The Social Research Center was established in 1953 to conduct and encourage social science research in Egypt and the Middle East, to train researchers, and to guide and assist graduate students, scholars, and organizations engaged in social science research in the area. In its programs, the SRC cooperates with agencies of the Egyptian Government as well as with universities and research institutes in Egypt and abroad.

The Center's Program

The Center's research program is multidisciplinary and combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to inquiry. It strives to inform policy formulation and implementation while contributing to knowledge in the social science disciplines.

Emphasis in the Center's substantive program is on social structure, social problems, social change, and development.

Current research includes studies of population and fertility, a broad spectrum of development issues, the role of women, urbanization, poverty, social epidemiology, maternal and child health, water and sanitation, and the environment.

Past research has encompassed studies of the Nubian communities, before and after relocation; the resettlement of reclaimed land; the historical and ecological development of Cairo; evaluation of urban neighborhood services; social and economic security in Egypt; agricultural marketing; farm mechanization and agricultural labor; and patterns of cooperation among farmers.

In addition to its research activities as such, the SRC organizes training programs in various aspects of research methods and analytical techniques for the benefit of social scientists from the Middle East and North Africa. It convenes conferences, symposia, and workshops on topics included in its research agenda. The Center aims to contribute to developing skills and building institutional capabilities in the region as well as to advancing public debate about priority social issues.