The poor relation

What are the social sciences? What do they do? How are they practised in Australia?

The poor relation examines the place of the social sciences-from economics and psychology to history, law and philosophy-in the teaching and research conducted by Australian universities.

Across sixty years The poor relation charts the changing circumstances of the social sciences, and measures their contribution to public policy. In doing so it also relates the arrangements made to support them and explains why they are so persistently treated as the poor relation of science and technology.

About the author

Stuart Macintyre is the Ernest Scott Professor of History at the University of Melbourne and a Laureate Professor of the University. He is a former president of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and a current member of the Advisory Council of the Australian Research Council.