Interdisciplinary Studies – Key Terms

• Disciplinarity – a distinct field or subject which contains various tools, methods, procedures, concepts and theories. These tools and methodology are used to view problems or phenomena in a distinct way related to the given discipline. Disciplines can be shaped from external and internal demands.

• Interdisciplinarity – the means of using tools and methodologies of two or more disciplines to better decipher a problem or complex phenomena which can be viewed in many different ways. Interdisciplinarity help address a problem in multiple disciplinary views and works towards an integration of disciplinary insights to solve a problem.

• Multidisciplinarity – viewing a problem or complex phenomena from multiple disciplinary views with no integration of the different disciplines.

• Transdisciplinarity – viewing a problem or a complex phenomenon which relies on theories, concepts and approaches which transcend disciplinary boundaries. These theories, concepts and approaches can not be claimed as belonging to a single discipline.

• Cross-disciplinarity – is viewing a different discipline and deciphering how that discipline works in the view of another discipline with no intention of creating a new science, field, or paradigm.

1. What does it mean that the terms above are “essentially contested concepts?”
The definitions of the terms above are constantly in dispute and are not set in stone. They are constantly being challenge and can change at any given time
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2. When and why did interdisciplinary studies programs emerge in American universities?
IDST programs began to appear in American universities during the 1920s-1930s. This was brought about by various grants to encourage collaboration among the social sciences. One of the first IDST programs appeared in the 1930 known as American Studies which intended to combine the study of American literature and history.

3. What criticisms do interdisciplinarians have of disciplines?
While disciplines are very concise and focused, a single discipline is not sufficient enough to solve very complex problems or phenomena. Disciplines also led to the fragmentation of knowledge.

4. How does the framework of interdisciplinary studies seek to overcome limitations of disciplinary practice?
By combining the tools and theories of multiply discipline to view a problem and complex phenomena, interdisciplinarians integrates the multiple disciplinary views to solve the given task. Because of this, interdisciplinarians need to have a wider task of knowledge, or work together with others in different disciplines. This brings together different knowledge, and by working together, it helps enlighten other practitioners of other fields of the theories and tools used. This helps limit the fragmentation of knowledge.

5. Create an original metaphor for interdisciplinary studies
IDST is like a chef. The chef uses a variety of ingredients (disciplines) and techniques (disciplinary tools) and mixes them together to create a delicious meal.