Energy research and the contributions of the social sciences: A contemporary examination

This article reports on changes in climate science, social science, public administration, and policymaking over the past twenty-five years. It responds to Gene I. Rochlin's “retrospective examination” of energy research and the social sciences. In 2014, we find that social scientists are still disadvantaged by policymaker biases and inaccessible deliberative systems, but also better poised to conduct original humanistic energy research and produce targeted social change interventions. We review promising social scientific advancements, particularly in the realm of citizen action research. We conclude with the case study of evidence-based practice, a model from the health field that illustrates how climate change and energy research, practice, and policymaking could benefit from the inclusion of social science perspectives and methods.