Interdisciplinarity

Under interdisciplinarity we understand the use of approaches, ways of thinking, or at least methods of different disciplines.

An interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary way of working has several independent individual sciences who pursue a mostly scientific issue with their respective methods. Plays a minor role, if these subjects themselves pursue interdisciplinary approaches or whether these approaches yield only by a combination of subject areas.

In contrast to the multidisciplinarity is important that methods between disciplines are taught and thus solving strategies result not only by an exchange of the results. Interdisciplinarity implies the merging of various aspects, a pure juxtaposition of these aspects does not suffice.

Causes and forms of interdisciplinarity

Scientific research is characterized by division of labor processes. Specialization in individual subjects is the consequence. However, the reality that reflects the scientific research, multi-layered and complex. A subdivision into individual sciences, which is often arbitrary, takes place in reality rarely; the problems are not cut according to the disciplinary boundaries but include more subjects. Research questions can not be answered so often from a single tray, so a collaboration between ( inter) disciplines is necessary.

Some new scientific disciplines such as biochemistry or geotechnical engineering are the result of prolonged interdisciplinary collaboration (see Interdisciplinary Studies). In addition, less structured forms of cross-disciplinary or interdisciplinary research are conceivable. Often the individual scientists practiced a personal interdisciplinarity, as it combines skills from different disciplines in itself.

Essential for the cross-disciplinary collaboration is that over disciplinary boundaries takes place a process of understanding, ie a common language for describing and solving the problems is found, but also criteria, for example, to assess the quality of scientific performance, to be shared.

From what is spoken of interdisciplinary work, can vary greatly in different disciplines. So an engineer would not describe the collaboration with an engineering of High Voltage Engineering as an interdisciplinary for Telecommunications. In contrast, doctors are already talking about interdisciplinarity in cooperation of Urology and Gynecology, although these subjects are closely related.

Examples

• The political science engages theories, models, concepts, etc. other, independent departments such as sociology, economics and the General Theory of the State and develops them with so decided.
• A paleontologist works together with zoologists, botanists and Geosciences to design with their results as comprehensive a picture of extinct animal or plant species.
• In archeology, natural science and social science research play a major role. For example, the findings of the allied disciplines of history, ethnology or anthropology are used intensively, biological, and earth science paleoclimate research is becoming increasingly important.
• Professionals torrents explore with geology, soil mechanics, geotechnical engineering and geodesy, the movements of a steep slope and the hazard of debris flows.
• A doctor of internal medicine cooperates with a radiologist and with physicists or engineers to develop new methods or devices.
• A business data processing frequently collaborates with industry scientists and computer scientists. He also developed their own methods for some types of problems, where the method of the other two sciences have proved insufficient.
• An industrial engineer, for example in the management of an industrial enterprise and promotes there understanding and cooperation among business managers, controllers and engineers from various industries with its own interdisciplinary expertise (see the quality management method Quality Function Deployment or Six Sigma). Similar areas of responsibility also handles the patent engineering.
• The childhood research examines the lives of children under the anthropological, economic, historical, sociological and other aspects.
• The social economy by Alfred Oppolzer and Ernst Lang Thaler represents an interdisciplinary approach to the description of historical social processes
• Research on the complex problems of global change requires an interdisciplinary approach in order to provide, among other basic information for policy actions can. Depending on the problem occurs, for example, a collaboration between biologists, hydrologists, psychologists, lawyers, economists and geographers. Often in a project in addition to the interdisciplinary cooperation also takes place a transdisciplinary cooperation.