Advocating for Social Science: Insights from COSSA Advocacy Day

This past April the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) hosted their annual Social Science Advocacy Day. On Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., social scientists from across the country converged to talk with lawmakers about the importance of social and behavioral science.

Advocates were teamed with other social scientists from their state to participate in a day of meetings with members of Congress and representatives from their offices. They discussed the importance of federal support for social and behavioral science.. COSSA provided training and logistical support (including scheduling meetings with Congressional offices and providing an on-call expert to answer day-of policy questions), as well as materials to help advocates communicate their message to policymakers.

The Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR) sponsored two OIBR distinguished scholars, Dr. Lydia Aletraris, Associate Research Scientist, School of Social Work, and Dr. Scott Ardoin, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education and Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, for the event.

Dr. Aletraris, whose research spans topics from cannabis policy to human trafficking, began her first journey into legislative advocacy. Reflecting on her expectations versus reality, she noted the whirlwind pace of the meetings, where time was precious. “The fast pace of the meetings served as a valuable lesson in having clear, succinct, and impactful talking points ready,” she remarked. She quickly learned the art of filtering complex research into digestible narratives that resonate with policymakers.

For Dr. Ardoin, whose expertise lies in reading comprehension and classroom behavior management, the experience was equally enlightening. He highlighted the importance of aligning advocacy efforts with the interests of policymakers. “Just because they will be voting on an item does not mean that the item is important to them,” he emphasized. Understanding the agenda of congressional leaders and framing advocacy within that context emerged as a key takeaway.

Both scholars echoed the need for greater education and collective recognition within the social science community. Dr. Ardoin emphasized the importance of disseminating research beyond academic circles, advocating for a unified approach under the umbrella term of social science. “If we only talk about our specific areas, we risk overlooking the shared importance of our research,” he emphasized. Dr. Aletraris echoed this sentiment, stressing the significance of collaboration and broader dissemination efforts to foster public appreciation for scientific endeavors.

May 14, 2023 Written by: Andrea Horsman