This article explores the significant role of philanthropy, particularly the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial under Beardsley Ruml, in shaping the development of social science in the 1920s. It examines how the Memorial’s funding priorities influenced research agendas, institutional structures, and the emergence of various social science disciplines. The authors discuss the strategic approach taken by Ruml to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and data-driven research, highlighting the long-term impact of this philanthropic endeavor on the scientific study of society and its indirect contributions to subsequent policy initiatives like the New Deal.
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