Social Affairs Unit

Background

Social Affairs Unit is a group of 'independent' individuals that study various cultural, social and economic issues, with an "emphasis on the value of personal responsibility" [1]. They are compiled of a group of educated individuals, namely historians, sociologists, philosophers, doctors and 'hard scientists' who according to their website "identify research with a potential to inform public policy and translate it from academic discourse into public debate".

It was founded in 1980 by Julius Gould (professor and director) and Digby Anderson (doctor and chairman). Apparently an independent organisation, it was originally founded and encouraged by the Institute of Economic Affairs.

Staff

• Director: Michael Mosbacher

• Trustees:

Professor Julius Gould John Greenwood Professor Anthony O'Hear Frank Sharratt

• Other contributors and authors

Jeremy Black Lilian Pizzichini Myles Harris Richard D. North Harry Phibbs Douglas Murray Peter Mullen Christie Davies and the recently retired Digby Anderson

Contact

The Social Affairs Unit 314-322 Regent St London, W1B 5SA Tel: 020 7637 4356 Fax: 020 7436 8530

Website

Social Affairs Unit website is organised by a blogging company called 'tbbc: the Big Blog' that manages blogging sites for Ideal Government, Stephen Pollard, Economics UK and Adam Smith Institute as well as the Social Affairs Unit.

Articles

Examples of their articles can be viewed [2] and tend to contradict their wish to talk about issues that can be translated to all since they are on rather obscure political and scientific research. Furthermore, their very name suggests a slightly elitist membership since its not so easy to research a social affairs unit!