Radical interdisciplinarity in scientific practice: placing social networks in marine and fisheries sciences

Abstract

AbstractNew modes of science involving more integrated collaboration between disciplines, as well as better links between knowledge, decision-making, and action, are increasingly argued as critical for environmental sciences. Yet interdisciplinarity itself is often unspecified and ambiguous, ranging from collaboration of similar disciplines to more radical interdisciplinarity spanning natural and social sciences. We use social network analysis to chart changes in interdisciplinarity and compare two fisheries science organizations in the Northeast and Pacific U.S., with similar mandates for sustainability but different cultures, contexts, and knowledge networks. We also surveyed scientific staff to better understand reasons for and impediments to collaboration. While scientific practice involves increasing participation of different disciplines and social sciences remain on the periphery, the emergence of a hybrid scholar indicates different pathways for knowledge production as well as the importance of the co-production of knowledge and community, offering insight into how to facilitate more integrated and participatory approaches.