Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institutes (Les Maisons de Sciences de l’Homme (MSH)) bring together research means and laboratories as well as National and University researchers all in the same place. The researchers are from different Social and Human Sciences (SHS) disciplines who are open to co-programmes and research and who are strongly committed to international cooperation.
Creating Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institutes and their network is part of a territorial research vision whose aim is to have Social and Human Sciences research poles throughout France. These poles are asked to develop both a core theme that gives them their own scientific identity, and as much as possible, complementarity between them.
The network, which now includes 21 institutes, was mainly set up between 1990 and 2000 with the strong support and encouragement of the Research Ministry (Ministère de la Recherche). These institutes are located all over France and through the various laboratories, they work with approximately 1/3 of Social and Human Sciences professors/researchers and half of the Social and Human Sciences staff of the C(entre) N(ational) de la R(echerche) S(cientifique) (National French Scientific Research Centre).
The network has a charter which is strictly followed thanks to its scientific committee.
The director of the Human Sciences department of the National French Scientific Research Centre and the 17 university presidents signed the « National Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institutes » constitutive convention of the Scientific Interest Group (Groupement d’intérêt scientifique, GIS) on 16th February 2006 at the University Presidents Conference head-office. Serge Wolikow, historian and director of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institute of Dijon, was elected president of the GIS.
You can download an information booklet (the booklet was published in 2004. Since then, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institute network and its members have evolved. Don’t hesitate to contact the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institute you are interested in directly. Presentation: National Network of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institutes