Prompting transdisciplinary research: Promising futures for using the performance metaphor in research

Abstract

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Beyond “linking knowledge and action”: towards a practice-based approach to transdisciplinary sustainability interventions

“…Viewing contexts as dynamic sets of relations established within practice highlights useful avenues for intervention in transdisciplinary research centred around "re-enacting" social and material relationships as a means to nurture transformative change. Boyd et al (2015) use a performative approach to encourage researchers to adopt different professional relationships with colleagues and make alternative uses of "props" (e.g. tools) within transdisciplinary research projects.…”

Using theatre and performance for greater reflexivity in planning and design education

“…At the same time, they have been recognized for spurring critical reflection on researchers' own responsibility for the places and communities in which they operate (Susskind et al 2018). They are often invoked in the context of addressing 'wicked problems' such as climate change, food insecurity, poverty and social exclusion (Boyd et al 2015). PAR approaches represent a necessary addition to the more prominent positivist toolkit of planning and design students, thus enabling educational strategies that promote an "attitude of adventure" (Davoudi 2012, p. 432) and exploration, as a viable alternative (Pinel and Urie 2017).…”

“…Building on the previous work of one of the authors on transdisciplinary teamwork in research (Buizer et al 2015), we will first focus on the use of Participatory Action Research (PAR) and transdisciplinary approaches in teaching. Secondly, we dwell on Goffman's (1959) theatre metaphor, which was developed into a heuristic for reflections on transdisciplinarity in research teams (Boyd et al 2015). We have since further applied the approach in research and educational settings, and linked it to Judith Butler's (1986) concept of performativity.…”

Developing a Framework for Research Evaluation in Complex Contexts Such as Action Research

“…If collaborative activity is featured in a framework, the following caution about communication from Boyd, Buizer, Schibeci, and Baudains (2015) might be considered: . .…”