Towards a framework for analyzing interactions between social science and environmental policy

Interactions between social science and environmental policy have become increasingly important
over the past 25 years. There has, however, been little analysis of the roles that social scientists
adopt and the contributions they make. In this paper we begin the process, offering tentative
answers to two key questions: in relation to environmental problems: (1) how do social science and
public policy interact? and (2) in the future, what types of interactions can social scientists engage
in? To answer these questions we build on research in Policy Studies and Science and Technology
Studies, and extend it through public scholarship debates.