Logo: to the web site of Uppsala University

uu.sePublications from Uppsala University
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Tensions in Transdisciplinary Research: A study of a climate research group
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Business Studies. (Organization and Management Studies)ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7673-3679
2023 (English)Doctoral thesis, monograph (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

In a time of sustainability predicaments and ‘grand challenges’, transdisciplinarity has been put forward as an approach through which researchers can engage with societal transformation for a better world. This study examines tensions that arise in the on-the-ground efforts of researchers to establish and manage a transdisciplinary research group within a Norwegian university. Tensions have been of interest in both studies of science and studies of organizations. Scholars have inquired into the ways in which tensions between interrelated, divergent demands influence the work of scientific knowledge production and organizational life. Transdisciplinary research groups, centers and institutes are proliferating, yet studies of the tensions and challenges they face at the micro-level remain nascent. Drawing on intermittent fieldwork over a two-year period, this dissertation analyses a local case in which climate and energy researchers took a transdisciplinary approach in establishing a “societally engaged” research group and research center in a social sciences department. Key questions are: which tensions do they encounter? How do they respond to them? 

The study makes use of concepts on tensions and paradox developed in organization and management studies to inform discussions on challenges in inter- and trans-disciplinary research in practice. The case study identifies, illustrates, and analyses several tensions salient for researchers: between the need for both consolidation and interrelation; between the need to grow and formalise the group while also maintaining its closeness and values; between ideas of researchers’ relationship to societal change as both distant and engaged; and between the need to maintain academic autonomy while providing usefulness to non-academic actors. Various responses to these tensions are identified and explored, including defending against, and actively embracing them. The findings allow for rethinking transdiscipclinary research in practice, with implications for research managers, practitioners, and policy makers.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Uppsala: Department of Business Studies , 2023. , p. 246
Series
Doctoral thesis / Företagsekonomiska institutionen, Uppsala universitet, ISSN 1103-8454 ; 220
Keywords [en]
Transdisciplinary Research, Tension, Paradox, Organization, Science Work, Sustainability, Research Groups
National Category
Economics and Business Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)
Research subject
Business Studies
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-499564ISBN: 978-91-506-3003-9 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-499564DiVA, id: diva2:1748955
Public defence
2023-05-29, Hörsal 2, Ekonomikum, Kyrkogårdsgatan 10, Uppsala, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2023-05-05 Created: 2023-04-04 Last updated: 2023-09-19Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

UUThesis_Anderson,L-2023(3478 kB)555 downloads
File information
File name FULLTEXT04.pdfFile size 3478 kBChecksum SHA-512
03f68426e9b77acfd758c77c3d2cf2ca0121bf563ad97aa37e6e717f8301fae4a0a5e5372a8897f4f8bae208281f60036a5c3132e34e650f111a09d650d62f9b
Type fulltextMimetype application/pdf
Buy this publication >>

Authority records

Anderson, Lakin

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Anderson, Lakin
By organisation
Department of Business Studies
Economics and BusinessSociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar
Total: 821 downloads
The number of downloads is the sum of all downloads of full texts. It may include eg previous versions that are now no longer available

isbn
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

isbn
urn-nbn
Total: 1720 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf