A Primer for Practice
E-Book, Deutsch, 294 Seiten
ISBN: 978-3-593-41836-0
Verlag: Campus
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Wasserzeichen (»Systemvoraussetzungen)
Transdisciplinarity is an approach for research on the complex real-world problems our societies are facing. During the research process new knowledge is produced by integrating different problem perceptions and knowledge bases from sciences and societal practice; the aim is to contribute to both societal and scientific progress.
The authors systematically describe scholarly methods for the task of knowledge integration in transdisciplinary research and provide examples from research practice. This book supports scholars in the conceptualization and execution of transdisciplinary research projects and is of high relevance for teaching.
Weitere Infos & Material
Contents
Preface to the English edition9
Julie Thompson Klein
Foreword to the English edition11
Matthias Bergmann
Introduction to the 2010 German edition13
Matthias Bergmann
Structure of the book and how to use it17
How to use the method collection and examples19
Chapter I: The integrative approach in transdisciplinary research22
Chapter II: Integration methods-An overview of individual methods for transdisciplinary research practice50
II.AIntegration through conceptual clarification and theoretical framing53
A.1 Integration through interdisciplinary conceptual work57
A.2 Integration through theoretical framing65
II.B Integration through research questions and hypothesis formulation73
B.1Integration through joint formulation of relevant research questions74
B.2 Integration through the formulation of hypotheses76
II.C Screening, using, refining, and further developing effective integrative scientific methods79
C.1 Integration through screening existing (inter)disciplinary methods and identifying methodical needs80
C.2 Integration through interdisciplinary development of methods82
C.3 Integration through adopting established transdisciplinary methods85
II.D Integrative assessment procedures89
II.E Integration through the development and application of models95
II.F Integration through artifacts, services and products as boundary objects105
F.1 Integration through artifacts, services and products106
F.2 Integration through publications112
II.G Integrative procedures and instruments of research organization115
G.1 Integration through the formation of interdisciplinary teams115
G.2 Integration through stakeholder involvement and participation124
G.3 Integration through iteration/recursiveness129
G.4 Integration through key question procedure at end of project132
Chapter III: Integration strategies-Examples of comprehensive concepts in research practice136
III.A Preliminary remark136
III.B Example 1: Strategies for a sustainable urban mobility-Integration through interdisciplinary method development137
B.1Framework conditions and project's research goal137
B.2 Research strategy and integration methods139
B.3 Project brief150
III.C Example 2: Demography and supply systems-Integration through theoretical work and model development152
C.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal152
C.2 Research strategy and integration methods154
C.3 Project brief169
III.DExample 2: Decline of fish populations-Integration through formulation of hypotheses with stakeholder participation172
D.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal172
D.2 Research strategy and integration methods173
D.3 Project brief181
III.E Example 4: A reconception of grazingland management-Integration through inclusion of everyday action183
E.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal183
E.2 Research strategy and integration methods184
E.3 Project brief190
III.F Example 5: Adapted health services for nomadic pastoralists-Integration through the inclusion of a target group192
F.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal192
F.2 Research strategy and integration methods193
F.3 Project brief199
III.G Example 6: Sustainable housing renovation-Integration through including practice partners and through product orientation202
G.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal202
G.2 Research strategy and integration methods203
G.3 Project brief209
III.HExample 7: Sustainability and urban design-Integration through cross-disciplinary categorial systems and iterative forms of work211
H.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal211
H.2 Research strategy and integration methods213
H.3 Project brief219
III.I Example 8: Water demand forecast for Hamburg-Integration through continual design of the research process and operationalization of the product220
I.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal220
I.2 Research strategy and integration methods222
I.3 Project brief228
III.J Example 9: Situated human-machine communication-Integration through the development of an artifact229
J.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal229
J.2 Research strategy and integration methods232
J.3 Project brief242
III.K Example 10: Nature conservation and agricultural production-Integration through the elaboration of guiding principles245
K.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal245
K.2 Research strategy and integration methods246
K.3 Project brief251
III.L Example 11: Evaluation of transdisciplinary research-Integration through joint learning in an iterative process253
L.1 Framework conditions and project's research goal253
L.2 Research strategy and integration methods254
L.3 Project brief260
Chapter IV: Integration supportive aspects of the management of transdisciplinary research processes and groups262
IV.A Management strategies for an integrated project process263
IV.B Integration planning, problem description, research questions and research objectives266
IV.C Coordination, communication and learning processes269
IV.D Quality management, criteria and products274
Chapter V: Further instructions for use276
V.AProject phase reference of the integration methods and instruments277
V.BFunctional order of integration methods278
V.CClassification of integration strategies of the projects according to integration types281
V.DOverview of integration methods and integration strategies282
D.1Integration methods and instruments in Chapter II282
D.2Model projects and their integration strategies in Chapter III284
Chapter VI: References286
About the authors290
Index292
The logical structure of each chapter of the book, as well as that of the book as a whole, is motivated by one central purpose: to support researchers as directly as possible in carrying out their transdisciplinary research. To this end we have made the following assumptions, based on our own experience carrying out transdisciplinary research.
When describing the integration methods and instruments collected and analyzed in this book we have kept two things in mind with the hope of making the book as useful as possible for dealing with integration issues. First, the methods are described in such a manner that they can be used by different transdisciplinary research projects dealing with different problem fields and drawing on different constellations of scientific fields; that is, they have a context-independent, general value. Second, it is equally important not to lose sight of the context-dependence of transdisciplinary research because what one can learn from the individual examples-that is, from the application of the methods in specific research projects with their individual problem contexts and the constellation of scientific fields-can be of great benefit for research practice as well (cf. Krohn 2008).
In addition, the first way of describing the methods-as context independent-fulfills the purpose of giving, from an epistemological point of view, a structured overview of useful integration methods. Here a position within the philosophy of science is being assumed, one which takes a stand on which specific approaches to the generation of knowledge are appropriate to transdisciplinary research.
Therefore, we have chosen to give the readers of this book, in the central Chapters II and III, first the decontextualized, then the contextualized descriptions of the integration methods and integration strategies.
In Chapter II, the integration instruments and methods that we have identified in concrete transdisciplinary model projects are detached from their projects and described independently of both their concrete research contexts and the given constellation of scientific fields. At the end of the description of each of these integration methods the reader will find a reference to the specific research project from which this method either originated or which project used it in an exemplary way.
In Chapter III, there follows a description of those research projects whose integration methods were evaluated. To be sure, the research project is not described here in its entirety; instead, the description concentrates on the "integration history" of each project, so that the reader will, with a focus on a description of the integration tasks involved, be able to understand these tasks, and, also, the research design and the research process. By describing the integration instruments contextually one can highlight the integrative processes of particular importance for the transdisciplinary research process. Following up on the abstract description of the methods presented in Chapter II the reader is in a position in Chapter III to see the concrete ways in which the methods are used. The description of each project and its respective research strategy also makes it possible to recognize whether the integration method in question "works well" by itself or whether it promises more success for an integrative research project when used in conjunction with other methods. At the end of each project description there is a "fact sheet" that provides further information, for example, concerning project-related literature. The publications most important for the project are listed first.
