Actions speak louder than words: designing transdisciplinary approaches to enact solutions

Abstract

Sustainability science uses a transdisciplinary research process in which academic and nonacademic partners collaborate to identify a common problem and co-produce knowledge to develop more sustainable solutions. Sustainability scientists have advanced the theory and practice of facilitating collaborative efforts such that the knowledge created is usable. There has been less emphasis, however, on the last step of the transdisciplinary process: enacting solutions. We analyzed a case study of a transdisciplinary research effort in which co-produced policy simulation information shaped the creation of a new policy mechanism. More specifically, by studying the development of a mechanism for conserving vernal pool ecosystems we found that four factors helped overcome common challenges to acting upon new information: creating a culture of learning, co-producing policy simulations that acted as boundary objects, integrating research into solution development, and employing an adaptive management approach. With an increased focus on these four factors that enable action, we can better develop the same level of nuanced theoretical concepts currently characterizing the earlier phases of transdisciplinary research, and the practical advice for deliberately designing these efforts.

The role of a boundary object in legitimacy-making strategies for food waste innovation: the perspective of emergent circular supply chains

“…In recent years, the boundary object lens has gained fertile ground in environmental studies, where interdisciplinary works from a diverse set of stakeholders in both scientific and non-scientific worlds are prevalent (Levesque et al , 2019). Using boundary objects as a theoretical lens, scholars are interested in unravelling the instances where a particular object can operate as a boundary object to enable knowledge integrations and interdisciplinary collaborations (Lundgren, 2021).…”

Utilization of research knowledge in sustainable development pathways: Insights from a transdisciplinary research-for-development programme

“…Transdisciplinary research is gaining recognition for contributing to solve current sustainability challenges (Levesque et al, 2019). For doing so, transdisciplinary research is problem-oriented and combines scientific cooperation between different disciplines (interdisciplinarity) with the participation of different types of actors in the creation or production of knowledge (Hirsch Hadorn et al, 2006;Wiek et al, 2012;Miller et al, 2014;Polk, 2015).…”

The Grand Concepts of Environmental Studies Boundary objects between disciplines and policymakers

“…Of the articles focusing on work context, some employ the notion of co-production to emphasize the mutual participation of various groups in creating a boundary object (Levesque et al 2019;Roux et al 2017). This illustrates a further aspect of boundary objects common in some interdisciplinary contexts.…”

“…However, these are notoriously difficult concepts to grasp, and there has been much discussion about what interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity is and how to successfully conduct such research (Klein 2008(Klein , 2017; Sciences, National Academy of, National Academy of Engineering, and and Institute of Medicine 2004). Recently, much attention has been directed at the notion of 'boundary objects' as a theoretical perspective explaining the role of objects in inter-and transdisciplinary research (Levesque et al 2019;Pennington et al 2016). Boundary objects are situated between social groups and are relevant to each group, and therefore enable communication, mutual learning, and negotiation.…”