Social sciences research
We explain and understand the consequences of human interaction.
What do we research?
The research subject of the social sciences is human interaction. The research helps us explain and understand the consequences of humans interacting in different parts of society, and provides tools to consciously shape our society.
How to understand one another? How to explain the new phenomena that spring up in society? What factors influence our decision making? These are all questions that research in the social sciences seeks to answer. “The social sciences” is a broad term, running the gamut from politics, economics, psychology and sociology to advanced computer systems and dietetics.The research in the social sciences at Uppsala University is renowned both internationally and in Sweden, and we conduct several research projects in collaboration with different universities all around the world.
Read more about research in the social sciences at the individual institutions and departments:
- Institute for Housing and Urban Research
- Department of Economic History
- Department of Peace and Conflict Research
- Department of Business Studies
- Department of Informatics and Media
- Department of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics
- Department of Social and Economic Geography
- Department of Economics
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Sociology
- Department of Statistics
- Department of Government
- Institute for Russian and Eurasian Studies
The Hans L. Zetterberg Prize in Sociology
The Hans L. Zetterberg Prize is awarded annually to young researchers from Sweden or abroad, who with their scholarly work, preferably by fruitfully combining theory and practice, have advanced the research front. The prize sum is SEK 100,000 (USD 11,000 or EUR 9,500).
Submit nominations for the 2023 Hans L. Zetterberg Prize no later than 21 May.
SYLFF scholarships
In 1987, the global scholarship programme Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders' Fellowship Fund (SYLFF) was started by the current Nippon Foundation. Today, the programme exists at 69 universities in 44 countries.
In 1988, Uppsala University was the second institution in the world to be awarded a large donation which gives an annual return in the form of post-doc scholarships (for maximum 3 years’ funding) at the Faculty of Social Sciences under the Social Science Program for Increased International Understanding.
Scholarships can be applied for in the autumn of each year.

Area studies

Within the disciplinary domain there are a number of research forums, which set out from cultural and geographical areas. Here researchers who take an interest in the area meet.
Honorary doctoral degrees

Honorary doctoral degrees are awarded to distinguished individuals who have made an outstanding academic contribution or in some other way promoted research at the University. Each year, the faculty boards have the opportunity to appoint one or more honorary doctors.