Fieldwork in the Anthropocene. On the Possibilities of Analogical Thinking between Nature and Society

Abstract

Interdisciplinary sensitivity takes into account the epistemic upheaval of the Anthropocene. However, the still fragmented academic organization between nature and society counteracts intellectual progress. The paper explores the possibilities of enhancing collaboration between biology and sociology by providing an empirical reflection of common methodological grounds. Building on practice theory, pragmatism, science studies and sociocultural anthropology, I discuss current nature–society relationships through an ethnography of a taxonomist’s laboratory, followed up by a biodiversity expedition in Papua New Guinea. I address analogical thinking as a device for interdisciplinary collaboration through four modes of fieldwork enrollment: Ontological, disciplinary, transdisciplinary and experimental. The paper concludes with two arguments: Firstly, fieldwork could engender new knowledge in between differing epistemic cultures and, secondly, an analogical fieldwork approach based on the interrelatedness of experience, trial and cooperation facilitates promising pathways for sustainable futures of inquiry.

Valuating Marine Knowledge: Heterogeneous Collaborations at the Concarneau Marine Station

“…Approaches based on the assumption of shared values are also echoed within the newly emerging field of marine social sciences (MSS). They bring together different social sciences specializing in human-sea relations (Bavinck & Verrips 2020;McKinley et al 2020;Kołodziej & Kołodziej-Durnaś 2022) and explore current transitions of global marine communities, as well as modes of inter-and transdisciplinary collaboration (Bogusz 2023;Pelke & Finn 2023). Although some MSS scholars are reserved vis-à-vis valuations based on shared norms (Pauwelhussen 2020; Peters 2020), others echo the Ocean Decade's rhetoric to emphasize, for example, "the marine social sciences we want" fuelled by support for geopolitical marine justice (Bleischwitz 2023).…”