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National Institute of Social Sciences

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The National Institute of Social Sciences
Formation1913; 111 years ago (1913)
TypeHonorary society
HeadquartersNew York City
Websitewww.socialsciencesinstitute.org

The National Institute of Social Sciences (NISS) is one of the oldest honorary societies in the United States. The stated mission of NISS is to promote the study of the social sciences, to support social science research and discussion, and to honor individuals who have rendered distinguished service to humanity.

NISS is headquartered in New York City.

Current activities

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Since 1913, NISS has presented Gold Medals that celebrate the accomplishments of distinguished Americans and world leaders who have contributed at the highest level to the welfare and improvement of society. Gold Medal honorees, which include four U.S. presidents and 16 Nobel Prize winners, represent outstanding achievement in the social sciences, law, government, education, philanthropy, the arts, medicine, science, and industry.

The organization sponsors speaking engagements on critical issues. It supports graduate students in the final stages of completing their dissertations through a grants program.

Early history

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The National Institute of Social Sciences traces its origins to the American Social Science Association, or ASSA, which was established in 1865 in Boston as the American Association for the Promotion of Social Science. The ASSA was chartered by an act of the 56th Congress on January 28, 1899.[1] In 1912, the ASSA established NISS as a distinct department. In 1926, when the ASSA dissolved, an act of Congress transferred its congressional charter to the NISS "for the furtherance of the interests of social science."[2]

Gold Medals

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The NISS original constitution states the organization's goal "to promote the study of Social Science and to reward distinguished services rendered to humanity, either by election to the National Institute, or by the bestowal of medals or other insignia.”[3]

In 1913 the NISS bestowed its first Gold Medals in recognition of significant contributions to humanity. The first recipients were William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States, Archer M. Huntington, founder of the Hispanic Society of America, and Samuel L. Parrish, founder of the Parrish Art Museum in Southampton, NY. Each year since 1913, (except for 1922), the organization has presented Gold Medals to distinguished individuals.

The National Institute's Gold Medal was designed by Laura Gardin Fraser, a noted sculptor with a specialty in medals.

Honorees

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1913

1914

1915

1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1923

1924

1925

1926

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1935

1936

1937

1938

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950

1951

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Research support

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In its first two decades, the National Institute published an annual Journal of the National Institute of Social Sciences, which included articles by members and scholars. The 1920 journal, for example, included articles by the noted economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen and academic Virginia Gildersleeve.[6]

In the 1970s, the National Institute supported a national project on experiential education. The project was begun in 1974 by Frank Pace Jr., the NISS president, to strengthen field experiential education and support the NISS's "original mission and function."[7]

Grants and scholarships

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In 2011 the Institute began awarding Dissertation Grants (originally called Seed Grants) to graduate students completing dissertations in social science fields.[8] In 2016, it was announced that Hirokazu Shirado, then a graduate student at Yale University, would receive the fourth Seed Grant through this program.[9] The 2020 recipients were Gabriel Raeburn,[10] a doctoral candidate in Religious Studies and History at the University of Pennsylvania, and Francisco Lara-García,[11] a doctoral candidate and Paul Lazarsfeld Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Columbia University in the City of New York. The 2021 recipient was Emma Gilheany,[12] a doctoral candidate in Anthropology at the University of Chicago. The 2022 recipients are Betsy Priem, Nicolas Rodrigo, Jessica Schirmer, Cameron McAllister, Brooke McKenna. [13]

Advisory Council

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In 2022, NISS President Fred Larsen and the Board of Governors established the first Advisory Council, composed of former Gold Medal Honorees, leading scholars in the social sciences and cognate fields, leaders of educational and not-for-profit institutions focused on the social sciences, and distinguished artists, journalists, and performers whose work affects and is concerned with the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of society. The Inaugural Council consists of

References

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  1. ^ "An Act To Incorporate the American Social Sciences Association. 28 January 1899" (PDF). Library of Congress. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  2. ^ "An Act To amend an Act entitled "An Act to incorporate the American Social Science Association, and for other purposes."" (PDF). Library of Congress. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Constitution and List of Members of the National Institute of Social Sciences". Journal of the National Institute of Social Sciences. 7: 149. 1 August 1921. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  4. ^ Pace, Eric (12 January 1990). "Drew Middleton of The Times Dies at 76". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Susan H. Whitmore, Philanthropist, 79". The New York Times. 12 June 1993. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Table of Contents". Journal of the National Institute of Social Sciences. 4: vii. April 1, 1918. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  7. ^ Duley, John (March 1979). "The National Institute of Social Sciences' Project in field experience education". Alternative Higher Education. 3 (3): 162. doi:10.1007/BF01080546. S2CID 144727402.
  8. ^ "Seed Grants". National Institute of Social Sciences. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Shirado Awarded Seed Grant for Research". Yale University Sociology Department News. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Gabriel Raeburn".
  11. ^ "Francisco Lara-Garcia (2021)".
  12. ^ "Emma Gilheany (2021)".
  13. ^ "Grant-Making".
  14. ^ "Nancy Kidd, PhD".
  15. ^ https://www.americananthro.org/
  16. ^ https://www.apsanet.org/
  17. ^ https://stacywolf.princeton.edu/
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