Chapter 15: Transdisciplinarity for Environmental Literacy
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Chapter 15 of Roland Scholz's 2011 book: Environmental Literacy, Cambridge University Press. The publisher has kindly agreed to make it public for the duration of the www.interdisciplines.org forum on inter and transdisciplinarity.
we first define transdisciplinarity and show how it fundamentally differs from disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity. We discriminate between transdisciplinary processes and transdisciplinary research. We then present methods to facilitate transdisciplinary processes and to nurture authentic collaboration among participants. Second, we review how public participation, consultancy, and action research have been employed to conduct applied and participatory research and discuss how each is similar to and different from transdisciplinarity. Here we describe how community-based participatory research combines action research and participatory research and thus can become a transdisciplinary process. This section also defines different types of participation. Third, we look at how scientists and universities can play key roles in developing environmental literacy. Thus, we discuss the power of “disciplined interdisciplinarity” when coping with current salient environmental challenges.
we first define transdisciplinarity and show how it fundamentally differs from disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity. We discriminate between transdisciplinary processes and transdisciplinary research. We then present methods to facilitate transdisciplinary processes and to nurture authentic collaboration among participants. Second, we review how public participation, consultancy, and action research have been employed to conduct applied and participatory research and discuss how each is similar to and different from transdisciplinarity. Here we describe how community-based participatory research combines action research and participatory research and thus can become a transdisciplinary process. This section also defines different types of participation. Third, we look at how scientists and universities can play key roles in developing environmental literacy. Thus, we discuss the power of “disciplined interdisciplinarity” when coping with current salient environmental challenges.
Chapter 15 of Roland Scholz's 2011 book: Environmental Literacy, Cambridge University Press. The publisher has kindly agreed to make it public for the duration of the www.interdisciplines.org forum on inter and transdisciplinarity.
we first define transdisciplinarity and show how it fundamentally differs from disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity. We discriminate between transdisciplinary processes and transdisciplinary research. We then present methods to facilitate transdisciplinary processes and to nurture authentic collaboration among participants. Second, we review how public participation, consultancy, and action research have been employed to conduct applied and participatory research and discuss how each is similar to and different from transdisciplinarity. Here we describe how community-based participatory research combines action research and participatory research and thus can become a transdisciplinary process. This section also defines different types of participation. Third, we look at how scientists and universities can play key roles in developing environmental literacy. Thus, we discuss the power of “disciplined interdisciplinarity” when coping with current salient environmental challenges.
we first define transdisciplinarity and show how it fundamentally differs from disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity. We discriminate between transdisciplinary processes and transdisciplinary research. We then present methods to facilitate transdisciplinary processes and to nurture authentic collaboration among participants. Second, we review how public participation, consultancy, and action research have been employed to conduct applied and participatory research and discuss how each is similar to and different from transdisciplinarity. Here we describe how community-based participatory research combines action research and participatory research and thus can become a transdisciplinary process. This section also defines different types of participation. Third, we look at how scientists and universities can play key roles in developing environmental literacy. Thus, we discuss the power of “disciplined interdisciplinarity” when coping with current salient environmental challenges.
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Chapter
373
Part VII
Beyond disciplines and sciences
15
Transdisciplinarity for environmentalliteracy
1
15.1 Goals and variants of transdisciplinarity
373
15.2 Implementing transdisciplinaryprocesses
379
15.3 Functions of transdisciplinaryprocesses
384
15.4 Other applied research andparticipatory approaches
388
15.5 Transdisciplinarity, science, anduniversities
394
15.6 New frontiers for science–societycooperation
399
15.7 Transdisciplinarity in action
401
Chapter overview
Tis chapter has three principal sections: rst, wedene transdisciplinarity and show how it undamen-tally diers rom disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity.We discriminate between transdisciplinary processesand transdisciplinary research. We then present meth-ods to acilitate transdisciplinary processes and to nur-ture authentic collaboration among participants.Second, we review how public participation, con-sultancy, and action research have been employed toconduct applied and participatory research and dis-cuss how each is similar to and dierent rom transdis-ciplinarity. Here we describe how community-basedparticipatory research combines action research andparticipatory research and thus can become a transdis-ciplinary process. Tis section also denes dierenttypes o participation.Tird, we look at how scientists and universities canplay key roles in developing environmental literacy.Tus, we discuss the power o “disciplined interdisci-plinarity” when coping with current salient environ-mental challenges.We discuss the potential, limitations, and risks o transdisciplinarity and discuss how it is related to thenature o democracy itsel. Te discussion leads us tothe role and unction universities and academia canplay in the uture o environmental literacy and sus-tainable development.
15.1 Goals and variants of transdisciplinarity
In this section we review how transdisciplinarity isdistinguished rom both interdisciplinarity and dis-ciplinarity, and we introduce the distinction betweentransdisciplinarity research and transdisciplinary processes. While there have been dierent interpret-ations o transdisciplinarity, this book advocatestransdisciplinary processes that involve authentic col-laboration among science and society when includingrepresentatives rom industry, government, adminis-tration, dierent stakeholder groups, and the public atlarge. Such collaborations, as we describe, emphasizemutual learning, joint problem denition, and knowl-edge integration. ransdisciplinary processes shouldproduce relevant, socially robust knowledge that alsoeeds back to scientic knowledge generation andtheory-building.o implement a transdisciplinary process, acili-tators can employ techniques such as embedded casestudy methods to structure and organize work. Tesemethods support problem representation and model-ing, problem evaluation, development, and transitiono the real-world problem. Aer briefy introducingthese methods we present a step-by-step example o a transdisciplinary process in Switzerland that hasused these methods to develop a sustainable business
1
Michael Stauacher and Pius Krütli cooperated with meover many transdisciplinary case studies and theoreticaldiscussions and helped me to compose this chapter.
374
15 Transdisciplinarity for environmental literacy
concepts or methods rom one discipline to another.In the rst denition o transdisciplinarity by Jantschas the “multi-level coordination o entire education/innovation system” (Jantsch, 1972, p. 221), the“beyond” science notion o “trans”-disciplinarity ishighlighted. Since there is some conusion about thedistinction between interdisciplinarity and transdisci-plinarity, we briey dene our understanding o theseconcepts.
Disciplines
are characterized by objects and (core)methods by which certain problems are approached.For example, mathematics deals with relationshipsbetween symbols and numbers by the method o proo.Similarly, the purview o pharmacy is to investigate theimpact o certain chemicals (called medical drugs) ondiseases by the use o laboratory experiments and clin-ical trials.
Interdisciplinarity
is established by the
fusion
o concepts and methods rom dierent disciplines. Ametaphorical example illustrating what is meant by usion is the saxophone, which emerged rom theclarinet and the trumpet. Biochemistry, which studieschemical processes in living organisms, or example,investigating reactions o proteins and other mol-ecules, can (at least beore it got established as a dis-cipline) serve as an example o an interdisciplinary eld. Te experimental method is a pillar o this eld.Te term “industrial ood web” used in the emergingdomain o industrial ecology can also be taken as anintegrated concept.
Transdisciplinarity
is undamentally dierentrom interdisciplinarity. Most o today’s denitions o transdisciplinarity include in their meaning that it goesbeyond science in the sense that it “deals with relevant,complex societal problems and organizes processes …”that relate knowledge and values o “agents rom thescientic and the non-scientic world” (Scholz
et al
.,2000, p. 447). As there are dierent notions o transdis-ciplinarity, we provide insight into the our most sali-ent conceptions below.Disciplines efciently organize the methods andsystematized knowledge about the material–bio-physical–technological as well as the social–cultural–epistemic world. Interdisciplinarity merges conceptsand methods rom dierent disciplines or betterunderstanding and explanation o certain issues, phe-nomena, and processes that cannot be sufciently explained rom a single disciplinary perspective.ransdisciplinarity organizes processes that link sci-entic, theoretic, and abstract epistemics with theuture in harmony with the environment. Finally, wedescribe unctions o transdisciplinary processes suchas capacity/competence-building, consensus-building,analytic mediation, and legitimization o public policy.
15.1.1 Why transdisciplinarity?
Collaboration between science and society is oenrequested i uncertainty arises about substantialchanges in human-environment systems (HES) such asthe introduction o a new technology or new medicalpharmaceuticals, diagnosis or therapy. Other problemsthat deserve collaborative processes between scienceand society are the nding o mitigation, adaptation,policy or decision strategies, or instance when acingundamental changes o the natural or social environ-ment such as rom natural hazards, climate change,resources scarcity or changing cultural settings.We argue that, rom the perspective o society,transdisciplinarity provides an efcient use o knowl-edge or coping with complex, socially relevant prob-lems. It provides societal capacity-building and bridgesthe growing gul between many areas o research andthe public. Tis equips society with a better under-standing o how technologies, or the natural environ-ment, work and how the latter interacts with humansystems. Tus, in consequence, transdisciplinarity canpermit us to master and cope more adequately with thenew and unknown, or instance regarding inventionssuch as nanotech particles, both rom a scientic androm a societal perspective. At the same time, it stimu-lates academic research by highlighting phenomena,issues, and emerging questions that require scienticreection, and eeds experiential knowledge into theresearch process. Furthermore, it rees science romthe cumbersome implementation problem. Insteado acing the challenge o gaining public understand-ing, acceptance, or appraisal o something ingeni-ous, but that is rejected or “non-academic reasons,”transdisciplinary processes put science into practicerom the very beginning. ransdisciplinarity is, as wewill elaborate, an efcient means to use knowledge indecision-making, at least in certain types o prodemo-cratic, civic societies (Almond, 2000).
15.1.2 Defnition and notions o transdisciplinarity
Te term transdisciplinarity is occasionally reerred toas “perected interdisciplinarity” or as the transer o
15.1 Goals and variants of transdisciplinarity
375
science community notice that they have joint interestin a complex, relevant phenomenon that can be betterunderstood and dealt with i knowledge rom practiceand rom science is integrated. ypical examples aresustainable transitions o regional systems caused by,or example, the overexploitation o natural resources(including pollution) or by adapting to changing envir-onmental conditions.Te ways in which scientists, legitimized decision-makers, and the public at large can collaborate areillustrated in Figure 15.1, which shows our horizon-tal time axes. At bottom ront, one nds the public atlarge, whose priority is to sustain and organize lie.Tis public opinion-building activity, shown as publicdiscourse, in the oreground, represents the cultural–social side o human systems. At the top, we nd thetime arrow or the scientic community, whose vari-ous activities (i.e. teaching, in-service training, inves-tigating, etc.) together make up the research process.At bottom back, we nd the legitimized decision-maker, whose activities make up decision processes. Alegitimized decision-maker can be a national or localgovernment, a local environmental agency that hascertain responsibilities, or also a property owner (e.g.a landowner or a company directorate) who makesor plans decisions. I a legitimized decision-makerreal-world-based experiential knowledge rom outsideacademia. It relates human wisdom to the analyticalrigor o science and academic methodology.Distinguishing transdisciplinary
research
romtransdisciplinary
processes
is important. rans-disciplinarity, according to the “Zurich 2000” denitiondescribed in the next section, organizes mutual learningamong members o science and society that can gener-ate socially robust knowledge. For the most part, thismutual learning takes place in transdisciplinary proc-esses in which members rom the science community interact with decision-makers, stakeholders or the pub-lic at large. ransdisciplinary processes difer rom con-sultancy and contracted research with respect to powersharing and direction o involvement; that means, whoparticipates in whose process. In consultancy and con-tracted research, scientists operate in the action spaceo the legitimized decision-maker, who lets science par-ticipate (see Figure 15.6). Members, knowledge, andresults rom the science community become part o thedecision process. Here, the legitimized decision-makerultimately decides how scientists’ skills and knowledgeare used during the process, and how outcomes andresults are communicated and utilized.Usually, a transdisciplinary process emerges i alegitimized decision-maker and members rom the
SciencecommunityControlled bydecision-makers,science, andstakeholderstt
o
t
o
t
o
Controlled bydecision-makersand sciencett
Research process Decision process Public discourse (Stakeholder activities) (‘Ideal’) Transdisciplinary process
TransdisciplinaryprocessLegitimizeddecision-makerTransdisciplinaryprocessPublic at large(Stakeholders)
Figure 15.1
Actors rom the science community, public at large, and legitimized decision-makers are involved in research processes, publicdiscourses or stakeholder activities, and decision processes, respectively. When the actors leave their primary processes (action lines – boldgray) and join in a collaborative, power-balanced efort, we can call this a transdisciplinary process.
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