5 th Module An operational definition of Transdiciplinarity Luis E. Bruni

1. History, Theory, and Philosophy of Science (In SMAC + RT)7th smester -Fall 2005Institute of Media Technology and Engineering Science Aalborg University Copenhagen 5th Module An operational definition of Transdiciplinarity Luis E. Bruni

2. From the last lecture:“Transdisciplinarity was born” • The advances in the new disciplines were marked by many travels back and forth  between machine, organisms, man, and society. • From the machine to the living organism  transferring from one to the other the ideas and concepts  e.g. feedback and finality  opening the way for automation and computers. • The vocabularies of engineering and physiology started to be used interchangeably the basics of a common language and concepts from cybernetics, system theory, cognitive science, etc. was created  e.g. learning, regulation, adaptation, self-organization, perception, memory, emergence, feedback, attractors, agency. • The need to make machines imitate certain functions of living organisms  contributed to the speeding up of progress in the understanding of cerebral mechanisms.

3. Definitions • Terms such as interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary → often used interchangeably.  • These concepts can be considered as different degrees of interaction and integration between knowledge domains. • Cross-disciplinary Research → research effort that involve investigators drawn from different disciplines.  • This term refers to all types of  discipline-crossing  research without qualifying the interaction between the investigators. Collins (2002); Stokols et al. (2003)

4. What is your discipline? • Discipline → a body of knowledge or branch of learning characterized by an accepted content and learning.  • Research within a discipline is sometimes referred to as unidisciplinary or monodisciplinary research. • Research is restricted to one research discipline and to one branch or specialization within a research field. • People working within one discipline study the same research objects → share the same paradigm → use common methodologies → and speak the same "language".

5. Multidisciplinarity • Multidisciplinary Research → the coordinated efforts of several disciplines to achieve a common goal.   • In multidisciplinary research the nature of the problem requires that investigators from different disciplines collaborate and share results.  • However → the contributions drawn from different disciplines are largely complementary not integrative. • A variety of disciplines collaborate in one research program without integration of concepts, epistemologies, or methodologies. • The degree of integration between disciplines is restricted to the linking of research results.

6. Interdisciplinarity • Interdisciplinary Research → integration of several disciplines creating a unified outcome that is sustained and substantial enough to enable a new discipline to develop over time.  • Integration of multiple disciplines requires collaboration at the level of designing new types of (experimental) approaches and analysis that combine methods and concepts from the different disciplines.  • While working jointly → investigators work from each of their respective disciplinary perspectives. • It is also a collaboration of several disciplines → but in this case concepts, methodologies, or epistemologies are explicitly exchanged and integrated, resulting in a mutual enrichment.

7. Transdisciplinarity • Transdisciplinary Research → Development and application of a shared, integrative conceptual framework based on discipline-specific theories, concepts, and methods. • Instead of working in parallel → investigators collaborate across levels of analysis and intervention to develop a comprehensive understanding of the problem at hand. • In transdisciplinary research → investigators develop a shared conceptual framework that integrates and transcends their respective disciplinary perspective. 

8. Collaboration • Most collaborative research involving investigators from different disciplines starts off as multidisciplinary and some efforts will evolve to become interdisciplinary.  • Transdisciplinary research → requires the highest degree of collaboration.  • It is important to distinguish between these modes of collaboration. 

9. Different sources of knowledge • Transdisciplinarity → can be considered as a specific form of interdisciplinarity → in which boundaries between and beyond disciplines are transcended → and knowledge and perspectives from different scientific disciplines as well as non-scientific sources are integrated. • It is increasingly recognized that transdisciplinary research is particularly suitable for solving complex societal problems → as it integrates knowledge from different scientific disciplines ánd knowledge from non-scientific sources. • What are non-scientific sources of knowledge?

10. Transdisciplinarity, complexity and sustainability • As transdisciplinarity originates from the increasing demand for relevance and applicability of academic research to the challenges of complex societies → some prefer to center the definition around societal challenges rather than around academic research. • Transdisciplinarity → can also include a new form of learning and problem solving → involving co-operation among different parts of society (incl. academia) → in order to meet complex challenges of society. • Solutions are devised in collaboration with multiple stakeholders → through mutual learning → the knowledge of all participants is enhanced. • In the context of the increasing urgency for the transition towards a sustainable society → we need to gain more insights and experience in the epistemology, methodology and management of transdisciplinary research and processes Regeer (2002); Flinterman et.al. (2001); Klein et.al. (2001)