The Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS) is Australia’s major institution for theoretical and empirical research in the social sciences. It is also a significant presence in the nation’s postgraduate and postdoctoral training in the social sciences. The School has seven objectives.

Producing basic research that is excellent by the best international academic standards in the various disciplines represented in the School.

Creating a distinctive multidisciplinary environment for research.

Providing a research environment of a scale made possible by the dedicated research funding and critical mass provided by the School.

Publishing research on matters of national significance to Australia.

Working with social science researchers throughout Australia in supporting research and the social sciences generally.

Delivering informed and independent commentary on current issues of policy and where appropriate to participate in policy formation.

Supporting postgraduate education in the disciplines represented in the School and across the social sciences.

As well as the disciplinary Programs, there are several centres, all of which have a multidisciplinary character. Examples include: SPEAR (Social Policy and Evaluation Analysis and Research Centre), and ANZSOG, the Australian and New Zealand School of Government (see ‘Programs and Centres’ for a complete list). Also, the location under a single umbrella of disciplines like economics, political science, history and philosophy is a major stimulus to multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary work. For example, a recent addition to the School's interdisciplinary focus is in the philosophy of biology, connecting work in philosophy with work in theoretical biology.

The School provides a vigorous and stimulating intellectual environment in which collaborations and connections, which foster an environmentr in which all scholars can do their best research. Sometimes there are groups of scholars working to a single collective purpose - the Australian Dictionary of Biography is a notable example. More commonly, research is structured around four research themes: Comparative Public Policy and Government, Social Dynamics, Well-being and Rights, Productive Australia in the World Economy, and Public and Private Reasoning.

RSSS has a high international profile across all the areas of the School’s work. We publish in the best international journals and place our monographs with the best publishing houses. We have high levels of citations and do well on other impact measures, such as invitations to give named lectures or series of lectures at leading overseas universities, rankings by independent bodies, collaborations with internationally distinguished scholars, prizes, awards and memberships of learned societies. For example, the 2006 Times Higher Educational Supplement world rankings for 'Top 100 in Social Sciences' places ANU Social Science 6th in the world and top in Australia (see http://www.thes.co.uk/worldrankings/. The Philosophical Gourmet Report ranked philosophy the top department in Australia, top 3 in the world for Philosophy of Mind, top 3 in the world for Philosophy of Biology, and top 5 in the world for Cognitive Science (see http://rsss.anu.edu.au/philosophygourmet.php). Finally, Simon Hix’s analysis of publications in the top 61 political science journals shows RSSS at 19th in the world and the only Australian University in the top 75 (see Political Studies Review 3/1 2005: 293-313).

The School provides an unusually good environment for graduate study. It attracts and keeps scholars of great distinction and productivity. So, our graduate students have the opportunity to work with the leaders in their fields and to be advised by the authors of the standard reference works in their area. We also run jointly with colleagues at ANU joint taught masters programs; see for example, the joint degree with the Crawford School at http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/degrees/public_policy/

RSSS has an active engagement in national policy making on a broad front. This engagement includes independent academic commentary on policy matters. Other colleagues participate in policy processes through public committees of inquiry, research reports for government agencies, research funded by government agencies, and secondments and interactions with the public service.

The School is the heart of a strong national and international network. We mount many conferences and workshops. We attract a steady stream of prominent researchers from overseas through our visiting fellows program. They typically come on visits of between two and six months. Such visitors make themselves available to our graduate students for discussions, and work with scholars from across Australia.