The 21st Century has brought to society a distinct set of problems and uncertainties that the social sciences must help to analyze. The economic and social development of the 20th Century has been unprecedented in history. In this sense, the goals of the progressive social movement of the 19th Century have been fully achieved.

However, no one could foresee that the same social and economic development would exacerbate conflict and worldwide differences instead of contributing to their resolution. In addition to decisive accomplishments such as democracy, the Welfare State, the invention of antibiotics, the exploration of outer space, and a spectacular increase in life expectancy, among many others, the 20th Century has also produced two world wars, Fascism, Nazism, Communism and the nuclear arms race. It has also witnessed starvation of large populations, genocides and the rise of international terrorism.

¿Why is it that the economic and social dreams of the 19th Century have been achieved and, at the same time, they have become a nightmare? ¿Why did economic growth and democracy failed to eliminate ethnic rivalries and treacherous behaviour trends? These are some of the questions that the social sciences must address.