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Thinking about knowing: conceptual foundations for interdisciplinary environmental research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 December 2010

SANJEEV KHAGRAM ,
KIMBERLY A. NICHOLAS ,
DENA MACMYNOWSKI BEVER ,
JUSTIN WARREN ,
ELIZABETH H. RICHARDS ,
KIRSTEN OLESON ,
JUSTIN KITZES ,
REBECCA KATZ ,
REBECA HWANG  and
REBECCA GOLDMAN
...Show all authors
SANJEEV KHAGRAM
Affiliation:
University of Washington, Lindenberg Center, Parrington Hall, Box 353055, Seattle, WA 98195-3055, USA
KIMBERLY A. NICHOLAS*
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Suite 226, Stanford, CA 94305-4215, USA Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, PO Box 170, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
DENA MACMYNOWSKI BEVER
Affiliation:
Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305-4205, USA
JUSTIN WARREN
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Suite 226, Stanford, CA 94305-4215, USA
ELIZABETH H. RICHARDS
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Suite 226, Stanford, CA 94305-4215, USA Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA
KIRSTEN OLESON
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Suite 226, Stanford, CA 94305-4215, USA
JUSTIN KITZES
Affiliation:
Earth Systems Program, Stanford University Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Room 131, Stanford, CA 94305, USA Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
REBECCA KATZ
Affiliation:
Earth Systems Program, Stanford University Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Room 131, Stanford, CA 94305, USA High Mountain Institute, Leadville, CO 80461, USA
REBECA HWANG
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Suite 226, Stanford, CA 94305-4215, USA YouNoodle, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
REBECCA GOLDMAN
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Suite 226, Stanford, CA 94305-4215, USA The Nature Conservancy, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
JASON FUNK
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Suite 226, Stanford, CA 94305-4215, USA Environmental Defense Fund, 1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20009, USA
KATE A BRAUMAN
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building, 473 Via Ortega, Suite 226, Stanford, CA 94305-4215, USA Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, 1954 Buford Avenue, 325 VoTech Building, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
*
*Correspondence: Kimberly Nicholas Tel: +46 46 222 4809; e-mail: kimberly.nicholas.academic@gmail.com
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Summary

Working across knowledge-based research programmes, rather than institutional structures, should be central to interdisciplinary research. In this paper, a novel framework is proposed to facilitate interdisciplinary research, with the goals of promoting communication, understanding and collaborative work. Three core elements need to be addressed to improve interdisciplinary research: the types (forms and functions) of theories, the underlying philosophies of knowledge and the combination of research styles; these three elements combine to form the research programme. Case studies from sustainability science and environmental security illustrate the application of this research programme-based framework. This framework may be helpful in overcoming often oversimplified distinctions, such as qualitative/quantitative, deductive/inductive, normative/descriptive, subjective/objective and theory/practice. Applying this conceptual framework to interdisciplinary research should foster theoretical advances, more effective communication and better problem-solving in increasingly interdisciplinary environmental fields.

Keywords

environment and securityenvironmental studiesepistemologyinterdisciplinary researchphilosophy of scienceresearch methodssustainability sciencetheory development
Type
THEMATIC ISSUE: Interdisciplinary Progress in Environmental Science & Management
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 37 , Issue 4: Thematic section. Interdisciplinary Progress in Environmental Science and Management , December 2010 , pp. 388 - 397
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 2010

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