Slaymaker et al. (2021) argue that geomorphology is poorly known and has little influence outside its practitioners and therefore should be recast as both a geoscience and a landscape science. The ...only evidence they evince for the claim about the lack of influence of geomorphology is that it is not evident in the publications from international environmental programs. This is far from a convincing case and does not support their view that geomorphology should be recast. We contend that most geomorphological influence is at the national, regional to local scale, not internationally. Our main concern with their proposal is however that a change of language could confuse potential users and students, with the opposite effect to what they wish.
This special issue of the journal Coolabah comprises contributed papers that examine the relationships between place, placescape and landscape – Australian places and imaginings. Australian ...perspectives of place and cultural production unavoidably confront issues of identity simultaneously from antipodean and elsewhere vantage points.
Philosophers were reluctant to address interdisciplinarity during the 20th century. But things have changed in the 21st century, since a two-level relationship between philosophy and ...interdisciplinarity has been established: philosophy of interdisciplinarity and philosophy as interdisciplinarity. Thus far scholars have shown more interest in exploring the first level of that relationship.
The aim of this article is to closely examine the developmental path of a philosophy of interdisciplinarity envisioned and constructed by Jan Cornelius Schmidt in the past two decades. In our opinion, it has reached two milestones. The first (2008) being the one in which he clarified the vague notion of interdisciplinarity and classified its four types with the help of philosophy of science, and the second (2011) being the one in which he opted for problem-oriented interdisciplinarity. Schmidt’s philosophy of interdisciplinarity has reached its (current) peak (2022), resulting in a philosophical framework which promotes problem-orientation and critical-reflexivity in interdisciplinary endeavors. Thereby Schmidt has created prerequisites for the construction of philosophy as interdisciplinarity.
Qualitative research related to humans, dairy cows, calves and farming has been published by scientists from a variety of disciplines in many journals targeting dairy science audiences. We aimed to ...investigate how scientific communities other than those working in dairy science describe, analyze and discuss dairy farming, because we found it important to bring this research to the attention of dairy scientists. In total, 117 articles were identified as involving one or more qualitative research methods in relation to dairy cattle. The review brought out a wealth of perspectives, new insights and discussions related to dairy cattle, farmers, farming and the sector, and in relation to societal issues and food and ecological landscapes. A broad range of qualitative research methods were used, and the literature targeted issues at the animal, farm, societal, food system and landscape level. Some raised critical questions about existing structures, highlighted unfairness in the industry, or pointed to new potential futures and contemporary agendas. We expect that it will be inspirational and stimulating for researchers to review new sources of literature and suggest a closer interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers from different disciplines for the future development of research involving dairy cattle. Further, it could be relevant and even necessary to engage in such interaction to avoid increasing polarization around future development of the sector, for example related to climate change or how industrialization seems to push inequity or ignore the agency of animals themselves. Exploring perspectives of farming from different angles could enrich the outcomes of future dairy research.
Social science has a difficult position in energy research. In the past, social science was often misused to increase public acceptance of technological research achievements. The authentic role of ...social science, making contributions to how the energy system should be institutionalized, guided, and fitted in social and environmental contexts, has been dominated by one voice, that of mainstream economics. If social science wants to assume a broader more independent role, the many voices of social science have to position themselves such that governments, firms, social groups and individuals are able to profit from its various messages. This positioning requires a certain amount of self-reflection. In this paper, instead of theorizing, four research endeavors I have been involved in are set in their context. To this end I use a concept of transdisciplinarity proposed by Max-Neef. My hope is that authors of this new journal will join me in attempting to place their contributions in the context of a larger picture, so that their contributions can have an impact in guiding energy systems in constructive directions.
How to best approach the Anthropocene in terms of knowledge is an open question. In this paper we outline and discuss how the Anthropocene is imagined as an ongoing project attempting to develop ...systems of knowledge. Referring to Paul J. Crutzen, Reinhold Leinfelder, and Jan Zalaciewicz, we show how a tradition is forming around the notion of diverse Anthropocene knowledges as unified but split into two, more particularly, into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and social sciences and humanities (SSH). After a reading of two representative takes on the Anthropocene and knowledge by Carolyn Merchant and Timothy Morton and Dominic Boyer respectively, we conclude that, despite attempts at interdisciplinarity and knowledge integration, the current ways of approaching the Anthropocene as a field of knowledge involve an uneasy mix of unification and stratification. We end by suggesting ways of overcoming this situation.
How to best approach the Anthropocene in terms of knowledge is an open question. In this paper we outline and discuss how the Anthropocene is imagined as an ongoing project attempting to develop ...systems of knowledge. Referring to Paul J. Crutzen, Reinhold Leinfelder, and Jan Zalaciewicz, we show how a tradition is forming around the notion of diverse Anthropocene knowledges as unified but split into two, more particularly, into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and social sciences and humanities (SSH). After a reading of two representative takes on the Anthropocene and knowledge by Carolyn Merchant and Timothy Morton and Dominic Boyer respectively, we conclude that, despite attempts at interdisciplinarity and knowledge integration, the current ways of approaching the Anthropocene as a field of knowledge involve an uneasy mix of unification and stratification. We end by suggesting ways of overcoming this situation.
▶ We study characteristics of researchers related to (inter) disciplinary research collaboration. ▶ Female scientists are more engaged in interdisciplinary research collaboration. ▶ Years of research ...experience are positively related to both types of collaboration. ▶ Work experience in firms or government increases interdisciplinary collaboration. ▶ Disciplinary collaborations contribute more to a career than interdisciplinary collaborations.
There is a lack of understanding regarding the optimal conditions for interdisciplinary research. This study investigates what characteristics of researchers are associated with disciplinary and interdisciplinary research collaborations and what collaborations are most rewarding in different scientific disciplines. Our results confirm that female scientists are more engaged in interdisciplinary research collaborations. Further, a scientist's years of research experience are positively related with both types of collaboration. Work experience in firms or governmental organizations increases the propensity of interdisciplinary collaborations, but decreases that of disciplinary collaborations. Disciplinary collaborations occur more frequent in basic disciplines; interdisciplinary collaborations more in strategic disciplines. We also found that in both types of disciplines, disciplinary collaborations contribute more to career development than interdisciplinary collaborations. We conclude with three recommendations for science and innovation policy, while emphasising the need to distinguish between different scientific disciplines.
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