{"title":"Solutions Looking for Problems? How Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences can Inform the Space Sector","authors":"Basil P. Tucker , Hank C. Alewine","doi":"10.1016/j.spacepol.2023.101595","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Interdisciplinary research approaches are more likely to deliver outcomes beyond the capability of a single discipline is well established in the research literature. In view of the inherent complexity of space exploration, and the considerable challenges characterizing what has been termed the “New Space Age”, interdisciplinary research would seem well positioned to engage with the space sector to a very significant extent. However, contributions that the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) disciplines can make in addressing the needs of business, industry, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and policymakers in the space sector remains equivocal. This exploratory study aims to investigate the latent contribution and value-added potential of HASS disciplines to inform the space sector through interviews with 32 senior practitioners and policymakers from this sector in Australia, Europe, and the USA. Findings suggest not only a definitive role of HASS disciplines in the space sector but also an almost symbiotic relationship existing between HASS and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines. In addition, HASS contributions to the space sector have changed over time, and challenges facing HASS disciplines in the future represent opportunities to embed HASS as a more credible contributor within the space sector.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":45924,"journal":{"name":"Space Policy","volume":"67 ","pages":"Article 101595"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Space Policy","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265964623000620","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Interdisciplinary research approaches are more likely to deliver outcomes beyond the capability of a single discipline is well established in the research literature. In view of the inherent complexity of space exploration, and the considerable challenges characterizing what has been termed the “New Space Age”, interdisciplinary research would seem well positioned to engage with the space sector to a very significant extent. However, contributions that the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) disciplines can make in addressing the needs of business, industry, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and policymakers in the space sector remains equivocal. This exploratory study aims to investigate the latent contribution and value-added potential of HASS disciplines to inform the space sector through interviews with 32 senior practitioners and policymakers from this sector in Australia, Europe, and the USA. Findings suggest not only a definitive role of HASS disciplines in the space sector but also an almost symbiotic relationship existing between HASS and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines. In addition, HASS contributions to the space sector have changed over time, and challenges facing HASS disciplines in the future represent opportunities to embed HASS as a more credible contributor within the space sector.
期刊介绍:
Space Policy is an international, interdisciplinary journal which draws on the fields of international relations, economics, history, aerospace studies, security studies, development studies, political science and ethics to provide discussion and analysis of space activities in their political, economic, industrial, legal, cultural and social contexts. Alongside full-length papers, which are subject to a double-blind peer review system, the journal publishes opinion pieces, case studies and short reports and, in so doing, it aims to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions and a means by which authors can alert policy makers and international organizations to their views. Space Policy is also a journal of record, reproducing, in whole or part, official documents such as treaties, space agency plans or government reports relevant to the space community. Views expressed in the journal are not necessarily those of the editors or members of the editorial board.