Managing Data in E-Social Science

Grid computing is moving from its original focus on the physical sciences to other disciplines such as the social sciences. The orientation of these newer applications is on data management rather than processing. This paper describes how the DAMES project (Data Management through E-Social Science) is developing grid-based solutions for handling data in a distributed environment. The paper describes the approach being taken to meet key challenges: metadata for effective use of datasets, and data-oriented workflows for e-social science.