Making the most of social science to build better policies             

Knowledge for Use is a six-year research project funded by an 'Advanced Grant' of just over two million euros from the European Research Council under Horizon 2020. 'Research is an investment in our future’ says Horizon 2020. That’s only true if you know what to do with the research. K4U's two broad research streams study both how to use research to build better social policies - ones that are fairer and more reliable - and how to deliberate about them. The approach is broadly Popperian: the proof of an idea is in what it says about real cases. K4U looks specifically at special problems facing international HIV-AIDs policies, UK child welfare, EU mental health, the reconfiguration of the UK health service, occupational health, work and well-being and climate services in a period of climate change.

The project started in November 2015 and is a collaboration between Durham University (Department of Philosophy and School of Applied Social Sciences), LSE (Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science - CPNSS and Department of Social Policy), and Università Ca' Foscari Venezia (Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage). It brings together a team of top researchers and experts with both philosophical and practical expertise.