Care and Hope within the Social Sciences

“Care and Hope within the Social Sciences.” This work explores how the values of care and hope serve as essential foundations for ethical, psychological, and political engagement in today’s complex world. Drawing on insights from public health, psychology, social work, and sociology, the paper examines how these principles can guide compassionate and inclusive responses to issues such as mental health crises, forced migration, and structural inequality. It also challenges how neoliberal and austerity policies have weakened care systems and practitioner well-being, calling instead for renewed, human-centred and participatory approaches in research, policy, and practice. Through examples from refugee mental health and interdisciplinary collaboration, this article advocates for embedding care and hope at the heart of social change.