Siew Tuck Fatt, Aenis Thomas, Spangenberg Joachim H, Nauditt Alexandra, Döll Petra, Frank Sina K, Ribbe Lars, Rodriguez-Labajos Beatriz, Rumbaur Christian, Settele Josef, Wang Jue
Institute of Physical Geography, Goethe University Frankfurt, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Luisenstrasse 53, 10099 Berlin, Germany.
Sustain Sci. 2016;11(5):813-829. doi: 10.1007/s11625-016-0378-0. Epub 2016 Jun 8.
Transdisciplinary research (TDR) aims at identifying implementable solutions to difficult sustainability problems and at fostering social learning. It requires a well-managed collaboration among multidisciplinary scientists and multisectoral stakeholders. Performing TDR is challenging, particularly for foreign researchers working in countries with different institutional and socio-cultural conditions. There is a need to synthesize and share experience among researchers as well as practitioners regarding how TDR can be conducted under specific contexts. In this paper, we aim to evaluate and synthesize our unique experience in conducting TDR projects in Asia. We applied guiding principles of TDR to conduct a formative evaluation of four consortium projects on sustainable land and water management in China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In all projects, local political conditions restricted the set of stakeholders that could be involved in the research processes. The set of involved stakeholders was also affected by the fact that stakeholders in most cases only participate if they belong to the personal network of the project leaders. Language barriers hampered effective communication between foreign researchers and stakeholders in all projects and thus knowledge integration. The TDR approach and its specific methods were adapted to respond to the specific cultural, social, and political conditions in the research areas, also with the aim to promote trust and interest of the stakeholders throughout the project. Additionally, various measures were implemented to promote collaboration among disciplinary scientists. Based on lessons learned, we provide specific recommendations for the design and implementation of TDR projects in particular in Asia.
跨学科研究（TDR）旨在找出应对棘手的可持续发展问题的可实施解决方案，并促进社会学习。它需要多学科科学家和多部门利益相关者之间进行妥善管理的协作。开展跨学科研究具有挑战性，尤其是对于在不同制度和社会文化条件的国家工作的外国研究人员而言。有必要在研究人员和从业者之间综合并分享关于如何在特定背景下开展跨学科研究的经验。在本文中，我们旨在评估和综合我们在亚洲开展跨学科研究项目的独特经验。我们应用跨学科研究的指导原则，对中国、菲律宾和越南的四个关于可持续土地和水资源管理的联盟项目进行了形成性评估。在所有项目中，当地政治状况限制了能够参与研究过程的利益相关者群体。所涉及的利益相关者群体还受到这样一个事实的影响，即在大多数情况下，利益相关者只有属于项目负责人的个人网络才会参与。语言障碍阻碍了所有项目中外国研究人员与利益相关者之间的有效沟通，进而影响了知识整合。跨学科研究方法及其具体方法进行了调整，以应对研究领域特定的文化、社会和政治状况，同时也是为了在整个项目中增进利益相关者的信任和兴趣。此外，还采取了各种措施来促进学科科学家之间的合作。基于所吸取的经验教训，我们针对跨学科研究项目的设计和实施，特别是在亚洲，提供了具体建议。
