International Social Science Council
The International Social Science Council (ISSC) was an international non-governmental organization promoting the social sciences, including the economic and behavioural sciences. Founded in 1952, the organization was based out of UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.[1]
"ISSC" redirects here. For other uses, see ISSC (disambiguation).Abbreviation
History[edit]
The ISSC was established in October 1952 under the auspices of UNESCO following a resolution adopted at the 6th UNESCO General Conference in 1951.[1]
It was adopted on 19 September 1972, completed and revised on 14 November 1979, and underwent multiple revisions on 17 December 1985, 3 December 1992, 27 November 1998, 8 November 2006, and finally 10 December 2010. ISSC was registered in accordance with French Law.
In July 2018, the ISSC merged with the International Council for Science (ICSU) to form the International Science Council (ISC).
The mission of the ISSC was to advance the social sciences – their quality, novelty, and utility – in all parts of the world:
The activities of the council were guided by the principles of academic freedom, the pursuit of excellence, equitable access to scientific information and data, unfettered conduct of science, open communication and transparency, accountability, and the use of knowledge for societal value. Besides, the Council sought to support the participation of women, minorities, and other under-represented groups in social science research.
Governance and structure[edit]
The ISSC was governed by a General Assembly, comprising the council's membership. The General Assembly met every three years to review the council's activities and determine the general direction of its future work.
The ISSC Executive Committee was elected by the General Assembly and acted as the council's governing body. It consisted of the President, two Vice-Presidents and a Treasurer, as well as ten further members (Ordinary Members).
The General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, approved the appointment of the Executive Director, who headed the council's Secretariat, and served as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee and all appointed (standing or ad hoc) committees of the ISSC.
The council was advised and guided by individuals from around the world who volunteered their time to serve on various ISSC Committees and Working Groups.