Interdisciplinarity in Sustainability Science

Abstract

Over the last few decades, Sustainability Science (SS) has gained momentum and emerged in the academy with an extraordinary performance in knowledge production and contributions to the research and publications enterprise, growth in academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, creation of centers/laboratories, and formation of scientific communities, networks and associations. Increasingly, terms like integration, collaboration and bridging of fields and disciplinary boundaries are in the forefront of conversations and/or debates. The key question addressed by this review essay is this: Is interdisciplinarity in Sustainability Science a challenge or opportunity for educational institutions and local communities in the 21st century? Considering the recent momentum in educational advancements and institutional progress, the study outlines relevant literature on interdisciplinarity in SS; synthesizes recent thinking and developments in SS and attempts to address what challenges and opportunities people across the globe face in sustainability education and research and in the development of academic programs and sustainable communities. When scientists, policy makers, academics get together as teams, partners and collaborators they are likely to be engaged in interdisciplinary work and possibly doing sustainability research, policy development and problem-solving to deal with the pressing demands and challenges of the 21st century society. In this context, it is urgent in science and society to seek solutions to major sustainability problems such as climate change and one way to address that is by doing interdisciplinary work in Sustainability Science.