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Mabel Sieh



[Sponsored article]
The global race to find a vaccine for the coronavirus disease, Covid-19, has scientists and medical experts in 30 countries working around the clock. Even with a vaccine, life as we know it may never be the same again. Experts say the future is reliant on the strategies of governments, and how people adapt their daily lives.
The battle against the Covid-19 pandemic requires the effort of individuals from all professional fields, including social sciences and humanities, says Professor Richard M. Walker, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS), and director of the Laboratory for Public Management and Policy, at City University of Hong Kong (CityU).
“While medical and science [specialists] are searching for solutions to allow us to go outside, shake hands and fly again, we have to make those technologies acceptable [to society],” Walker says during South China Morning Post’s latest EdTalk interview – a platform where teaching experts discuss pertinent issues surrounding education.

“Whilst a vaccine can be technologically manufactured, how do you transfer that around the world?” he asks. “How do you make that available to people? How do we get people to accept and take the vaccine? We need to understand the structures of society, the mechanisms [and] the supply relationships about how we move those resources around.”
Walker says the study of social sciences and humanities enables us to understand the world, its people, all institutions, such as governments and NGOs, and how processes and mechanisms operate. This understanding is crucial as it helps us make better decisions in solving problems in current and future situations, he says.
Impact of studies and research
Social sciences and humanities research is playing an increasingly important role in the real world. “By looking into how to resolve complex human-based problems and making recommendations on how societies can be better, our findings can have a positive impact on society,” Walker says.
As part of a global survey of how people live and behave during the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, CLASS ran a study – involving about 2,000 participants – to determine whether people in Hong Kong would be receptive to activating location-tracking features on their phones to enable contact tracing.
“This is important today because, although contact tracing apps are increasingly popular, there are still major concerns on issues such as transparency, the types of information gathered and for whom,” Walker says.
The survey’s results showed that most people in Hong Kong are open to apps collecting location data, compared with those living abroad.

Walker says that CityU’s CLASS has also been looking into global institutions and forums, such as the World Health Organisation, to study how they communicate and, therefore, how effective they are as an international, political and health organisation.
CLASS was already focused on health matters, such as risk communication and health-related social and public policies – as part of the university’s research strategic area, “One Health” – before the current Covid-19 health crisis.
Its past research has included examining the impact of the 2002-04 viral respiratory disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), on people’s mental health in Hong Kong, such as the stress caused by the disease and the effective strategies for individuals to deal with similar types of stress.
This research had a positive impact on Hong Kong’s community. “[Such studies] directly address depression and unhappiness [among people] and the [recommended] strategies can help people gain a more positive outlook of themselves, which directly benefits the society, as it deals with the underlying questions and problems that people may face,” Walker says.
Future offers many possibilities
Students pursuing social sciences and humanities can look forward to a diverse range of professional prospects, from careers in social work, linguistics, media and communication, to cultural heritage, public policy and management, and psychology, Walker says.
“They will be fully equipped with [the] necessary skills to enter any sector, be it business, government or NGOs [non-governmental organisations].”
For a student to thrive in the field of humanities and excel as a social scientist, possessing an inquisitive mindset will be key, he says.

“Having a thirst for knowledge, curiosity, understanding the world you live in – the events that take place – would drive a person towards success,” Walker says, adding that “good communication skills would help facilitate that thirst”.
He says: “Ultimately, you need to have a skill set, and that could be in data sciences, linguistics, or sharp analytical skills and having a critical outlook on the world – being able to critically appraise the world that we live in.”
Walker has high hopes for the future of his academic fields.
“Humanities and social sciences are a fundamental part of education, of life, of society,” he says. “They will grow [and] flourish.
“There will be new developments in data sciences and digital humanities that will enable us to advance our understanding of people and society and which [will] build on existing theories and methodologies. The future is bright.”


How can study of social sciences and humanities help overcome global crises such as Covid-19 pandemic?

EdTalk CityU CLASS

When students of humanities and social sciences graduate from City University of Hong Kong’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences they are ‘fully equipped with the necessary skills to work in any sector – be it business, government or NGOs’, says Professor Richard M. Walker, dean of the college.

Professor Richard M. Walker, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS), and director of the Laboratory for Public Management and Policy, at City University of Hong Kong (CityU). 

Students from College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at City University of  Hong Kong.

News

Hong Kong

Education


Understanding societies and human behaviour means we can tackle difficult problems, says Professor Richard M. Walker of City University of Hong Kong
Students who wish to succeed in these fields will need a thirst for knowledge, curiosity, good communication skills and critical outlook on world



Understanding societies and human behaviour ensures we can tackle difficult problems in the world, says Professor Richard M. Walker of City University of Hong Kong


City University of Hong Kong, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS)

EdTalk

EdTalk: Universities

Morning Studio

How can study of social sciences and humanities help overcome global crises such as Covid-19 pandemic?

Understanding societies and human behaviour means we can tackle difficult problems, says Professor Richard M. Walker of City University of Hong Kong Students who wish to succeed in these fields will need a thirst for knowledge, curiosity, good communication skills and critical outlook on world

Understanding societies and human behaviour means we can tackle difficult problems, says Professor Richard M. Walker of City University of Hong Kong

Students who wish to succeed in these fields will need a thirst for knowledge, curiosity, good communication skills and critical outlook on world