The social sciences struggle to be relevant. can action-oriented research help?

How can the social sciences bridge the divide between abstract theory and idiomatic practice? Max French and Melissa Hawkins propose that one approach following this middle-way is ‘action oriented research’ (AOR). In this post they outline what AOR is and how it can make a strong claim as a route to relevance for the applied social sciences whilst also advancing academic theory. However, to play this role well, it needs to achieve clear standards of quality and clarify its pathway to impact.