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Interdisciplinarity and boundary work: challenges and opportunities for agrifood studies

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  • C. Hinrichs

Abstract

Despite its vigor, agrifood studies research faces two fault lines: the durability of disciplines, and challenges in engaging non-academic stakeholders. In this essay, I use the concept of boundary work from social studies of science and technology to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for more engaged interdisciplinary research in agrifood studies. I draw on recent field visits to several “sustainable food chain” research projects funded through the Rural Economy and Land Use Programme (RELU), an innovative interdisciplinary research initiative of the UK Research Councils, to highlight the contradictory nature of boundary work in interdisciplinary research. Involving efforts both to bridge interfaces and to separate, exclude and manage other disciplines or stakeholders, boundary work is inherent to interdisciplinarity. Innovations in the organizational culture of projects and in the larger structural context for research can multiply the more generative potential of boundary work, and also yield more and better interdisciplinary research in agrifood studies. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008

Suggested Citation

  • C. Hinrichs, 2008. "Interdisciplinarity and boundary work: challenges and opportunities for agrifood studies," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(2), pages 209-213, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:25:y:2008:i:2:p:209-213
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-008-9118-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Philip Lowe & Jeremy Phillipson, 2006. "Reflexive Interdisciplinary Research: The Making of a Research Programme on the Rural Economy and Land Use," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 165-184, July.
    2. Mariella Marzano & David N. Carss & Sandra Bell, 2006. "Working to Make Interdisciplinarity Work: Investing in Communication and Interpersonal Relationships," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 185-197, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Stock & Rob J.F. Burton, 2011. "Defining Terms for Integrated (Multi-Inter-Trans-Disciplinary) Sustainability Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(8), pages 1-24, July.
    2. William Lacy, 2023. "Local food systems, citizen and public science, empowered communities, and democracy: hopes deserving to live," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(1), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Kenneth Shockley & Whitney G. Lash-Marshall & Kathryn Bryk Friedman & Paul D. Hirsch, 2017. "Distinguishing collaboration from contribution in environmental research," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 7(2), pages 336-345, June.
    4. Douglas H. Constance, 2023. "The doctors of agrifood studies," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(1), pages 31-43, March.
    5. Andrew Donaldson & Neil Ward & Sue Bradley, 2010. "Mess among Disciplines: Interdisciplinarity in Environmental Research," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 42(7), pages 1521-1536, July.

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