For the second time, the Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net)[1] organizes, with the Institute of Geography[2] of the University of Berne (Switzerland) and in partnership with the Stiftung Mercator Schweiz[3], an annual conference dedicated to practices, methodologies and epistemologies of inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching. After having focused on the theme of Problem Framing as a decisive and determining initial phase of the research process (see td-conference 2008[4]), the theme selected for 2009 is Integration, considered as the process of relating knowledge and perspective of the academic and non-academic experts involved in the research.
Such integration can be more or less targeted to an overall synthesis, ranging from mutual exchange and learning about different perspectives to jointly developing a theoretical understanding or a quantitative model of the issue at stake. The status of integration as one of the core elements of inter- and transdisciplinarity explains why the label “Integrative Studies” often figures as a synonym for inter- and transdisciplinary research.
By not only transgressing disciplinary boundaries but including knowledge from academic and non-academic experts, an approach to integration has to support two major integrative moves: first, academic expert knowledge has to be linked to non-academic expert knowledge in ways that are conducive to problem solving and, second, the specific knowledge from highly specialized disciplines has to be made accessible and transferable to concrete life-world contexts.
The td-conference 2009 Integration in Inter- and Transdisciplinary research: Forging Collective Concepts, Methods and Practices — Changing Structures specifically aims to:
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learn about practical experiences of integrating concepts, methods and practices from research and teaching on issues of gender, health, environment, new technologies or science-and-literature/arts, among others;
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self-reflectively address the norm, values and institutional factors that drive and enable or hinder integrative frameworks;
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present and critically discuss theoretical, conceptual and methodological models and “tool kits” for integration;
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collectively forge theories, concepts and practices to integration in inter- and transdisciplinary research.
Abstract proposals can but submitted until June 16, 2009[5].
Provisional program and participation conditions[6].
Illustration: Automania, “Spider Web Gravity Well”, 10.2.2006, Flickr[7] (Creative Commons[8] license).
- Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net): http://www.transdisciplinarity.ch/e/
- Institute of Geography: http://www.geography.unibe.ch/lenya/giub/live/index.html
- Stiftung Mercator Schweiz: http://cms.stiftung-mercator.ch/cms/front_content.php
- see td-conference 2008: http://www.transdisciplinarity.ch/e/Conference/international/2008/index.php
- submitted until June 16, 2009: http://www.transdisciplinarity.ch/e/Conference/international/2009/Abstracts.php
- Provisional program and participation conditions: http://www.transdisciplinarity.ch/e/Conference/international/2009/index.php
- Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/automania/97936640/
- Creative Commons: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/