Introduction
Humanities and social sciences are two disciplines that are closely linked yet are different from each other. Both these disciplines deal with humans, their culture, and many other aspects of human beings. That is why many think humanities and social sciences are the same. It is hard to classify the various subjects under the two umbrella terms. Subjects that come under social sciences are often misunderstood to be subjects under humanities, and vice versa. It may be because a clear distinction has not been described yet between the two.
However, they are distinctive in the sense that humanities are an in-depth and analytical study of human behavior, while social science is a discipline of science concerned with the aspects of the life of human beings and their relations within a group or society.
Humanities have a critical approach towards humans and society, while social sciences have a more scientific approach. They both have distinct approaches toward society and lead to different career paths. There are many more differences which are discussed in detail in this article.
Humanities vs Social Sciences
Humanities and social sciences are two academic fields related to the study of human behavior, various cultures, and relations of human beings within society.
Humanities are considered to be a branch of science that questions our roots and what makes us what we are today. It is an in-depth study of human behavior and is more philosophical than social sciences. It is an in-depth study of human behavior and is more philosophical than social sciences.
Social sciences are considered to be a branch of modern science. It has a scientific approach to the study of society and human behavior.
Differences between Humanities and Social Sciences in Tabular Form
| Parameter | Humanities | Social Sciences |
| Definition | These are academic streams that are concerned with the in-depth study of humans, their culture, behavior, and what makes humans the way they are. | These are a group of academic disciplines that study how human beings and groups interact with one another and how humans run society. |
| Nature | They are subjective. | They are objective. |
| Area of Study | They study the human world and society from a critical viewpoint. | They study the tradition, culture, and heritage of the society. |
| Focused on | They focus on an in-depth understanding of the specific cases or events. | They focus on the study of patterned behavior. |
| Concept of truth | They follow a relativist concept. | They follow a positivist concept. |
| Approach | They are analytical in approach. | They are scientific in approach. |
| Research | Individuals do not have to conduct research in humanities. | In social sciences, research is mandatory as it has a scientific approach. |
| New/ Old | Humanities are an older approach as it was introduced during the ancient Greek civilization in the middle of the 5th century BCE. | Social sciences are a newer concept as it was introduced during the French and Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. |
What are Humanities?
Humanities are the group of academic disciplines that studies humans and society from a critical point of view. The modern concept of humanities originated from the Classical Greek education system dating back to the middle of the 5th century BCE.
Humanities teach us about the history lived by humans in the past, various forms of art and literature created by people, and views of philosophers on life and humanity. Every poem we came across, every painting we admire, every story of great sacrifice, and every concept of life, all are part of the humanities. They help us to understand our lives and the lives of others a little better. Humanities emphasize analyzing and exchanging ideas through the teachings of art, culture, philosophy, history, and literature. They focus on an in-depth understanding of specific cases or events instead of studying society as a whole.
Humanities follow a relativist concept. It considers that the meaning of something would differ according to different cultures. It believes that there is no absolute truth to anything other than the truth that a particular culture believes.
What does each branch of humanities teach us?
Literature, philosophy, and history are some of the major fields of humanities. They all play very important roles in providing the knowledge required to understand the concepts of our existence.
- History – History may not be an interesting subject for many. Most students do not like the idea of remembering dates and names for exams. However, if we put our interest in it we would be intrigued by the past stories and events. History is not just about learning what happened earlier but it makes us reflect on what mankind went through to be where we are today.
- Philosophy – Philosophy is the study to understand reality and our existence in this world. It is the pursuit to understand the unknown and reflecting on life, nature, aesthetics, values, etc.
- Literature – Literature is the study of human society through ancient scripts and writings. It is also an art form that represents a particular genre. Poetry, prose, and drama are some literary works that make us reflect on subjects or topics that we may have never thought about.
- Art – Visual arts like sketches, paintings, sculptures, and photographs, and performing arts like drama, theatres, and dance are altogether grouped in arts. We cannot imagine life without the arts. Art is found everywhere. Wall paintings, sculptures, monuments, dance, drama, etc., are part of our lives everywhere we go. Art can either be an escape from reality or a reflection of reality itself.
- Music – Music is another form of art, but it is the art of producing sound by playing various instruments. Humans have created and are still creating various kinds of instruments to produce different kinds of music. Music can either soothe our minds and bodies, urge us to get up and dance or reflect the sorrows within us. Music and instruments also differ according to the culture of the people. We, humans, got exposed to different forms of music and culture due to globalization and internet connectivity.
- Religious studies – Religious studies are concerned with studying different religions and their belief systems. It emphasizes relating various religions with cultures. It is necessary to understand how various religions formed in the past and how they impacted humanity. It is not possible to learn about culture without involving religion in it.
What are Social Sciences?
Social sciences may be referred to the fields of study of humans and their interaction with each other. They are branches of science that study humans and their institutions. They help us understand how societies run.
Social sciences are considered to have originated together with humanities. However, that is because there are certain relations between humanities and social sciences. If social sciences are separated from humanities and strictly considered distinctive, then we must agree that they originated only during the 18th century. Economics was one of the first subjects of social sciences. It was launched to understand the proper utilization of resources and their distribution to the masses during the rise of capitalist society in France. Later on, social sciences broadened up with more and more subjects under it.
Social sciences follow the positivist concept that involves scientific methods of studying society; its achievements, and its faults. Research is conducted to prove a certain point, and if proven correct then the data are used further to perform certain tasks. These methods provide an idea of what could be done to improve a situation in society. Policy making, education programs, urban planning, development programs, counseling, etc., all need a proper study and investigation of the working of the society and which can only happen through social sciences.
What does each branch of Social Sciences teach us?
Some of the courses covered under social sciences are political science, economics, criminology, social work, psychology, anthropology, sociology, and law. Each of these subjects plays a significant role in our lives.
- Political science – Political science studies politics, governance, and power from local, international, and comparative perspectives. It includes understanding policies and policy-making, ideologies, institutions, processes, diplomacy, and disputes.
- Sociology – Sociology helps us to understand human beings and their relations with society and institutions. It studies individuals and their relations, communities and their traditions, institutions, systems in society, various kinds of stratifications, and changes that took place over time in society.
- Psychology – Psychology is the study of mental states, emotional health, behavior, and the personality of individuals. It aims to understand the cause of specific behavioral patterns or mental and emotional health issues of individuals and use that knowledge to solve the issues different individuals face.
- Economics – Economics is the study of the utilization of resources for the production of goods and then the distribution and consumption of these goods and services. Its goal is to understand how to make use of resources most efficiently to replenish the need of the masses. Each step needs to be carried out properly to avoid economic disasters.
- Criminology – As the name suggests, criminology studies crimes and delinquencies, their causes, corrections, and preventive methods. It includes a part of sociology and psychology to understand criminal behaviors and patterns.
- Social work – Social work is a course dedicated to creating professional social workers who could be doing their part in helping individuals, groups, and communities to make the best use of their resources to find solutions to their problems and become self-reliant.
- Anthropology – Anthropology studies human beings and their ancestors from time immemorial. It ranges from biological factors and the evolutionary history of human beings to their society and diverse cultures.
- Law – Law is sometimes considered to be a part of social sciences, and sometimes it is said to be independent of all the other streams. However, it does not change the fact that the law is part and parcel of our society, and society cannot function properly and in peace without laws to control deviance and delinquencies.
Main Differences between Humanities and Social Sciences in Points
- Humanities are more abstract as they delve into art, literature, and philosophical expressions of humans and societies. Social sciences, on the other hand, use scientific methods to understand how society functions.
- Humanities study the human condition like language, literature, art, history, philosophy, etc. Social sciences, however, study human interactions with one another which include branches of studies like economics, sociology, anthropology, political science, etc.
- Humanities concentrate on the abstract, theoretical, or conceptual perspective of things. On the other hand, social sciences focus on the empirical, concrete, or practical aspects of things.
- Humanities go in-depth into studying an individual and his relations with art, literature, history, or philosophy. They focus on the individualistic experience and role in society. Social sciences, however, do not focus as much on individuals alone but study society at large.
- Humanities do not need marketing strategies or policies. Social sciences are concerned with marketing policies and their implementation as research is conducted to help the prevailing marketing condition.
Conclusion
Humanities and social sciences have a lot in common as they are both related in understand human beings and the society they live in. However, they are distinctive in many ways.
Humanities go in-depth in the study of human beings and society and have a critical point of view towards it. It is more abstract as it concentrates on explaining art and philosophies and reflecting on how human beings have made it this far into today's society. It helps us to reflect and understand our lives and the lives of others better.
Social sciences, on the contrary, are scientific branches of studies that need research to understand the scenarios of society. It requires data to plan the strategies needed to be taken for a better future for individuals, groups, and society as a whole. It is less abstract and based more on reality.
Hence, with these points, we can conclude that both humanities and social sciences play a significant role in building up knowledge within us and guiding us to become better and wiser in what we do. These fields of study create some good citizens who can make an impact on the well-being of people and society at large.
References
- https://web.uri.edu/humanities/about_center/what-are-the-humanities/
- https://www.edx.org/learn/social-science
- https://ischoolconnect.com/blog/humanities-subjects-everything-you-need-to-know/