Category archives: Sociology

Mapping interdisciplinarity

Mapping interdisciplinarity

Philosophy of scienceSociology

By Silvia Román

Some decades ago, the American social scientist Donald T. Campbell imagined interdisciplinary research as a fish-scale structure according to which scholars should make an effort to create links between disciplines, spanning areas ignored by others, in an overlapping pattern aiming to cover the entire web of knowledge. He suggested that scholars should overcome the “ […]

The conflict between science and religion as an “invented tradition”

The conflict between science and religion as an “invented tradition”

HistoryPhilosophy of scienceSociology

By Invited Researcher

Author: Jaume Navarro received his PhD in history of science from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (1998). He has been a researcher at the universities of Cambridge, Imperial College (London) and the Max Planck Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte (Berlin). Currently he is an Ikerbasque Research Professor and a member of the Praxis Group at the Faculty […]

Growing inequalities in science

Growing inequalities in science

Sociology

By Silvia Román

One of the most common misconceptions regarding inequality consists of thinking that an unequal distribution of resources is the result of an unequal effort to achieve them. Although this might be the case in certain situations, when it comes to particular individuals, the fact is that there are systemic structural forces governing the result of […]

The market for blood

The market for blood

EconomicsSociology

By José Luis Ferreira

Slonim et al . (2014) discuss the problems of blood allocation in different countries and suggest a mechanism that can improve it. The present article is a summary of their main ideas. In the wealthy countries blood is mostly supplied via voluntary donations. The way blood is collected varies from country to country. Some have […]

Going postal:  When radiation dosimeters got into a box

Going postal: When radiation dosimeters got into a box

HistoryMedicinePhysicsSociology

By Invited Researcher

What is a radiation dosimeter? Why do we need one? To give you an interesting and short response I will remind you what the Japanese government officials offered to Fukushima evacuees after the 2011 nuclear disaster. Having failed to reach their original radiation decontamination target, the government proposed that evacuees could return to their homes […]

To approve or not to approve: this is not the question

To approve or not to approve: this is not the question

EconomicsSociology

By Invited Researcher

Voice and exit are often alternative ways of exerting influence, but with regard to voting the exit option spells no influence; only voice can have an effect[…] A. Lijphart In polls many citizens express some dissatisfaction with politicians. Usual ways to voice this dissatisfaction in elections are absenteeism, spoiled or blank vote, or voting for […]