Social Sciences
Explore faculty and student work in economics, sociology, political science, anthropology, and other disciplines shaping our understanding of society.
Is the Constitution Broken?
Harvard legal scholars debate the state of our founding national document.
The Developing Child
With a new interdisciplinary center, Harvard turns its focus to the earliest years of life.
Decisionmaking, Measured
A new interdisciplinary decision-science lab will host experiments from psychology, economics, and beyond.
Retirement Engine Rebuilt
Skeptical of both defined-benefit and defined-contribution retirement plans, Harvard Business School professor Robert Merton proposes a hybrid, SmartNest, to overcome the shortcomings of each.
by Paul Gleason
Habeas Corpus and the War on Terrorism
In the fight against terrorists, habeas corpus has played a key role in efforts to balance civil liberties against national security.
Studying Schooling
Two new education centers, run by Roland Fryer and Thomas Kane, and an existing center, run by Paul Peterson, bring Harvard’s analytic resources to bear on public education issues: student achievement, teacher recruitment, and school choice.
Where Decisionmaking Is Measured
A new interdisciplinary decision-science lab will host experiments from psychology, economics, and beyond.
Good Work Goes Beyond a Paycheck
Education scholar Howard Gardner’s recipe for professional fulfillment
Glaeser: Time to Rethink the Mortgage Interest Deduction
Current tax policy encourages taking on debt to buy a bigger house, says Glimp professor of economics Edward L. Glaeser.
The Financial Cost of Feeling
Psychologist and public-policy scholar Jennifer Lerner explores how emotions influence behavior and judgment.
Slavery’s Sway
Interdisciplinary economist Nathan Nunn explores the problem of African underdevelopment by drawing on—and unearthing—historical data about slavery.
by Paul Gleason