Abstract
This article explores new theoretical directions for understanding societal impact of the humanities and in a wider context. Arguing from the position that current evaluation policies and practises are in many cases ill-suited to research in the humanities, with risk of goal displacement, it takes up the debate about what the proper goals of research in the humanities are. Asking: If we risk goal displacement, what are the proper goals researchers are being led away from? Using Miranda Fricker's theory of epistemic justice and Amartya Sen's capability approach, it argues for the need for a 'capability theory' for social capacities to understand societal impact. On the basis of this, a better understanding of the societal impact of research in the humanities can be developed, as well as new ways of assessing (ex ante and ex post) the societal impact of research projects and programmes in the humanities.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 71-76 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Research Evaluation |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved
Other keywords
- Capabilities
- Epistemic justice
- Humanities
- Social capacities
- Societal impact