Knierim Andrea, Callenius Carolin
World Rev Nutr Diet. 2017;118:144-151. doi: 10.1159/000484465. Epub 2018 Apr 13.
Since the World Food Summit of 1996, the world has strived to achieve sustainable food production and improved nutrition for all. However, the complexity of food and nutrition security, compounded by a growing population, depleting natural resources, changing consumption patterns, and a multitude of environmental shocks to the ecosystem, make it a "wicked problem." Wicked problems transcend the resources of any single discipline and are the focus of contemporary transdisciplinary work. Transdisciplinary research approaches allow us to gain a better understanding of complex contexts, actions, and decisions that determine socioecological systems, and to develop organizational, social, and technological innovations that fit a given situation. Using the case of urban agriculture, which holds both potential and challenges for healthy nutrition and food systems, the key features of transdisciplinary research approaches are identified. As transdisciplinary research stems from a perceived real-life problem, a differentiated understanding and handling of knowledge diversity is needed. Furthermore, there is the need to build and maintain a research team and depending on the number of actors and the diversity of interests involved, the research has to be conceived as a group working process over a period of time requiring group management and process design skills. Though there is no single recipe for a transdisciplinary research process, we present a framework for such a process with iterative loops and multiple interactions among the various spheres of actors through the 4 phases of problem framing, problem analyses, problem solving, and stimulating change. Transdisciplinary research approaches have many challenges and are demanding in the integration of the research environment and processes. The interaction between stakeholders and the joint learning and reflection processes necessitate mutual understanding. However, the management of these interactions is as vital as pure scientific analysis for tackling real-world challenges.
自1996年世界粮食首脑会议以来，世界一直致力于实现可持续粮食生产并改善所有人的营养状况。然而，粮食和营养安全问题十分复杂，再加上人口不断增长、自然资源日益枯竭、消费模式不断变化以及生态系统受到众多环境冲击，使其成为一个“棘手问题”。棘手问题超越了任何单一学科的资源范围，是当代跨学科工作的重点。跨学科研究方法使我们能够更好地理解决定社会生态系统的复杂背景、行动和决策，并开发适合特定情况的组织、社会和技术创新。以城市农业为例，它对健康营养和粮食系统既具有潜力又带来挑战，本文确定了跨学科研究方法的关键特征。由于跨学科研究源于一个实际存在的现实问题，因此需要对知识多样性进行差异化的理解和处理。此外，还需要建立和维护一个研究团队，并且根据参与的行为主体数量和利益多样性，研究必须被视为一个需要团队管理和流程设计技能的、在一段时间内进行的团队工作过程。虽然没有一个适用于跨学科研究过程的单一方法，但我们提出了这样一个过程的框架，该框架通过问题构建、问题分析、问题解决和促进变革这四个阶段，在各个行为主体领域之间进行迭代循环和多次互动。跨学科研究方法面临许多挑战，并且在研究环境和过程的整合方面要求很高。利益相关者之间的互动以及联合学习和反思过程需要相互理解。然而，对于应对现实世界的挑战而言，管理这些互动与纯粹的科学分析同样重要。
