Transdisciplinary approaches to knowledge production and problem solving to tackle grand societal challenges
- Submission status
- Open
- Submission deadline
Transdisciplinarity is driven by the need to solve complex real-world problems. It is characterised by the transgression of disciplinary and sectorial boundaries, common goal setting and the creation of a higher-level synthesis or convergence of knowledge. It shares common features with its sister concept, interdisciplinary, yet differs in that it additionally places emphasis on the participation of non-academic actors and practitioners in the process of knowledge production and problem solving. In broad terms, transdisciplinary approaches are often characterised as being: interdisciplinary, collaborative beyond traditional academia, integrative, reflexive, problem-focused or purpose-oriented, participatory and interactive.
This collection focuses on transdisciplinarity in policymaking and research practice, particularly as applied to efforts to find solutions to societal and global challenges.
Perspectives are welcomed on a range of themes, including but not limited to:
- Philosophies and theories underpinning transdisciplinarity
- Conceptual and methodological approaches to transdisciplinary research
- Transdisciplinary research models (e.g., training, teaching and participatory projects)
- The role of transdisciplinarity in the policymaking process from conception to implementation
- Case studies of successful, innovative and landmark transdisciplinary projects
- Transdisciplinary research in the context of societal power relations and institutional structures
- Approaches to the integration of the values, knowledge, know-how and expertise of non-academic stakeholders in collaborative research
- Relationship of transdisciplinarity to related concepts (e.g., interdisciplinarity, co-production, and integration and implementation sciences)
- Limitations of and blockers (e.g., structural, disciplinary) to the adoption of transdisciplinary approaches
Note: Research papers that do not explicitly relate to ‘transdisciplinarity’ will not be considered for this collection, but will be processed, if otherwise appropriate, for potential publication in the general section of the journal.
The Collection will publish original research Articles, Reviews and Comments (full details on content types can be found here). Papers will be published in Humanities & Social Sciences Communications as soon as they are accepted and then collected together and promoted on the Collection homepage. All Guest Edited Collections are associated with a call for papers and are managed by one or more of our Editorial Board Members and the journal's Editors.
This Collection welcomes submissions from all authors – and not by invitation only – on the condition that the manuscripts fall within the scope of the Collection and of Humanities & Social Sciences Communications more generally. See our editorial process page for more details.
All submissions are subject to the same peer review process and editorial standards as regular Humanities & Social Sciences Communications Articles, including the journal’s policy on competing interests. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by Editorial Board Members who have no competing interests. See our journal policies and submission guidelines for more details.
This Collection is not supported by sponsorship.
