Transdisciplinary research practice: principles and structural elements

Transdisciplinary research practice: principles and structural elements

If problems, scientific or non-scientific, won’t do us the favor of defining themselves in terms of our disciplines and subjects, then one has to work especially hard and that will usually lead us beyond our subjects or disciplines. Mittelstraß, J. (2005): Methodische TransdisziplinaritätTechnikfolgenabschätzung – Theorie und Praxis, 2(14): 18–23

Scientists should not only understand our systems. When they are bad, they should change them. Parfit, D. (1983) ReasonsandPersons

A new contract between science and society • Michael Gibbons 1999 in Nature • From „reliable knowledge“ to „socially robust knowledge“ • Contextualization of knowledge • Different Types of knowledge relevant • Joint production of knowledge • „Authority“ of science needs to be continuously be legitimized

Transdisciplinarity – two definitions definition The core idea of transdisciplinarity is different academic disciplines working jointly with practitioners to solve-real-world a problem. It can be applied in a great variety of fields. (Klein et al., 2001)

Transdisciplinarity – two definition Transdisciplinarity is a reflexive, integrative, method- driven scientific principle aiming at the solution or transition of societal problems and concurrently of related scientific problems by differentiating and integrating knowledge from various scientific and societal bodies of knowledge. (Lang et al., 2012)

Transdisciplinary research process Societal practice Scientific practice Phase A Problem framing Building a collaborative research Team building Scientific problems  uncertainty  lack of methods  disciplinary specialisation  generalisation Societal problems  everyday life relevant  actor specific Phase B Actor specific societal discourse  administration  institutions  NGO’s  corporations  politics  media Scientific discourse  institutions of higher education  non-university research industrial research Co-Creation of Solution Oriented Transferable Knowledge Phase C Results relevant for scientific praxis  generic insights  methodical and theoretical innovations  new research questions Results useful for societal praxis  strategies  concepts  measures  prototypes (Re-)Integration and Application of Created Knowledge Source: Lang et al. 2012

Design Principles Phase A Build a collaborative research team Create joint understanding and definition of the societal problem to be addressed Collaboratively define the boundary/research object, research objectives as well as specific research questions, and success Design a methodological framework for collaborative knowledge production and integration Source: Lang et al. 2012

Transformation/ Action-oriented Knowledge What is a transition path from the current / problematic to a desirable situation? What is the current situation? What might happen in the future? System knowledge (b) Anticipatory Knowledge Systems Knowledge (a) What is the problem? What is a desirable future situation? Target/Normative Knowledge

Different methodological frameworks Source: Wiekand Lang 2016.

Design Principles Phase B Assign and support appropriate roles for practitioners and researchers Apply and adjust integrative research methods and transdisciplinary settings for knowledge generation and integration Source: Lang et al. 2012

Design Principles Phase C Realize two-dimensional integration Generate targeted products for both parties Evaluate scientific and societal impact Source: Lang et al. 2012

Research approachReview/integration – Transfer - Embedding of knowledge Review and integration of knowledge Embedding and generalization of knowledge “Transfer” of knowledge, „learning” and experimentation

Design Principles Crosscutting Facilitate continuous formative evaluation Mitigate conflict constellations Enhance capabilities for and interest in participation Source: Lang et al. 2012

Evaluation scheme Source: Luederitz et al. 2016

Competencies in sustainabilityscience Anticipatory Competence System Thinking Competence Interpersonal Competence Normative Competence Strategic Competence Source: Wiek et al. 2011

Competencies in sustainability science Anticipatory Competence System Thinking Competence Interpersonal Competence Normative Competence Strategic Competence Source: Wiek et al. 2011

Competencies in sustainabilityscience System Thinking Competence Normative Competence Anticipatory Competence Strategic Competence Interpersonal Competence Source: Wiek et al. 2011

Competencies in sustainabilitysciencevs. Phasesoftransdisciplinaryprojects Co-Design Co-Production Re-Integration System Thinking Competence Normative Competence Anticipatory Competence Strategic Competence Interpersonal Competence Source: Wiek et al. 2011

Competencies in sustainabilitysciencevs. Phasesoftransdisciplinaryprojects Source: Wiek et al. 2011

A concrete example: Initial project A social-ecological case study in Central Romania Joern Fischer, Ine Dorresteijn, Jan Hanspach, Tibor Hartel, Jacqueline Loos, Andra Milcu, Friederike Mikulcak(and others) Email: jfischer@leuphana.deBlog: http://ideas4sustainability.wordpress.com/Twitter: @ideas4sust Overall goal: to understand current changes in the region, and identify avenues for its sustainable development

Competencies in sustainabilitysciencevs. Phasesoftransdisciplinaryprojects Source: Hanspach et al. 2015

Romania project Source: Hanspach et al. 2015

Source: Hanspach et al. 2015

Second Project: Co-Design

Guiding Question The goal is to support and enable sustainability-transformation processes in Southern Transylvania. The research focus is on the identification and analysis of LP within the system, with a special focus on amplifying strategies to increase the reach of local sustainability initiatives. Legend: = Sustainability initiative = Transferred and/or adapted initiative = Complemented initiative = Increased and/or scaled initiative = Established collaboration = Established complemented collaboration

Conceptual / methodologicalframework I. Increasing and Scaling II. Transferring and Adapting III. Connecting and Complementing • Aim • Increasing or scaling up the impact or the reach of an initiative. • Example • Increasing/strengthening the activities of an farmers association • Aim • Connecting single or groups of initiatives and complementing them to establish collaborations of change. • Example • Bringing organic farmers, organic restaurants and eco tourism together • Aim • Transferring and adapting insights from „success models“ to other fields of application. • Example • Transferring governance structures of a farmers association to another village/field of operation

Competencies in sustainabilitysciencevs. Phasesoftransdisciplinaryprojects Source: Wiek et al. 2011 & Abson et al. 2016 TD Winter School

Workshop – maping of the own case Please develop in an iterative process a competencies/phases matrix for your own case according to the following steps: Intuitively fill out a competencies/phases matrix for your own case. Try to do not get stuck with, skip single boxes to cause problems (10’) Present the project matrix to your group (max. 5’) Revisit your map after the presentations and complement/adapt it. Reflect which competencies/skills are required to successfully conduct the different phases (10’) Present the main items that you have changed/added as well as your thoughts on the competencies to the group (3’) Discuss in the group which competencies seem to be generally relevant for TD research (in urban settings) and which are case specific. Write down main insights related to the competencies and the matrix on cards (13’) At the end of the session we will have a 15’ plenary discussion departing from a clustering of your cards.

Thank you very much for your attention Contact: daniel.lang@leuphana.de & Henrik.von_wehrden@leuphana.de

Transdisciplinary research practice: principles and structural elements