Co-producing “Post-normal” Climate Knowledge with Communities in Northeast Bangladesh

Abstract

Abstract Concepts of knowledge “co-production” are increasingly encouraged in climate research, including as an extended mode of climate science inquiry. So-called “post-normal” science offers opportunities to advance this branch of co-production research with theory and methods. However, the literature lacks material of how to “do” climate knowledge co-production as extended science, and particularly as post-normal science. This paper presents an account of post-normal science theory and how it guided the TRACKS (Transforming Climate Knowledge with and for Society) project’s research practice, co-producing climate knowledge with communities in northeast Bangladesh. Key principles of post-normal science are described and explanations given of how they were translated into the research process, and specifically into workshops. The paper therefore provides insights for scholars and practitioners on one form of knowledge co-production, and thus contributes to this growing scholarship.