TY - JOUR
T1 - The challenges of cross-disciplinary research
AU - Aagaard-Hansen, Jens
PY - 2007/10/1
Y1 - 2007/10/1
N2 - During the past decades, research collaboration between researchers from different disciplines has become more frequent. However, there is a need to look into the generic modalities and challenges. The article explores a series of potential obstructions to cross-disciplinary collaboration of methodological and epistemological nature. Furthermore, a number of contextual, inhibiting factors are outlined. As means of overcoming the obstacles, the importance of mutual knowledge, allocation of adequate time and conducive research management is emphasised. New teams may benefit from tutoring by facilitators, who can help to make problem areas explicit and negotiate solutions. Owing to the training background of the author, most of the examples are drawn from the interface between biomedicine/natural science and applied medical anthropology. However, the issues raised basically apply to all sorts of cross-disciplinary research collaboration in various combinations.
AB - During the past decades, research collaboration between researchers from different disciplines has become more frequent. However, there is a need to look into the generic modalities and challenges. The article explores a series of potential obstructions to cross-disciplinary collaboration of methodological and epistemological nature. Furthermore, a number of contextual, inhibiting factors are outlined. As means of overcoming the obstacles, the importance of mutual knowledge, allocation of adequate time and conducive research management is emphasised. New teams may benefit from tutoring by facilitators, who can help to make problem areas explicit and negotiate solutions. Owing to the training background of the author, most of the examples are drawn from the interface between biomedicine/natural science and applied medical anthropology. However, the issues raised basically apply to all sorts of cross-disciplinary research collaboration in various combinations.
KW - Applied Research
KW - Biomedicine
KW - Cross-disciplinarity
KW - Epistemology
KW - Facilitators
KW - Medical Anthropology
KW - Methodology
KW - Paradigms
KW - Research Management
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36949027557&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02691720701746540
DO - 10.1080/02691720701746540
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:36949027557
VL - 21
SP - 425
EP - 438
JO - Social Epistemology
JF - Social Epistemology
SN - 0269-1728
IS - 4
ER -