Social Scientists and Humanists in the Health Research Field

Over the course of the late twentieth century, academic science has evolved from a logic of science for its own sake where the search for truth had intrinsic value (Friedland and Alford 1991) to a logic where science has become increasingly evaluated on the basis of its economic value and societal usefulness (Gumport 2000, Popp Berman 2012a, 2012b, Slaughter and Leslie 1997). The view of science that underpins this vision is one where scientists tackle so-called “real-world problems” and find solutions that benefit society in varied ways, what Gibbons and his colleagues call “Mode 2” knowledge production (1994) and Ramirez (2006, 2010) has characterized as the shift toward the socially useful university: one that behaves like a rational actor and shows its importance for the broader society.