The main objective

The main objective for the Department of Social Science (ASF) is to continue developing social science research in Bodø into a dynamic research environment of national and international importance in the profiled thematic research fields. An important part of this objective implies necessarily increasing the research effort amongst all the research staff belonging to the social sciences in Bodø’s social science community.

The Department of Social Science’s research strategy objectives for the period 2004-2007

The Department of Social Science has begun the establishment of a stable and high-quality social science PHD study programme in Bodø in the field of sociology. One is also aiming to be able to develop sufficient expertise to provide PHD programmes in other subjects. This represents The Department of Social Science’s main research strategy objective. Establishment of a research study programme underlines the significance of an active and stable research environment. Educating researchers also requires the department to attach all PHD students to active research groups in addition to offering regular tutoring. 

Active thematic research groups are a precondition for the establishment of the researcher study programme (PHD) in sociology. The department has during the last two years worked on defining and giving priority to thematic research fields and groups in the social science field in Bodø. The following criteria have been laid down as defining a research group:

1.      A research theme is a strategic area for effort for the environment, emerging both through existing research interests/production/projects amongst staff members and also profiled through the content of the study programme, especially at master degree level and in description of the researcher study programme.

2.      A minimum number of staff members are associated to the theme.

3.      High formal research competence is represented in the group, preferably at professor level, and as a minimum, at associate professor level.

4.      Members of the group participate in national and international research networks.

Based on these criteria, the following thematic research groups have been established with relevance to the sociology research study programme:

These research groups have been completely or partially established between the Department of Social Sciences, Nordland Research Institute and The National Centre for Comprehensive Rehabilitation Research and Development. Researchers from other departments have also participated in this work. In addition history and journalism are important subject and research fields at the department which lie either completely or partially outside the research study programme in sociology.  

It can of course be discussed how firm the structure of the research groups should be, and this will also vary somewhat. Certain themes have firm group constellations, such as the Centre for Disability Research, whereas others are more loosely organised. The research theme groups are to take care of two partially conflicting purposes: one being that we in certain priority themes have stable research environments that are visible in a national and international research community. The other is that we must also keep a high degree of flexibility in research organisation in order, for example to be able to put together new applicant groups across research theme groups, to respond to new research programmes. We need in other words both stability and flexibility at the same time.

Over and above, this the department has several underpinning objectives. Firstly one must develop the internal organisation. One aims to develop the department’s own research committee to be an organ which can, together with the dean, be responsible for realising the research strategy. One must ensure that all the academic staff members participate in a well-defined, natural and active way in a research group, and one must also develop the expertise in the groups so that all prioritised research fields have research leaders at professor level.

Academic development is another natural field of effort. Here the aim is for the department to achieve the goal of 10 staff members with professor competence. Special focus will be directed at increasing the proportion of women with professor competence. Apart from this the department aims to increase the number of stipend positions to a minimum of 15. This implies an increased production of social scientific publications, especially regarding articles with referees (national and international) and books. The Department of Social Science also aims to make social scientific research more visible through chronicles, debate articles in newspapers, lectures etc.

A third objective will be to develop social science research co-operation between the Department of Social Science, the National Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation Research and Development and Nordland Research Institute as well as with researchers in other departments. Here one must, in close co-operation with the National Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation Research and Development and Nordland Research Institute, also improve administrative follow-up and co-ordination of the department’s research activity. One aims to establish a minimum of one major environment-building research project stretching for several years within each of the prioritised research themes.