Welcome to Interdisciplinary Research Design (2022)
Description: Many PhD projects at Aalborg University are ‘born interdisciplinary’. Equally, there is an increasing value attached to the interdisciplinary theme in the research funding community and public debate. Regardless hereof the tools and skills for thinking about interdisciplinary research designs has not been addressed and developed sufficiently amongst PhD students. The course is therefore motivated by this gap. It targets all PhD students with projects that are interdisciplinary either as a key feature of their initial design (‘born interdisciplinary’), or the ones that incrementally moves towards this as a function of an emerging awareness to the importance of an expanded research design during the process (‘becoming interdisciplinary’). Next to this existing gap in interdisciplinary research skills the course is motivated by an observation made over several years, namely that different scientific disciplines only is one level of needed cross-fertilization. Another is the ability to move more effortless across different methods, either in order to triangulate, or simply because of the nature of the research question. The so-called ‘problem-based-learning’ (PBL) research model need to take an interdisciplinary approach that includes actual scientific disciplines and their theoretical and conceptual apparatuses, as well as the multitude of methods of relevance to complex and real-life research questions. Finally, the course is motivated by an interest in bringing such an increased interdisciplinary awareness and skill-development in sync with the requirements for contemporary research dissemination and communication.
Learning objectives: The main learning objective is that the PhD student becomes able to identify the relevant dimensions of interdisciplinary research design in her or his own project (either as what is there from the outset (‘born’) or what might be implemented during the research process (‘becoming’). Next, participants must be able to develop a motivated and well-argued plan for any interdisciplinary research design proposal amendments.
Key Literature: Some of the key literature within Interdisciplinary research is set as the curriculum (see below). However, given the critical and explorative nature of the course we shall also look into readings that may look less obvious, but which have the critical creative potential for stimulating new ideas and thoughts.
Bark, R. H., M. E. Kragt & B. J. Robson (2016) Evaluating an interdisciplinary research project: Lessons learned for organisations, researchers and funders, International Journal of Project Management, 34 (2016) 1449–1459
Barry, A., G. Born & G. Weszkalnys (2008) Logics of interdisciplinarity, Economy and Society, 37:1, 20-49
Benson, T. C. (1982) Five Arguments Against Interdisciplinary Studies, Issues in Integrative Studies No.1 38-48
Committee on Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (2004) Facilitating interdisciplinary research. National Academies. Washington: National Academy Press
Darbellay, F. (2012) The circulation of knowledge as an interdisciplinary process: Travelling concepts, analogies, and metaphors, Issues in Interdisciplinary Studies 30, 1-18
Dupré, J. A (2014) Process ontology for biology. Philos. Mag. 81–88 (2014)
Jessop, B. & N. Sum (2001) Pre-disciplinary and Post-disciplinary Perspectives, New Political Economy, January 89-101
Lakoff, G. & M. Johnson (1980) Metaphors We Live By, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, pp. 3-33
Menken, S. & M. Keestrea (2016) An Introduction to Interdisciplinary Research. Theory & Practice, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press (KEY READING!)
Rigney, D. (2001) The Metaphorical Society. An Invitation to Social Theory, Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield, pp. 1-12 (chapter one: The Metaphorical Imagination)
Sayer, A. (2000) For Postdisciplinary Studies: Sociology and the Curse of Disciplinary Parochialism/Imperialism, in J. Eldridge, J. MacInnes, S. Scott, C. Warhurst and A. Witz (eds) (2000) For Sociology: Legacies and Prospects, Durham: Sociology Press, pp. 83-91
Schön, D. A. (1993) Generative Metaphor: a perspective on problem-setting in social policy, In A. Ortony (ed.) Metaphor and Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 137-163
Organizer: Professor Ole B. Jensen - obje@create.aau.dk
Lecturers: Post-doc Zakaria Djebbara and Ole B. Jensen
ECTS: 2,5 (without essay) or 4 (with essay)
Time: 07 November 2022 - 09 November 2022.
Place: Aalborg University:
Zip code: 9200
City: Aalborg
Number of seats: 15
Deadline: 17 October 2022
Important information concerning PhD courses: We have over some time experienced problems with no-show for both project and general courses. It has now reached a point where we are forced to take action. Therefore, the Doctoral School has decided to introduce a no-show fee of DKK 3.000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start. This can hopefully also provide new students a chance to register for courses during the year. We look forward to your registrations.
- Teacher: Ole B. Jensen