SOCIAL SCIENCE

Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and
the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to
refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of society", established in the 19th
century.

A social science is any branch of academic study or science that deals with human
behaviour in its social and cultural aspects. Usually included within the social sciences
are cultural (or social) anthropology, sociology, psychology, political science, and
economics.
Social scientists study how societies work, exploring everything from the triggers of
economic growth and the causes of unemployment to what makes people happy. Their
findings inform public policies, education programs, urban design, marketing strategies,
and many other endeavors.

Understanding Social Science

Social science as a field of study is separate from the natural sciences, which cover
topics such as physics, biology, and chemistry. Social science examines the
relationships between individuals and societies as well as the development and operation
of societies, rather than studying the physical world. These academic disciplines rely
more heavily on interpretation and qualitative research methodologies.

History of Social Science

The origins of social science can be traced back to the ancient Greeks. The lives they
led, as well as their early studies into human nature, the state, and mortality, helped to
shape Western civilization.

Social science as an academic field of study developed out of the Age of Enlightenment
(or the Age of Reason), which flourished through much of the 18 th century in
Europe. Adam Smith, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Denis Diderot, Immanuel Kant,
and David Hume were among the major intellectuals at the time who laid the foundations
for the study of social science in the Western world.

Individuals began to take a more disciplined approach to quantifying their observations

of society. Over time, similar aspects of society, such as linguistics and psychology, were
separated into unique fields of study.

Five Key Branches of Social Science

Some say there are seven social sciences, while others claim there are four, five, six, or
something else. Opinions vary on what should be included, yet most pundits agree that
the following five fields definitely fall into this category:
 ▪ Anthropology ▪ Political science ▪ Social psychology
▪ Economics ▪ Sociology

although some people also include history, criminology, and geography in this
conversation.

History is also sometimes regarded as a branch of social science, although many

historians often consider the subject to share closer links to the humanities. Both
humanities and social science study human beings. What separates them is the
technique applied: Humanities are viewed as more philosophical and less scientific.

Law, too, has some ties to social science, as does geography.

Social Science in Schools

In the United States, early education in social science begins in elementary school
and progresses throughout middle and high school, with an emphasis on aspects of core
social sciences such as economics and political science. At the collegiate level, more
specialized disciplines are offered.

Nowadays, colleges and universities offer numerous social science programs. For
example, the University of California, Berkeley has 15 academic departments
categorized as social sciences. They are:

▪ African American studies ▪ Global studies

▪ Anthropology ▪ History
▪ Cognitive science ▪ Linguistics
▪ Demography ▪ Political economy
▪ Economics ▪ Political science
▪ Ethnic studies ▪ Psychology
▪ Gender and women’s studies ▪ Sociology
▪ Geography

Master’s degree and Ph.D. programs at colleges and universities offer further
opportunities for deeper specialization.

OVERVIEW TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES

Social Studies is a program of study of Social Sciences. As a program of Social Sciences,

it utilizes contents and skills in the Social Sciences. The name of Social Studies was first coined in
1916 in the United States as a study of all the Social Sciences to enable people to understand the
social nature of the world in which we live in.

Social Science:
• The study of how people live and organize themselves in society.
Nature:
• A combination of both art and science.
• It is dynamic in nature.
• Presently scientific and logical methods are also included and applied in the teaching-
learning process of social science.

Relation with other subject:

• Relationship with Language
• Relationship with Mathematics
• Relationship with Technology
• Relationship with Art

Significance of Social Science in Teaching:

• develop the feeling of patriotism

• build the feeling of democratic sentiments among the learners
• develop critical thinking
• develop different skills which help them earn their livelihood
• develop interest, value, knowledge for various cultures, customs, traditions of society
• develop learner's good citizen

Contribution of Social Science to the Development of Children:

1. Study of society and the people of the society is based on information and facts related to
Human and environment which helps in the development of known structure in the child's
mind.
2. It helps in the development of the relevant understanding of the experiences related to
inside or outside the classroom.
3. It develops the favorable or unfavorable attitude of the child and society towards various
facts, figures, and experiences related to society.

Social Studies:
• A field which deals with human behavior, relationships, resources, and institutions.
• A branch of study which deals with Human Beings – their behavior, growth and
development, relationships, resources they use and the various institutions they require to
function and carry on their life smoothly.
Aim and Purpose:
• to teach students to become good citizens.

Social Studies in the 21st Century

a) Social studies connect students with the real world.
 b) Prepare students to interact with people of all cultures and communities.

Importance of Social Studies in the School Curriculum

Social Studies
Teach students to interact with others from different cultural and socioeconomic
backgrounds. Students must study how society works, and how people work in a society in order
for it all to work once they enter society after graduation.
The inclusion of Social Studies in the curriculum right from primary to secondary classes
signifies the importance of the subject and the role it plays in a student’s life. Social Studies is
incorporated in the school curriculum through a combination of subjects like – History, Geography,
Cultural Studies, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, etc.

8 Reasons: Why Social Studies Important for Students?

Students learn skills through social studies that help them succeed in further education as well as
life.
Here are all the amazing ways learning social studies benefits kids and society together:
1. Better Reading and Learning - Social studies are one area in education where content
integration is key. Students are given reading material that corresponds with the current
learning topics. Giving reading materials in context helps students become better readers.
They also become better learners because they are asked to use analysis, critical thinking,
and writing to show understanding.

2. Citizen Responsibilities and Values - Students need an understanding of history, political

science, culture, and all humanities to be able to understand why it is important to be a good
citizen.

3. Cultural Understanding - We need students to learn about, understand, and appreciate

cultural differences if we expect them to have meaningful interactions with people of all
backgrounds in the future.

4. Economic Education - By learning economics, young people understand how their

financial decisions have an impact on their future, as well as the future of society.

5. Critical Thinking - A part of social studies — students are taught to evaluate others’
decisions and make connections between influences and circumstances. Young people get
the opportunity to learn from others’ mistakes through social sciences.

6. Real-World Understanding - Students learn about places, cultures, and events around the
world, what conspired to make them the way they are, and can make inferences about how
the rest of the world works.
7. Political Skills - From social studies classes, students learn about government, political
ideas, country economy and resources, and more. Students gain political skills by analyzing
and evaluating existing systems and imaging the future of the place in which they live.
 8. Respect History - History is what made the world the way it is, and it is essential that
people study it in order to have an appreciation for and understanding of the way the world
works. Learning about history is what makes it possible to learn from the past and plan for
the future.

Teaching Social Studies is a fun challenge and is a way to really have an impact on the
future of a generation. Therefore, we teachers must know how to be the most effective and
passionate teacher we can be.