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Domain · Social Sciences · France

Social Sciences research in France

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ranks first in France for Social Sciences research in 2022–2025 (#76 worldwide), followed by Aix-Marseille Université and Université de Lille.

France's world rank
#13
of 164 countries, 2022–2025
Works, 2022–2025
170k
Top-10% rate
9.8%
Ranked institutions
60

Research strength only: this says nothing about teaching, admissions or cost.

What is the best university for Social Sciences in France?

#InstitutionWorld rankScoreTop-10% rateWorks
1Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueParis #7653.217.2%5,999
2Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille #62630.59.2%2,699
3Université de LilleLille #62930.47.9%3,242
4Université Paris CitéParis #72728.911.9%2,496
5Institut d'Etudes Politiques de ParisParis #77928.113.6%1,929
6NEOMA Business SchoolMont-Saint-Aignan #81827.638.7%460
7Université de BordeauxBordeaux #85727.113.7%1,090
8Sorbonne UniversitéParis #90626.59.3%2,479
9Université Paris 1 Panthéon-SorbonneParis #94326.09.9%2,625
10École de management de LyonLyon #1,05724.828.0%383
11Université de MontpellierMontpellier #1,13324.110.3%1,103
12Excelia Business SchoolLa Rochelle #1,17923.657.1%255
13Kedge Business SchoolTalence #1,18523.627.4%478
14InsermParis #1,19823.520.1%788
15Université de LorraineNancy #1,20823.47.8%2,036
16Université Toulouse - Jean JaurèsToulouse #1,22323.26.5%2,070
17De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et AnthropologiePessac #1,33722.326.5%104
18Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'EnvironnementParis #1,36322.113.4%664
19Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1Villeurbanne #1,36422.110.2%1,491
20Université Paris NanterreNanterre #1,37722.06.4%3,433
21Université Grenoble AlpesSaint-Martin-d'Hères #1,40521.77.4%2,282
22Université Bourgogne Franche-ComtéBesançon #1,41521.726.2%262
23Université Paris-SaclayGif-sur-Yvette #1,41921.614.2%990
24Organisation de Coopération et de Développement EconomiquesParis #1,53520.830.1%358
25Paris School of BusinessParis #1,55620.643.7%261
26Montpellier Business SchoolMontpellier #1,55820.635.7%233
27Université Paris 8Paris #1,58320.57.2%1,977
28École des hautes études en sciences socialesParis #1,60720.38.6%2,075
29Université de StrasbourgStrasbourg #1,61020.39.5%1,640
30Audencia Business SchoolNantes #1,66319.938.2%321
31Toulouse School of EconomicsToulouse #1,78619.123.5%228
32Paris School of EconomicsParis #1,79019.122.3%254
33Université Sorbonne NouvelleParis #1,80119.17.4%2,108
34IPAG Business SchoolParis #1,89018.546.2%167
35Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques PréventivesMetz #1,92418.44.1%553
36Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales du NordRoubaix #1,94918.221.5%350
37Université Paris Sciences et LettresParis #1,95118.224.1%228
38HEC ParisJouy-en-Josas #1,98118.029.9%208
39ESSCA School of ManagementAngers #1,98818.029.3%295
40TBS EducationToulouse #2,00717.938.0%255
41Travaux et Recherches Archéologiques sur les Cultures, les Espaces et les SociétésToulouse #2,01017.94.9%477
42Université Bordeaux MontaigneBordeaux #2,04117.76.5%1,158
43Université de PerpignanPerpignan #2,04917.77.8%295
44Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-PyrénéesToulouse #2,13317.210.4%578
45École Pratique des Hautes ÉtudesParis #2,15517.16.7%897
46Institut d'Economie Scientifique Et de GestionPuteaux #2,15817.121.8%354
47INSEADFontainebleau #2,17717.033.3%191
48Université Côte d'AzurNice #2,22416.813.3%493
49Institut de Recherche pour le DéveloppementMarseille #2,24616.717.5%415
50EM Normandie Business SchoolLe Havre #2,25816.638.7%184
51Nantes UniversitéNantes #2,27516.57.2%1,346
52Université Paris Dauphine-PSLParis #2,30916.49.7%790
53UNESCOParis #2,35316.218.6%231
54Business FranceParis #2,39616.035.6%107
55Institut de Paléontologie HumaineParis #2,43715.820.4%69
56École Normale Supérieure de LyonLyon #2,52315.47.4%799
57Université Lumière Lyon 2Lyon #2,52715.46.6%1,076
58Métis-LabLe Havre #2,53815.422.7%244
59Université Gustave EiffelChamps-sur-Marne #2,56015.310.9%925
60École Supérieure de Commerce de RennesRennes #2,59315.134.4%202

Institutions in France above the floor of 40 fractional works in Social Sciences, ordered by their worldwide rank on research quality, 2022–2025.

Who are the top Social Sciences researchers in France?

Pierre Bourdıeu, Bruno Latour and Jacques Derrida rank highest among researchers based in France.

  1. 1Pierre Bourdıeu#2 worldwide overall10k citations · 207 works
  2. 2Bruno Latour#46 worldwide overall2k citations · 138 works
  3. 3Jacques Derrida#82 worldwide overall1.3k citations · 152 works
  4. 4Philippe Aghion#467 worldwide overall3k citations · 138 works
  5. 5Claude Lévi‐Strauss#1,861 worldwide overall460 citations · 110 works
  6. 6Thomas Piketty#5,144 worldwide overall768 citations · 140 works
  7. 7Guy Caire#6,219 worldwide overall342 citations · 121 works
  8. 8Jacques Godechot#6,735 worldwide overall243 citations · 171 works
  9. 9Alain Touraine#7,721 worldwide overall363 citations · 139 works
  10. 10Jacques Le Goff#7,793 worldwide overall218 citations · 125 works
  11. 11Bernard Lahire#8,308 worldwide overall258 citations · 133 works
  12. 12Raymond Boudon#9,776 worldwide overall401 citations · 106 works
  13. 13Jean‐Jacques Laffont#10,367 worldwide overall1k citations · 106 works
  14. 14Philippe Antoine#12,329 worldwide overall332 citations · 105 works
  15. 15Thierry Verdier#22,527 worldwide overall783 citations · 127 works

How France compares with other countries in Social Sciences