Transdisziplinäre Forschung revisited: Erkenntnisinteresse, Forschungsgegenstände, Wissensform und Methodologie

Abstract

Drängende Projektaufgaben lassen wenig Raum, sich Zeit zur wissenschaftstheoretischen Analyse der Eigenständigkeit von transdisziplinärer Forschung und ihrer Positionierung in der gegenwärtigen Wissenschaft zu nehmen. Dabei dient eine solche Analyse keinem weltfremden Selbstzweck. Der Beitrag liefert einen zusammenhängenden Analyserahmen.The ongoing growth of the field of transdisciplinary research primarily takes place in transformative practice when specific challenges and problems arise. Usually there is little space for conceptual and theoretical reflection. This paper offers a comprehensive frame of reference for the epistemological structure of transdisciplinary research. Based on the principle of sustainable development, the discussion focuses on the constitution of its research objects, the need for contextualization in the experimental practice, challenges and possibilities of generalization of the knowledge created and specifics of the methodology to be applied. This paper does not aim to reach a concluding diagnosis of these items, but rather adds to the further debate on the epistemological structure of transdisciplinary research. The authors thereby expect that the practice of transdisciplinarity and its position within the field of science will benefit from theoretical reflection.

Where to begin? Defining national strategies for implementing the 2030 Agenda: the case of Switzerland

“…In this study, we showed that the cross-matrix approach applying a sevenpoint scale (Nilsson et al 2016) is better suited to the national level than indicator-based assessment methods (see Pradhan et al 2017). This applies in particular if the selection of targets to be assessed is based on multistakeholder priority target assessment rather than simply relying on expert assessments (see Krohn et al 2017). This means that joint knowledge generation among researchers, civil-society representatives, and policymakers (Lubchenco et al 2015;Breuer et al 2019) in support of an "analytic-deliberative hybrid process" (Nilsson et al 2018) is to be preferred.…”

Transdisciplinarity in coaching process research – new forms of collaboration

“…In solchen Kontexten erscheint der Begriff der sozialen Wahrheit (Nowotny et al 2008) adäquater: Wahrheit wird zu einem Ergebnis reflektierter diskursiver Auseinandersetzung. Dies bedeutet eine Demokratisierung des Wissens und es ermöglicht die Erweiterung des Erkenntnisinteresses auf die Dimension der Praxiswirksamkeit (Krohn et al 2017 2019) und schließlich mit kritischen Fragen zum eigenen Tun reflektiert umzugehen. Zum anderen bedeutet Dialog auch, den Austausch mit der Forschung zu suchen, eigene Ideen, Perspektiven und Erwartungen zu liefern und so aktiv mögliche eigene Interessen einzubringen (vgl.…”

The Problematic of Transdisciplinary Sustainability Sciences

“…The concept of 'dilemma' indicates epistemological or ethical issues, namely, how to deal with manifold and conf licting epistemologies or moral norms, or which ethical legitimacy becomes accepted and how. These questions are not central in td sustainability sciences (Krohn et al 2017). It therefore seems promising to work on the thesis of a repression of dilemma and conf lict in discourses on sustainability and SD in light of the solution of familiar social problems with market economic strategies -rebranded as sustainability challenges.…”