The Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (INSHS)

The scientific objectives of the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences are to study and understand societies and human beings by developing theories, methods and tools in the units it steers alone or jointly. In partnership with universities and major research and higher education institutions, the INSHS favours the emergence of new research themes, multidisciplinarity within the human and social sciences and interdisciplinary links with other sciences. Finally, it promotes the internationalization of French humanities and social sciences.

Describing, analyzing and understanding humans in society:

Throughout their history, human beings have created languages, languages and signs. They have invented forms of expression and representation, nurtured and transmitted cultures and developed knowledge and theories. They have also been willingly involved in complex political, social, legal and economic organizations. They have explored, occupied and managed the Earth which has often led to conflict with significant consequences for other species and the planet's resources. The aim of the research carried out by the INSHS's units is to understand this full set of elements.

A long-term commitment to clearly stated scientific priorities

The INSHS works in a complementary manner to its partners within joint research units. Currently, it particularly provides support for area studies, comparative approaches, global studies and transnationalization. From a methodological standpoint, this work focuses on formalization, quantification, modelling and simulation, digital humanities and gender studies. It also assists in the development of thematic research in the fields of education, health, human security and the relationship between artificial intelligence and the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS). The INSHS plays a specific role in France in the development of archaeological sciences, anthropology and classical studies with constant thought and study aimed at making sure its priorities evolve and remain up-to-date.

Encouraging international research

The INSHS has prioritized the internationalization of its scientific communities' research as have the other nine CNRS institutes. It implements this policy through a variety of initiatives and projects. In particular, the Institute encourages its staff to interact with scientific communities in countries with a long tradition of research as well as in scientifically emerging countries.

To achieve this, the INSHS has created several International Research Laboratories (IRLs). With the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the INSHS jointly steers an exceptional network of International Research Laboratories (Umifre). The Institute also provides financial support for the international mobility of many researchers. It encourages their participation in International Emerging Actions (IEAs), International Research Networks (IRNs) and International Research Projects (IRPs).

The Institute's commitment to interdisciplinarity at the CNRS

The INSHS works in harmony with the approach involving exchanges and cross-disciplinary research defined by the CNRS's Mission for Transversal and Interdisciplinary Initiatives (MITI).

For example, the Institute works on joint research projects on the brain, cognition and behaviour with the Institute of Biological Sciences (INSB). The INSHS also runs projects with the Institute of Ecology and Environment (INEE) which study the relationships between human beings and their environments involving research units that are steered or jointly steered by the Institute. It also encourages its researchers to interact with the fields of computer and engineering sciences.

The CNRS MITI

Support for IR and TGIR

Access to digital data is both an asset and a challenge for the INSHS because it promotes interdisciplinarity. Research Infrastructures (IRs) specializing in the humanities and social sciences make the best use of these massive data flows.

This is particularly the case of two Very Large-Scale Research Infrastructures (TGIRs) whose national roll-out is actively supported by the INSHS:

  • Progedo which aims to speed up the production and management of data in universities;
  • Huma-Num ("Humanités numériques", Digital Humanities) which offers collective data storage, processing interoperability and dissemination services.

They work in conjunction with the National Network of Houses of Human Sciences (RNMSH)which brings together and coordinates the research of 23 establishments in France. Today, the RNMSH has become the prime meeting place for partnerships and exchanges between universities, organizations and local authorities.

Organization chart

Direction

Director of the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (INSHS) (1)

Management assistant

Deputy director of the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (INSHS) (1)

Secretary-administrator

x

Deputy Scientific Direction

Deputy Scientific Directors (11)

Sections 31 Humankinds and environments: evolution, interactions - Section 32 Ancient and medieval worlds

Section 33 Modern and Contemporary Worlds

Section 34 Language Sciences - Section 26 Brain, cognition, behaviour

Section 35 Philosophy, literature, arts

Sections 36 Sociology et legal studies

Section 37 Economics and Management

Section 38 Social anthropology and comparative studies of contemporary societies

Section 39 Spaces, Territories and Societies - Interdisciplinarity

Section 40 Politics, Power, Organization - Humanities and Social Sciences Health (HSS Health)

International

Open science, scientific publishing and research data - Houses of Human Sciences and Institutes

Project leaders / Scientific delegates (2)

GIS IReSP (Scientific Interest Group - Institute for Public Health Research)

Interdisciplinarity

Administrative Assistant Direction

Administrative Deputy Director (2)

Administrative Deputy Director assistant

Management assistant

Monitoring of unit portfolios

Humankinds and environments: evolution, interactions (2)

Section 31

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

x

Ancient and medieval worlds (2)

Section 32

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

x

Modern and Contemporary Worlds (2)

Section 33

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

x

Language Sciences (2)

Section 34

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

x

Philosophy, literature, arts (2)

Section 35

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

Sociology et legal studies (2)

section 36

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

Economics and Management (2)

section 37

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

x

Social anthropology and comparative studies of contemporary societies (2)

Section 38

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

Spaces, Territories, Societies (2)

Section 39

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

Politics, Power, Organization (2)

Section 40

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

Houses of Human Sciences (2)

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

International (2)

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

Missions and Hubs

Legal Affairs and Partnerships (2)

Legal manager

Secretary-administrator

Condorcet Campus (6)

Deputy Scientific Director

Project manager / Financial Working Group

Financial Working Group / GDS Working Group

Major Documentation Centre (GED)

Communication Working Group

Secretary-administrator

x

Communication (4)

Deputy Scientific Director

Communication manager

Communication officer

Communication Assistant

Europe and International (6)

Deputy Scientific Director

Manager - Assistant to the Deputy Scientific Director

Project leader /Project leader Horizon Europe-Member of SHS GTN

European and International cooperation officer (Europe, International Research Networks and International Research Project)

x

Scientific Administration Officer (calls for proposals/ International Emerging Actions, PhD Joint Programmes, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science)

Secretary-administrator (Doctoral contracts / Incoming SMI (International mobility grant)

Training courses - Thematic schools (2)

Training courses Project leader

Communication Assistant

Innovation, knowledge transfer and industrial partnerships (3)

Innovation, knowledge transfer and industrial partnerships manager

Innovation, knowledge transfer and industrial partnerships officer

Innovation, knowledge transfer and industrial partnerships assistant

Interdisciplinarity (3)

Deputy Scientific Director

Scientific administration project officer

N.

Secretary-administrator

IR/IR* (3)

Scientific Administration Officer

Scientific Administration Officer

Secretary-administrator

Houses of Human Sciences (3)

Deputy Scientific Director

Scientific administration project officer

Secretary-administrator

Observatory of research activities in humanities and social sciences (3)

Observatory of the activities and productions of HSS researchers and engineers manager

Observatory of the activities and productions of HSS researchers and engineers Assistant

N.

Communication assistant

Research programs and cross-disciplinary scientific projects (9)

Scientific observatories in the humanities and social sciences

Deputy director of the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (INSHS)

Priority Research Programmes and Equipments

Autonomy' (ageing and disability) PPR (Scientific follow-up)

Irima' (risk science) exploratory PEPR (Scientific follow-up)

'Subsoil' (resources) exploratory PEPR (Scientific follow-up)

'Solutions for a Sustainable City and Territorial Innovations' acceleration PEPR (Scientific follow-up)

Priority Research Programmes and Equipments / Priority Research Programme (administrative follow-up)

Cross-disciplinary scientific projects

Colibex chair (Scientific follow up)

November 13 program (Scientific follow up)

Networks and scientific foresight (5)

Deputy Scientific Director

Scientific administration project officer - GIS, RTP

Scientific administration project officer - GDR

Legal manager

Secretary-administrator

Financial resources (3)

Financial resources manager

Financial resources Administrator

Financial resources Administrator

Human resources (6)

IT-CCD recruitment campaigns (IT and researchers) - Monitoring employment levels

Training correspondent

Researchers on secondment - Post-evaluation follow-up

Researchers competitions - Host delegation

Researchers competitions -Researchers competitions - Host delegation - Emeritus - Promotion

Recruitment planning - Mapping

Open Science, Scientific Publications and Research Data (2)

Deputy Scientific Director

Policy officer for support to scientific journals and research data

Science/Society (1)

Deputy Scientific Director

The INSHS in figures

Nearly 25,000 researchers, engineers and technicians working in over 300 research structures 

The INSHS applies CNRS research policy at its own level. Its work is based on the various operational structures jointly created and led by the CNRS and its partners - joint research units (UMRs), joint service units (UMSs), service and research units (USRs), research federations (FRs), research networks (GDRs), service groups (GDSs). With the National Network of Houses of Human Sciences, the Institute jointly supports 22 of the network's Houses.

Key figures

  • 9 799 researchers, academics and other staff , including 1 679 CNRS personnel
  • 2 568 engineers and technicians including 1 288 CNRS personnel
  • 11,700 doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows
  • 293 research and service units, 10 research federation structures
  • 11 research networks and 1 service network
  • 31 international research laboratories including 25 "Umifres"
  • 23 international emerging actions
  • 35 international research networks, 14 international research projects
  • 7 joint research projects
  • 12 joint laboratories run with companies
  • 42 start-up companies, 29 licences, 46 software programmes, 22 patents
  • A budget of €18 million

Source : Zento, novembre 2021

Assessment and consultation bodies

The Institute's field of knowledge is divided into disciplines or groups of disciplines corresponding to the National Committee for Scientific Research's 40 sections.

The National Committee for Scientific Research

The National Committee for Scientific Research (CoNRS) is a collective body made up of over 1000 national and international experts which plays an essential role in French scientific life. Independence, competence, representativeness, long-term sustainability, collegiality and transparency are the CoNRS's shared values, the aim of which is to guarantee the relevance and consistency of the Committee's assessments. The scope and keywords of the research sections are discussed and updated if necessary when each four-year mandate begins.

These sections evaluate the work of researchers and research units. They analyze the current situation in science and its prospects for development at the CNRS in France and other countries. It also organizes and staffs recruitment panels for new researchers.

All researchers and laboratories are therefore classified as belonging to one of these sections.

Nine of these sections are steered by the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences.

The sections of the INSHS

Nine of the CoNRS's sections are steered by the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences.

  • Ancient and medieval worlds (section 32)
  • Modern and Contemporary Worlds (section 33)
  • Language Sciences (section 34)
  • Philosophy, literature, arts (section 35)
  • Sociology and legal studies (section 36)
  • Economics and Management (section 37)
  • Social anthropology and comparative studies of contemporary societies (section 38)
  • Spaces, Territories and Societies (section 39)
  • Politics, Power, Organization (section 40)

Section 26 - Brain, cognition, behaviour – is steered by the Institute of Biological Sciences with a secondary administrative link to the INSHS.

Section 31 - Humankinds and environments: evolution, interactions - is steered by the Institute of Ecology and Environment. Some of the units in this section are part of the INSHS.

 

 

The Scientific Council of the INSHS

The Institute Scientific Council advises and assists the director of the Institute by providing its opinions and recommendations on the relevance and appropriateness of the Institute's projects and activities. Working groups may be set up to help the Institute Scientific Council carry out its tasks.

This Institute Scientific Council is informed of the Institute's positions regarding the creation and abolition of units along with all the sections' opinions thereon. It is consulted on any points of divergence between the sections' views and the Institute's positions as discussed at a meeting between the director of the Institute, the chairman of the Institute Scientific Council and the chairmen of the sectionsconcerned by any such difference of opinion.

The Institute Scientific Council is also consulted on the appointment of members of panels which deliberate on the selection of research fellows.

The Institute Scientific Council is responsible for writing prospective reports based particularly on the Situation and Outlook reports  drawn up by the CNRS's sections and Interdisciplinary Commissions.

Institute Scientific Council (ISC)