How Disciplines Differ

Desmond

McNeill

What is interdisciplinary research?

• Multi-disciplinary: autonomy of the different disciplines; does not lead to changes in the existing disciplinary and theoretical structures;

• Inter-disciplinary: formulation of a uniform, discipline-transcending terminology or common methodology; cooperation within a common framework shared by the disciplines involved;

• Trans-disciplinary (also known as cross-disciplinary): research based on a common theoretical understanding and accompanied by a mutual interpenetration of disciplinary epistemologies.

What is a discipline?Dictionary definition

“An academic discipline, or field of study, is a branch of knowledge which is taught or researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, and the learned societies and academic departments or faculties to which their practitioners belong.”

Working definition:

A discipline is:

- A rigorous way of studying the world.

 

• It is rigorous (‘disciplined’)

• It is one way of studying the world (there are many).

• It studies only one aspect, or part, of the world

Objects of study

• Material things

• Living things

• Individual human beings

• Groups of human beings

Ways of studying them

• Observation

• Experimentation

• Dissection/analysis

• ….

Where they are studied

• Field

• Laboratory

• Desk

• ??

Ways of presenting results

• Description (text)

• Measurement (numbers)

• Depiction (photos, pictures, maps)

•  ??

Categories

The above processes (description, measurement) involve:

- Selection and, almost always,

- Classification.

Categories

Zoology: 8 main taxonomic ranks: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.

Sociology, characteristics shared by members of a group may include interests, values, ethnic or social background, and kinship ties

Even measurement usually involves classification.

In demography, ’total population’ is arguably based on a ‘natural’ distinction - between humans and non-humans.

But the division between children and adults is not purely ‘natural’.

In most cases, classification is not ‘natural’, but ‘social’ i.e. dependent on the shared meanings of a group of people.

Such classifications vary across different societies, or over time within a society.

The object of study: matter or meaning

• One may range disciplines across a spectrum:

• Physics – chemistry – economics – anthropology – literary studies

’Materialist’ approaches (emphasis on matter/individual agent)

Nature Physics Body Chemistry Mind Biochemistry Society economics

’Social’ approaches (emphasis on meaning/structure)

Society Anthropology/sociology Mind Psychology Body Gender studies Nature Environmental philosophy

NATURAL SCIENCES HUMAN SCIENCES

Phenomenon being Studied*

Explanation Explanation / Interpretation (thin description) (thin/thick description) Reductionist Holist Agent Structure (physics) (ecology) (economics) (anthropology) Laboratory Field ….. Field (Where) Quantitative Qualitative Quantitative Qualitative (How) (Predominant

method)

* e.g a rainbow, a wink, a factory

Perspectives: ways of seeing

• There is a close relationship between the object of study and the way that object is perceived.

 • One major contrast is between

reductionist and holist perspectives.

Contrasts

• Quantitative/qualitative

 • Entities/relations

 • Generalisation/context

• Analytic/synthetic

Intellectual rigour

What constitutes rigour is decided by those who practice the discipline.

• Within a discipline, there is generally strong agreement as to what constitutes rigour.

• Between disciplines, there is often strong disagreement.

Why do research?

 • Intrinsic reasons

• Instrumental reasons

Why do interdisciplinary research?

 • Intrinsic reasons

• Instrumental reasons

What is an appropriate level of ambition?

• Multi-disciplinary: for policy-oriented research

• Inter-disciplinary: for more basic research

• Trans-disciplinary: not possible to achieve?