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Methodological Agility for Doing Transformative Transdisciplinary Research on Sustainability Transitions in the Context of the Anthropocene

Received: 30 March 2022     Accepted: 19 April 2022     Published: 12 May 2022
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Abstract

Undertaking sustainability transitions during the Anthropocene entails complex processes, since it implies co-producing transformative knowledge for many different kinds of socio-ecological contexts that are not just different in degree, but different in kind – i.e. ontologically different. Transformative knowledge is not only about co-producing strategic knowledge of how to navigate different future scenarios practically, taking us from where we are to where we want to be in future. Inextricably linked to this are ethical questions and choices related to the many different ways to act appropriately, fairly and justly on the journey (processes) of transitioning. Inaction in the Anthropocene is arguably the most unethical response imaginable. From a methodological perspective, this is a truly trans-disciplinary challenge. However, trans-disciplinarity is by no means as a methodological panacea. It is much better to imagine trans-disciplinarity as one amongst a number of context- or domain-relevant methodological responses – including mono-, multi- and inter-disciplinarity – on the understanding that trans-disciplinarity is much more specifically focused on and interested in tackling societal challenges that are considered too complex to be addressed strictly from within discrete boundaries of the single disciplines. The methodological agility implied by this should not, however, be confused with the much more onerous Kuhnian notion of ‘paradigm switching’, which is simply too arduous an undertaking for the nimbleness required when facing ever-changing problem situations in the Anthropocene today. In view of the above, the fundamental focus of this paper is on developing such an agile transdisciplinary methodology – with an explicit interest in contributing to the understanding of ways of facilitating the sustainability transitions in the context of the Anthropocene today.

Published in International Journal of Sustainable Development Research (Volume 8, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20220802.13
Page(s) 41-51
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Trans-disciplinarity, Methodology, Methodological Agility, Complexity, Sustainability Transitions, Anthropocene

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  • APA Style

    Goh Zhen, Van Breda John. (2022). Methodological Agility for Doing Transformative Transdisciplinary Research on Sustainability Transitions in the Context of the Anthropocene. International Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 8(2), 41-51. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20220802.13

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    ACS Style

    Goh Zhen; Van Breda John. Methodological Agility for Doing Transformative Transdisciplinary Research on Sustainability Transitions in the Context of the Anthropocene. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. Res. 2022, 8(2), 41-51. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20220802.13

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    AMA Style

    Goh Zhen, Van Breda John. Methodological Agility for Doing Transformative Transdisciplinary Research on Sustainability Transitions in the Context of the Anthropocene. Int J Sustain Dev Res. 2022;8(2):41-51. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20220802.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijsdr.20220802.13,
      author = {Goh Zhen and Van Breda John},
      title = {Methodological Agility for Doing Transformative Transdisciplinary Research on Sustainability Transitions in the Context of the Anthropocene},
      journal = {International Journal of Sustainable Development Research},
      volume = {8},
      number = {2},
      pages = {41-51},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijsdr.20220802.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20220802.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsdr.20220802.13},
      abstract = {Undertaking sustainability transitions during the Anthropocene entails complex processes, since it implies co-producing transformative knowledge for many different kinds of socio-ecological contexts that are not just different in degree, but different in kind – i.e. ontologically different. Transformative knowledge is not only about co-producing strategic knowledge of how to navigate different future scenarios practically, taking us from where we are to where we want to be in future. Inextricably linked to this are ethical questions and choices related to the many different ways to act appropriately, fairly and justly on the journey (processes) of transitioning. Inaction in the Anthropocene is arguably the most unethical response imaginable. From a methodological perspective, this is a truly trans-disciplinary challenge. However, trans-disciplinarity is by no means as a methodological panacea. It is much better to imagine trans-disciplinarity as one amongst a number of context- or domain-relevant methodological responses – including mono-, multi- and inter-disciplinarity – on the understanding that trans-disciplinarity is much more specifically focused on and interested in tackling societal challenges that are considered too complex to be addressed strictly from within discrete boundaries of the single disciplines. The methodological agility implied by this should not, however, be confused with the much more onerous Kuhnian notion of ‘paradigm switching’, which is simply too arduous an undertaking for the nimbleness required when facing ever-changing problem situations in the Anthropocene today. In view of the above, the fundamental focus of this paper is on developing such an agile transdisciplinary methodology – with an explicit interest in contributing to the understanding of ways of facilitating the sustainability transitions in the context of the Anthropocene today.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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    AU  - Goh Zhen
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    AB  - Undertaking sustainability transitions during the Anthropocene entails complex processes, since it implies co-producing transformative knowledge for many different kinds of socio-ecological contexts that are not just different in degree, but different in kind – i.e. ontologically different. Transformative knowledge is not only about co-producing strategic knowledge of how to navigate different future scenarios practically, taking us from where we are to where we want to be in future. Inextricably linked to this are ethical questions and choices related to the many different ways to act appropriately, fairly and justly on the journey (processes) of transitioning. Inaction in the Anthropocene is arguably the most unethical response imaginable. From a methodological perspective, this is a truly trans-disciplinary challenge. However, trans-disciplinarity is by no means as a methodological panacea. It is much better to imagine trans-disciplinarity as one amongst a number of context- or domain-relevant methodological responses – including mono-, multi- and inter-disciplinarity – on the understanding that trans-disciplinarity is much more specifically focused on and interested in tackling societal challenges that are considered too complex to be addressed strictly from within discrete boundaries of the single disciplines. The methodological agility implied by this should not, however, be confused with the much more onerous Kuhnian notion of ‘paradigm switching’, which is simply too arduous an undertaking for the nimbleness required when facing ever-changing problem situations in the Anthropocene today. In view of the above, the fundamental focus of this paper is on developing such an agile transdisciplinary methodology – with an explicit interest in contributing to the understanding of ways of facilitating the sustainability transitions in the context of the Anthropocene today.
    VL  - 8
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Author Information
  • Emerginarium Pte Ltd, Singapore

  • Centre for Sustainaibility Transitions, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

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