Social Sciences
Explore faculty and student work in economics, sociology, political science, anthropology, and other disciplines shaping our understanding of society.
FAS Overhaul Brings Deep Cuts to Social Sciences, Phillips Brooks House
After a final round of layoffs, University leaders say 165 staff jobs were eliminated across the division.
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
Tarun Khanna
Harvard Business School professor Tarun Khanna seeks to integrate Western business models into emerging markets.
Financial Crises, Faculty Views
Harvard faculty members gather to discuss economic problems on Wall Street and beyond.