Paper short abstract:

This paper draws on data from a programme of strategic research and capacity building for the RCUK's on 'fair and equitable research partnerships'. It explores an approach to interdisciplinarity that frames research through the priorities, perspectives and practices of civil society practitioners.

Paper long abstract:

This paper responds to the recent drive by research funders and policy makers towards trans-national, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary research partnerships (e.g. the Global Challenges Research fund - see ICAI 2017). While there is an extensive literature that argues for the benefits of multi/inter/cross/trans-disciplinarity for extending research into 'the real world' beyond the silos of the academy (e.g. Lang et al 2012) others have critiqued the alleged neutrality of interdisciplinary practice which conceals inequalities between disciplines and based on geo-politics (e.g. Burawoy 2013; Barry and Born 2013). In response, this paper draws on the findings from a recent programme of strategic research and capacity building funded by the UK's Research Councils (RCUK) to develop a 'partners' perspective' on 'fair and equitable research partnerships that responds to global challenges'. By exploring the interrelation between the politics of evidence and distribution of participation in partnerships, the paper identifies opportunities and challenges facing interdisciplinary working and concludes by offering a framework based on framing an approach to interdisciplinarity through the priorities, perspectives and practices of civil society practitioners.

Barry, A. and Born, G. (eds). (2013). Interdisciplinarity: reconfigurations of the social and natural sciences. London: Routledge

Burawoy, M. (2013). 'Sociology and Interdisciplinarity: The Promise and the Perils' Philippine Sociological Review (2013) Vol. 61: 7-20

Lang, D., Wiek, A., Bergmann, M., Stauffacher, M., Martens, P., Moll, P., Swilling, M., & Thomas, C. J. (2012). Transdisciplinary research in sustainability science - practice, principles, and challenges. Sustainability Science, 7 (Supplement 1), 25-43