SOCIAL SCIENCES, CONCEPTS OF BRANCHES AND RELATIONSHIPS

Social sciences consist of branches pertaining to the study of human society and social relationships. The disciplines usually encompass: anthropology, demography, economics, geography, political science, psychology, sociology and philosophy. Frequently included are those areas of education that deal with the social contexts of learning and the relation of the school to the social order. History is regarded by many as a social science, and certain areas of historical study are almost indistinguishable from work done in the social sciences. The study of comparative law may also be regarded as a part of the social sciences, although it is ordinarily pursued in schools of law rather than in departments or schools containing most of the other social sciences. Change on different levels (social dynamics in everyday life, short-term transformations and long-term developments in society at large) has become the focus of attention.