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Home / GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, Volume 26, Number 1

Open Access Citizen Science in the Social Sciences: A Call for More Evidence

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While citizen science research is already established in the natural sciences, it remains difficult to find in mainstream social sciences. Yet, social science research stands to benefit greatly from civic engagement. In this age of new technologies, citizen contributions have become more feasible. In Austria, for example, students are engaged in a citizen science project called YAPES, in which they use their smartphones to submit comments and photos about how they get in touch with political issues. Challenges do exist for this form of research, however, from the relation between human observation and data quality to ethical questions.

Keywords: citizen science; co-production of knowledge; public participation in scientific research; social sciences

Document Type: Research Article

Publication date: 01 January 2017

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  • GAIA is a peer-reviewed inter- and transdisciplinary journal for scientists and other interested parties concerned with the causes and analyses of environmental and sustainability problems and their solutions.

    Environmental problems cannot be solved by one academic discipline. The complex natures of these problems require cooperation across disciplinary boundaries. Since 1991, GAIA has offered a well-balanced and practice-oriented forum for transdisciplinary research. GAIA offers first-hand information on state of the art environmental research and on current solutions to environmental problems. Well-known editors, advisors, and authors work to ensure the high quality of the contributions found in GAIA and a unique transdisciplinary dialogue – in a comprehensible style.

    GAIA is an ISI-journal, listed in the Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Science Citation Index and in Current Contents/Social and Behavioral Sciences.

    All contributions undergo a double-blind peer review.

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