Scientific disciplines have been primary units of epistemic and institutional differentiation in modern research systems, encompassing the specialization of scientists, disciplinary communication systems, discipline-oriented work organization, and discipline-aligned systems of quality control and rewards. In its contemporary outline, the…

Which attitudes, mindsets, and personal qualities do scholars deem crucial for inter- and transdisciplinary (ITD) research? And how has this changed over time? In this article, we answer these questions by looking at foundational texts on inter- and transdisciplinarity published between the 1970s and the early 2000s. We show that virtues such as…

Interdisciplinarity (ID) and transdisciplinarity (TD)--in their definitions and practical characteristics--encapsulate the tensions, demands, and transformations that scientific research is currently undergoing in response to the complexity of scientific problems across various domains. This article aims to contribute to the discussion on how ID…

Integration is crucial to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work and it therefore deserves perennial attention by scholars and practitioners of such work. Few have thought so carefully, deeply, and tenaciously about integration as Julie Thompson Klein. In this article, we recount the development of Klein's thinking on integration, from her…

This study explores how life science researchers conceptualize, operationalize, and value Interdisciplinary Research (IDR). We interviewed a sample of 10 established life science faculty to understand the researchers' lived experiences and perspectives on participating in IDR. Six themes emerged from our data: (1) IDR requires the integration of…

The term "interdisciplinary" is an increasingly popular buzzword within higher education, yet varying interpretations of what constitutes interdisciplinary learning can dilute its meaning and potency. The Integrative Studies program at Kennesaw State University has participated in this dilution by offering an Integrative Studies degree…

This article is inspired by a recent call for the establishment of "alliances for inter- and transdisciplinarity" issued by Julie Thompson Klein (2021) in this journal. Previously, in 2016, "Issues in Interdisciplinary Studies" published a Special Section devoted to Latin American experiences in interdisciplinarity and…

This article presents case study findings about undeclared student experiences in a two-and-a-half-year interdisciplinary learning-living program that integrates the arts, humanities, and social science disciplines. The study examined how the program helped students make informed decisions about academic majors and vocational choices. Participants…

This article extends Julie Thompson Klein's ideas on boundary work and typologies of interdisciplinarity from the context of academia to the context of international news media. It draws a metaphorical connection between news frames and the perspectives of academic disciplines, perceiving both as providing selective, limited views on the world.…

This article describes a strategic intervention to empower interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research groups to develop strategies for overcoming barriers to the collaborative process. We report on an application of the intervention with a team of researchers working on the development of "green materials" to reduce energy…

Multiple barriers in the structure and function of American higher education conspire to impede the success of interdisciplinary programs in environmental studies. We present an amalgamated narrative case study to illustrate how barriers operate both independently and in concert to undermine individual and programmatic goals, innovation, and…

This article reports the results of a qualitative case study investigating the self-authorship characteristics of learners in the context of an interdisciplinary curriculum. The study identifies the students' assumptions about knowledge, self, and relationships. The findings are based on evidence from reflective essays written by students upon…

One reason scholars and students are attracted to interdisciplinary studies and its research process is because doing good work in the field requires values, traits and skills that are virtuous rather than vicious. This study examines how successful interdisciplinary research is intrinsically related to the human capacity for reverence in the face…

Although interdisciplinary approaches to education are found throughout the West, interdisciplinarity is not everywhere conceived and implemented the same way. Adopting a socio-historical perspective, this article presents two conceptions of interdisciplinarity in primary and middle school education (though the conceptions are apparent at other…

Scholars trained and credentialed in disciplines have a vast array of response options when challenged to engage with others from other disciplinary backgrounds. By considering the ways in which disciplines are like cultures and putting acculturation theory squarely into the domain of interdisciplinary studies, this article takes a new look at…