Soft Science vs. Hard Science

Please describe the background of the dispute between Dr. Samuel Huntington and Dr. Serge Lang.
Dr. Serge Lang decided to find fault with Dr Samuel's statement that the correlation between frustration and instability is .50 in 62 countries of the world.
How did Lang respond to Huntington’s “pseudo mathematics?”
He felt that it was ridiculous; he stated that you can't quantify human charateristics, and felt that Huntington's reasearch did not count as science.
What aspects of the dispute between Lang and Huntington are “political?”
The idea of the connection between frustration and instability; the idea that economic factors are a factor in the instability of the society has been a raging political debate for years.
How does the author, Jared Diamond, feel about “Academic Freedom?”
He feels that it is a fundamental right but that it is undermined by the ability of other scientists to question others results.
Why does the NAS exist?
It is supposed to isolate the scientific community from political views.
Why does this make that attacks against Huntington seem peculiar?
Because they violate the supposed rules of the NAS, but nonetheless the attacks against Huntington continue.
Why does Diamond find fault in the traditional perceptions of the hard sciences?
Because they are so narow in thier view; everything's about facts, facts, facts, but Diamond feels there is more information out there.
Why are soft sciences difficult to study?
Because they are full of interpretation and interpretation is not always right.