samfunnsvitenskapelig

Samfunnsvitenskapelig is an adjective used in Norwegian to describe research, methods, or perspectives related to the social sciences. It designates knowledge and inquiry that study society, social relationships, institutions, and behavior through a scientific approach.

The term combines samfunn (society) and vitenskapelig (scientific), and in Norwegian academic language it is used to distinguish social-science oriented work from natural sciences or humanities.

The label covers a range of disciplines whose core concerns are human societies, such as sociology, political science, economics, human geography, anthropology, and demography. It is also applied to interdisciplinary work that analyzes social processes, power, inequality, culture, and collective action.

Samfunnsvitenskapelig research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods. Common tools include surveys, interviews, content analysis, statistical modeling, and comparative or historical analysis. The choice of method reflects aims to explain social phenomena, test theories, or describe patterns.

In universities, faculties or departments may be named Faculty of Social Sciences (fakultet for samfunnsvitenskap) or use samfunnsvitenskapelig as a descriptor for programs, courses, or research centers. The term emphasizes a social context and regard for human behavior within societal structures.

Overall, samfunnsvitenskapelig denotes the broad field of inquiry that studies human societies with systematic methods, situated between the natural sciences and the humanities in many academic traditions.