ERC grants hold promises for sociologists
Together with several European Research Council (ERC) grantees, French sociologist and ERC Scientific Council member Professor Michel Wieviorka is taking part in the 18th World Congress of the International Sociological Association (ISA) in Yokohama, Japan, to discuss issues such as how wealth can be distributed more evenly across the globe and what role sociology can play in dealing with various aspects of inequality.
At the opening of the congress, which takes place from 13-19 July, Wieviorka commented: “At a time when countries across the globe have difficulties in funding research in social sciences and humanities, I am proud that the ERC is one of those rare funding bodies which consider that disciplines such as sociology should get substantial support.”
Since 2007, the ERC has supported around 650 projects in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). However, fewer than 50 of the 4,500 ERC-funded projects across all scientific fields have been in sociology.
“Sociology has become a prerequisite for understanding current societal challenges but the low number of applications from sociologists in ERC competitions remains a cause for concern. The ERC is keen to make its prestigious funding visible to the best sociologists; this is another reason for us to be present at the ISA congress this year in Japan, a hotbed for research”, Wieviorka added.
Based on the demand for funding in previous years, over €2.5bn of the ERC budget could be awarded to excellent projects in the SSH field under Horizon 2020. Since its launch, the ERC has awarded 14 grants to researchers of Japanese nationality based in the EU or its associate countries for a total amount of around €20m.
As a former ISA president, Wieviorka will speak at the presidential session on 16 July. Several ERC grant winners working in interdisciplinary teams in areas such as sociology, gender, epidemiology, geography and social and urban studies, will also attend the conference.
