Division of Social Science
Wide-ranging expertise
The faculty of the FAS Social Science division are experts in politics, economics, society, and the human mind. Their methods are cutting edge, ranging from data-driven statistical analysis to ethnography and fieldwork; from polling and surveys to neuroimaging. Their work leads to new understandings of social and political systems and the nature of human interaction and thought.
The divisional dean of Social Science is Tony Smith.
Social Science departments and programs
The FAS is home to seven social science departments: Anthropology, Economics, Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Statistics and Data Science. In addition, several programs are cross-divisional, bridging Social Science and Humanities.
News
How the data boom is transforming the social sciences
In a new video, scholars from across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences explain how the recent explosion of data in our world presents both challenges and opportunities in their quest to better understand human behavior.
Seyla Benhabib Awarded the 2026 Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science
Seyla Benhabib, Eugene Meyer Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Philosophy, received the Skytte Prize in Political Science in honor of her work “examining how justice is possible in a world of constant human mobility, with deep respect for the rights of both individuals and states.”
How do AI chatbots ‘reason’ like humans? A Yale-led study offers clues
The neural networks that power popular AI chatbots process data much differently than humans but capably perform tasks involving language, logic, and math. A new study led by Tom McCoy, Assistant Professor of Linguistics, sheds light on how those systems “think.”
Examining the hidden labor economy behind AI
In a new book, Assistant Professor of American Studies Julián Posada explores the experiences of the low-paid workers who generate the massive amounts of data needed for artificial intelligence.
At the forefront of economics
Can the field of economics help to achieve greater equality? Rohini Pande, economist and Director of the Yale Economic Growth Center, believes economists should consider notions of justice, not just efficiency. As part of a large study, she and her colleagues, along with researchers from the Inclusion Economics initiative, are currently surveying over 5,000 Indian women to better understand a major gender disparity in mobile phone use in the country and whether government policies might be needed to correct the imbalance.
FAS Social Science contacts
- FAS Dean of Social Science; William K. Lanman, Jr. Professor of Economics and Professor of Management
- FAS Dean's Office
- Economics
- Senior Associate Dean
- FAS Dean's Office
- Associate Dean
- FAS Dean's Office