisation and a project to apply for the fellowship and also receive some money for conference attendance to present the outcome of their work. Social science academic units can host teacher fellowships. Material about these fellowships is available from Peter Spratt, RSNZ peter.spratt@rsnz.org The Social Sciences Committee has been attempting to increase the number of social science teachers and those doing social science projects receiving Teacher Fellowships. They have been traditionally seen as mainly for teachers in the natural and physical sciences. The Committee has had input into the design of a new set of brochures and did extensive mail out of material to relevant organisations in early 2003. Fourteen of the fifty-nine teacher fellows funded in 2004 will be working on social science projects. Information about the fellowships will be sent out in March 2004 to all social science departments in NZ universities, colleges of education and polytechnics. The Committee is keen to see more organisations outside Wellington host teacher fellows working on social science projects. 8. Composition of the committeeThe committee is currently undergoing a change in its membership. Members who have been on the committee for several years are finishing their terms and new members are being recruited. Nick Taylor and Nofo Falealili have just joined the committee. In the last six months Hugh Campbell, Julie Warren, Sholeh Maani, Keith Sullivan and Marilyn Waring have left the committee. The committee is currently developing a list of people who could be invited to join the committee in 2004. Rosemary Du Plessis finishes her term on RSNZ Council and as chair of the committee in July 2004. A subcommittee of the Social Sciences Committee will be exploring the process of generating nominations by constituent organisations for this position early in 2004. The subcommittee is looking for people with a vision for the social sciences in New Zealand, good networks, people skills, knowledge of social sciences funding, understanding of RSNZ as an organization (or an interest in acquiring it), capacity to be change agent and time available to commit to the position.
RSNZ Social Sciences Committee – December 2003
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