Welcome to the Stanford Institute for Research in the Social Sciences

Our Mission

Data-Driven Discovery for the Social Sciences

Expanding access to novel data sources, the development of powerful computing tools, and innovation in quantitative and qualitative research methods are opening a new frontier for social scientists to explore bold, inventive research questions.  In this era of burgeoning social-science research, the Stanford Institute for Research in the Social Sciences (IRiSS) facilitates first-rate interdisciplinary collaborations, trains the next generation of scholars, and incubates medium- to long-term research projects to address critical social challenges. IRiSS ensures that world-class, evidence-based research is produced to meet evolving problems in areas of governance and democracy, economic inequality, immigration policy, and other social issues that affect communities across the globe.