Your search found 23 records
1 Lewin, T.; Harvey, B.; Page, S. (Eds.) 2012. New roles for communication in development? IDS Bulletin, 43(5):132p.
Communication technology ; Development ; Research ; Scientists ; Capacity building ; Climate change ; Gender ; Women ; Policy ; Agricultural sector ; Knowledge sharing ; Radio ; Information and communication technologies (ICTs) ; Private sector / Africa South of Sahara / Africa / Egypt / Bangladesh
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 302.072 G000 LEW Record No: H045491)
(0.41 MB)
2 Tedla, H. A.; Gebremichael, Y. 2015. Some examples of best practices by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Book Two. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Best Practice Association (BPA); Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD). 92p.
Smallholders ; Farmers ; Best practices ; Agricultural development ; Climate change adaptation ; Water conservation ; Soil conservation ; Economic aspects ; Tourism ; Scientists ; Ensete ; Livestock ; Farming systems ; Poultry farming ; Terraces ; Cropping patterns ; Desmodium ; Pest control ; Weed control ; Striga ; Biofertilizers ; Poverty ; Labor ; Investment / Ethiopia / Konso / Tigray / Wollo
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047356)
(3.30 MB)
3 Reason, P.; Bradbury, H. (Eds.) 2001. Handbook of action research: participative inquiry and practice. London, UK: SAGE Publications. 468p.
Research methods ; Participatory approaches ; Group approaches ; Social change ; Gender ; Women in development ; Public participation ; Cooperation ; Social institutions ; Interorganizational relationships ; Enterprises ; Educational institutions ; Universities ; Linguistics ; Information technology ; Scientists ; Undergraduates ; Social workers ; Communities ; Indigenous knowledge ; Natural resources management ; Sustainable development ; Research projects ; Experimental design ; Clinical investigations ; Arts ; Photography ; Cultural factors ; Case studies / USA / Africa / Guatemala / Tanzania
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 300.72 G000 REA Record No: H047660)
(0.46 MB)
4 Douthwaite, B.; Apgar, J. M.; Schwarz, A.-M.; Attwood, S.; Senaratna Sellamuttu, Sonali; Clayton, T. 2017. A new professionalism for agricultural research for development. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 15(3):238-252. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2017.1314754]
Agricultural research ; Research and development ; Professionalism ; Research organizations ; CGIAR ; Research programmes ; Aquatic environment ; Agricultural systems ; Participatory approaches ; Community involvement ; Partnerships ; Stakeholders ; Scientists ; Farmers ; Capacity building ; Gender equity ; Green revolution ; Case studies ; Monitoring ; Evaluation
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048130)
(1.39 MB)
There have been repeated calls for a ‘new professionalism’ for carrying out agricultural research for development since the 1990s. At the centre of these calls is a recognition that for agricultural research to support the capacities required to face global patterns of change and their implications on rural livelihoods, requires a more systemic, learning focused and reflexive practice that bridges epistemologies and methodologies. In this paper, we share learning from efforts to mainstream such an approach through a large, multi-partner CGIAR research program working in aquatic agricultural systems. We reflect on four years of implementing research in development (RinD), the program’s approach to the new professionalism. We highlight successes and challenges and describe the key characteristics that define the approach. We conclude it is possible to build a program on a broader approach that embraces multidisciplinarity and engages with stakeholders in social-ecological systems. Our experience also suggests caution is required to ensure there is the time, space and appropriate evaluation methodologies in place to appreciate outcomes different to those to which conventional agricultural research aspires.
5 Schindler, J.; Graef, F.; Konig, H. J. 2016. Participatory impact assessment: bridging the gap between scientists' theory and farmers' practice. Agricultural Systems, 148:38-43. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2016.07.002]
Agricultural practices ; Ex-ante impact assessment ; Participatory approaches ; Farmer participation ; Scientists ; Food security ; Rainwater ; Water harvesting ; Fertilizer application ; Nutrition education ; Product development ; Strategies ; Social aspects ; Case studies / Tanzania / Dodoma
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048487)
(0.52 MB)
Food security is a major challenge for smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa. Many development initiatives have attempted to enhance food security by improving agricultural production and productivity. An ex-ante impact assessment is a critical step for identifying positive and negative impacts before implementation of these agricultural innovations and it is therefore a critical component during project-/program planning. While many theoretical discourses have highlighted a strong need for active involvement of local stakeholders during project-/program planning to develop suitable solutions, in practice, local communities are still not mandatorily involved in the ex-ante impact assessment before the implementation of development initiatives. The purpose of this research is to highlight how stakeholders' and researchers' knowledge can enhance the quality of impact assessments if they are used in a complementary way. We applied two methodological impact assessment approaches (Framework for participatory impact assessment [FoPIA] and ScaIA-Food Security [ScaIA-FS]) to assess the impacts of five agricultural upgrading strategies (UPS) from a researcher's perspective as well as from a farmer's point of view in two case study villages in rural Dodoma, Tanzania. We observed that farmers and scientists had considerably different views on the impacts of the proposed agricultural UPS. While scientists focused on direct causal impact chains of the UPS, farmers considered more the indirect linkages, taking into account their complex livelihoods. Ex-ante impact assessment is a valuable tool to anticipate possible effects, and the process facilitates insights into complex socio-environmental contexts of local communities as well as structured thinking and knowledge exchange. We therefore see bi-lateral ex-ante impact assessments as a corrective step before UPS implementation, which would help to adapt solutions that will benefit local communities.
6 Douthwaite, B.; Hoffecker, E. 2017. Towards a complexity-aware theory of change for participatory research programs working within agricultural innovation systems. Agricultural Systems, 155:88-102. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.04.002]
Agricultural research ; Participatory research ; Research programmes ; Agricultural innovation systems ; International organizations ; CGIAR ; Aquatic environment ; Agricultural systems ; Fisheries ; Stakeholders ; Scientists ; Farmers ; Evaluation ; Empowerment ; Case studies ; Plant fibres ; Abaca ; Models / Zambia / Philippines
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048508)
(0.83 MB)
Agricultural innovation systems (AIS) are increasingly recognized as complex adaptive systems in which interventions cannot be expected to create predictable, linear impacts. Nevertheless, the logic models and theory of change (ToC) used by standard-setting international agricultural research agencies and donors assume that agricultural research will create impact through a predictable linear adoption pathway which largely ignores the complexity dynamics of AIS, and which misses important alternate pathways through which agricultural research can improve system performance and generate sustainable development impact. Despite a growing body of literature calling for more dynamic, flexible and “complexity-aware” approaches to monitoring and evaluation, few concrete examples exist of ToC that takes complexity dynamics within AIS into account, or provide guidance on how such theories could be developed. This paper addresses this gap by presenting an example of how an empirically-grounded, complexity-aware ToC can be developed and what such a model might look like in the context of a particular type of program intervention. Two detailed case studies are presented from an agricultural research program which was explicitly seeking to work in a “complexity-aware” way within aquatic agricultural systems in Zambia and the Philippines. Through an analysis of the outcomes of these interventions, the pathways through which they began to produce impacts, and the causal factors at play, we derive a “complexity-aware” ToC to model how the cases worked. This middle-range model, as well as an overarching model that we derive from it, offer an alternate narrative of how development change can be produced in agricultural systems, one which aligns with insights from complexity science and which, we argue, more closely represents the ways in which many research for development interventions work in practice. The nested ToC offers a starting point for asking a different set of evaluation and research questions which may be more relevant to participatory research efforts working from within a complexity-aware, agricultural innovation systems perspective.
7 Re, V.; Misstear, B. 2018. Education and capacity development for groundwater resources management. In Villholth Karen G.; Lopez-Gunn, E.; Conti, K.; Garrido, A.; Van Der Gun, J. (Eds.). Advances in groundwater governance. Leiden, Netherlands: CRC Press. pp.215-230.
Groundwater management ; Water resources ; Water institutions ; Capacity building ; Education ; Training ; Learning ; Socioeconomic environment ; Nongovernmental organizations ; Policy making ; Scientists
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048549)
8 Nishy, P.; Saroja, R. 2018. A scientometric examination of the water quality research in India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 190(4):1-13. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6601-y]
Water quality ; Research ; Analytical methods ; Indicators ; Evaluation techniques ; Water pollution ; Contamination ; Publications ; Journals ; Water institutions ; International cooperation ; Scientists / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048605)
(1.15 MB)
Water quality has emerged as a fast-developing research area. Regular assessment of research activity is necessary for the successful R&D promotion. Water quality research work carried out in different countries increased over the years, and the USA ranked first in productivity while India stands in the seventh position in quantity and occupies the ninth position in quality of the research output. India observes a steady growth in the water quality research. Four thousand six hundred sixteen articles from India assessed from the aspect of citations received distributions of source countries, institutes, journals, impact factor, words in the title, author keywords. The qualitative and quantitative analysis identifies the contributions of the major institutions involved in research. Much of the country’s water quality research is carried out by universities, public research institutions and science councils, whereas the contribution from Ministry of water resources not so significant. A considerable portion of Indian research is communicated through foreign journals, and the most active one is Environmental Monitoring and Assessment journal. Twenty-one percent of work is reported in journals published from India and around 7% ages in open access journals. The study highlights that international collaborative research resulted in high-quality papers. The authors meticulously analyse the published research works to gain a deeper understanding of focus areas through word cluster analyses on title words and keywords. When many papers deal with ‘contamination’, ‘assessment’ and ‘treatment’, enough studies done on ‘water quality index’, ‘toxicity’, considerable work is carried out in environmental, agricultural, industrial and health problems related to water quality. This detailed scientometric study from 1,09,766 research works from SCI-E during 1986–2015 plots the trends and identifies research hotspots for the benefit to scientists in the subject area. This study comprehends the magnitude of water quality research also establishes future research directions using various scientometric indicators.
9 Graef, F.; Uckert, G. 2018. Gender determines scientists’ sustainability assessments of food-securing upgrading strategies. Land Use Policy, 79:84-93. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.07.044]
Gender ; Food security ; Scientists ; Impact assessment ; Strategies ; Participatory research ; Food systems ; Rural areas ; Environmental sustainability ; Economic aspects ; Social aspects ; Natural resources management ; Crop production ; Soil water ; Income generation ; Markets / Tanzania / Morogoro / Dodoma
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049038)
(0.63 MB)
Perception of the social, ecological and economic aspects of food security differs depending on the gender of the evaluating expert. Understanding these differences is key to developing upgrading strategies (UPS) that can help stabilise and enhance food security. This is highly relevant for research on food value chains (FVCs) in sub-Saharan Africa, where subsistence farmers are highly exposed to food insecurity. Prior to their implementation, however, the potential social, ecological and economic impacts of UPS in the target areas should be carefully assessed.
This article reports on gender-based differences in perception and evaluates these differences using ex-ante impact assessments on the social, ecological, and economic aspects of food security and 13 UPS in the Tanzanian FVC that were carried out by agricultural scientists. The work is embedded in a larger multi-disciplinary research project. We find that impact assessments differed based on the gender of experts to various extents and depended on the types of criteria assessed. Female scientists were more careful during assessment, limiting themselves more strictly to the UPS and to criteria they were most knowledgeable in. Additionally, female respondents perceived the impacts of UPS on the economic and social sustainability of food security to be lower compared to their male colleagues. We therefore conclude that perceptions of female and male agricultural experts in strategy selection and implementation should be differentiated based on their gender. This may help reduce gender-specific challenges faced by African farmers.
This article reports on gender-based differences in perception and evaluates these differences using ex-ante impact assessments on the social, ecological, and economic aspects of food security and 13 UPS in the Tanzanian FVC that were carried out by agricultural scientists. The work is embedded in a larger multi-disciplinary research project. We find that impact assessments differed based on the gender of experts to various extents and depended on the types of criteria assessed. Female scientists were more careful during assessment, limiting themselves more strictly to the UPS and to criteria they were most knowledgeable in. Additionally, female respondents perceived the impacts of UPS on the economic and social sustainability of food security to be lower compared to their male colleagues. We therefore conclude that perceptions of female and male agricultural experts in strategy selection and implementation should be differentiated based on their gender. This may help reduce gender-specific challenges faced by African farmers.
10 Stevenson, J.; Vanlauwe, B.; Macours, K.; Johnson, N.; Krishnan, L.; Place, F.; Spielman, D.; Hughes, K.; Vlek, P. 2019. Farmer adoption of plot- and farm-level natural resource management practices: between rhetoric and reality. Global Food Security, 20:101-104. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.01.003]
Natural resources management ; Farmer participation ; Agricultural practices ; On-farm research ; Fields ; Smallholders ; Agricultural research ; Sustainability ; CGIAR ; Scientists
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049104)
(0.18 MB)
There is a significant gap between the rhetoric of claims about adoption of farm-level natural resource management practices and the reality. New empirical evidence of low adoption from several developing countries suggests that on-farm natural resource management practices face significant constraints to adoption, and that they deliver heterogeneous private and public benefits. Five recommendations are given to the research community related to: targeting; scaling-up; the proper role of research; trajectories of diffusion; and measurement of environmental impacts.
11 Saldana, J. 2013. The coding manual for qualitative researchers. 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA, USA: SAGE. 303p.
Qualitative analysis ; Research methods ; Qualitative techniques ; Data processing ; Interviews ; Social sciences ; Scientists
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H049318)
12 Pan, S. L.; Zhang, S. 2020. From fighting COVID-19 pandemic to tackling sustainable development goals: an opportunity for responsible information systems research. International Journal of Information Management, 55:102196. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102196]
Sustainable Development Goals ; COVID-19 ; Pandemics ; Information systems ; Research ; Scientists ; Public health ; Physical distancing ; Stakeholders
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049992)
(0.25 MB)
The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant threat to the healthy lives and well-being of billions of people worldwide. As the world begins to open up from lockdowns and enters an unprecedented state of vulnerability, or what many have called “the new normal”, it makes sense to reflect on what we have learned, revisit our fundamental assumptions, and start charting the way forward to contribute to building a sustainable world. In this essay, we argue that despite its significant damage to human lives and livelihoods, the coronavirus pandemic presents an excellent opportunity for the human family to act in solidarity and turn this crisis into an impetus to achieve the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). In this article, we will highlight the six relevant themes that have evolved during the pandemic and the corresponding topics that future researchers could focus on. We conclude by issuing a call for more research attention on tackling SDG through developing the concept and practice of digital sustainability.
13 2020. Systems thinking, systems doing. Editorial. Nature Food, 1(11):659. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00190-9]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050075)
(0.63 MB) (648 KB)
14 Neuteleers, S.; Huge, J. 2021. Value pluralism in ecosystem services assessments: closing the gap between academia and conservation practitioners. Ecosystem Services, 49:101293. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2021.101293]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050387)
(0.28 MB)
There have been several pleas for more inclusive ecosystem services assessments in recent years. This is partially due to a growing consensus about the importance of incorporating value pluralism into ecosystem services assessments. While there is increasingly attention for such value pluralism in academia and at the IPBES science policy interface, this concern barely reached many conservation practitioners, as indicated in studies reviewing decision support tools for ecosystem services. We examined six review studies of such tools and this revealed there is indeed little attention for value pluralism and only a part of the tools provides the conceptual space to incorporate value pluralism. The growing scientific and science-policy consensus that recognizing value pluralism is key for inclusive assessments can only be translated in actions if there is a connection to the field. Users of ecosystem services assessment tools should have the opportunity to select value-inclusive tools, as this can lead to a stronger support base for conservation actions, prevent conflict, and lead to more comprehensive ecosystem services assessments. This does not imply that all tools need to focus on values; the actual goal of a specific ecosystem services assessment tool is context-specific. If scientists want the plural valuation debate to have an impact on conservation practices, three conditions need to be fulfilled: (i) developing value-inclusive decision-support tools; (ii) clarifying when to use value inclusive tools; and (iii) learning from and sharing of value-inclusive tools.
15 Di Grazia, F.; Gumiero, B.; Galgani, L; Troiani, E.; Ferri, M.; Loiselle, S. A. 2021. Ecosystem services evaluation of nature-based solutions with the help of citizen scientists. Sustainability, 13(19):10629. (Special Issue: Citizen Science for Sustainable Cities: Investigating Nature Based Solutions) [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910629]
Ecosystem services ; Evaluation ; Citizen science ; Scientists ; Nutrients ; Climate change ; Rivers ; Watersheds ; Catchment areas ; Land use ; Land cover ; Precipitation ; Vegetation ; Models / Italy / Piave River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050660)
(4.78 MB) (4.78 MB)
Ecosystem services are increasingly being considered in decision-making with respect to mitigating future climate impacts. In this respect, there is a clear need to identify how nature-based solutions (NBS) can benefit specific ecosystem services, in particular within the complex spatial and temporal dynamics that characterize most river catchments. To capture these changes, ecosystem models require spatially explicit data that are often difficult to obtain for model development and validation. Citizen science allows for the participation of trained citizen volunteers in research or regulatory activities, resulting in increased data collection and increased participation of the general public in resource management. Despite the increasing experience in citizen science, these approaches have seldom been used in the modeling of provisioning ecosystem services. In the present study, we examined the temporal and spatial drivers in nutrient delivery in a major Italian river catchment and under different NBS scenarios. Information on climate, land use, soil and river conditions, as well as future climate scenarios, were used to explore future (2050) benefits of NBS on local and catchment scale nutrient loads and nutrient export. We estimate the benefits of a reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus export to the river and the receiving waters (Adriatic Sea) with respect to the costs associated with individual and combined NBS approaches related to river restoration and catchment reforestation.
16 van Eck, C. W.; Feindt, P. H. 2022. Parallel routes from Copenhagen to Paris: climate discourse in climate sceptic and climate activist blogs. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 24(2):194-209. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2021.2000376]
Climate change ; International agreements ; UNFCCC ; Conferences ; Policies ; Social aspects ; Environmental factors ; Global warming ; Scientists
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050981)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/1523908X.2021.2000376
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050981.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050981.pdf
(1.78 MB) (1.78 MB)
The Copenhagen climate summit in 2009 was a watershed moment in the international climate change discourse, reinforcing controversy and polarization between climate sceptics and climate activists. Simultaneously, the blogosphere, known as a place for polarized mobilization, became a proliferating forum for both camps. Building on Dryzek’s and Carvalho’s conceptualization of environmental discourse, this paper analyses how ideological polarization is grounded in climate sceptics’ and climate activists’ blogs between COP15 and COP21. We investigated ten climate sceptic and climate activist blogs accessible in the UK. Qualitative-quantitative analysis of 357 blog posts revealed contrasting ontological and epistemological worlds in the climate change controversy. Four storylines were identified in the climate sceptical discourse – ‘hoax’, ‘no scientific evidence’, ‘climate sceptical science’, and ‘injustice’ – and five storylines in the climate activist discourse – ‘action’, ‘social justice’, ‘disaster strikes’, ‘potential catastrophe’, and ‘opportunity’. Implications for policy, practice and future research are provided.
17 Thompson, R. M.; Barbour, E. J.; Bradshaw, C. J. A.; Briggs, S.; Byron, N.; Grace, M.; Hart, B. T.; King, A. J.; Likens, G. E.; Pollino, C. A.; Sheldon, F.; Stewardson, M. J.; Thoms, M.; Watts, R. J.; Webb, J. A. 2022. Principles for scientists working at the river science-policy interface. River Research and Applications, 13p. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3951]
Rivers ; Research ; Scientists ; Policy making ; Environmental flows ; Water governance ; Political aspects ; Models / Australia / Murray-Darling Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051004)
(1.11 MB) (1.11 MB)
In the face of mounting environmental and political challenges in river management, accurate and timely scientific information is required to inform policy development and guide effective management of waterways. The Murray–Darling Basin is Australia's largest river system by area and is the subject of a heavily contested series of water reforms relying comprehensively on river science. River scientists have specialised knowledge that is an important input into evidence-based decision-making for the management of the Murray–Darling Basin, but despite extensive literature on the interface between science and policy, there is little guidance on achieving policy relevance for practicing scientists. Here, we provide a set of important discussion points for water scientists to consider when engaging with policy-makers and environmental water managers. We place our considerations in the context of a broader literature discussing the role of natural-resource scientists engaging with policy and management. We then discuss the different roles for river scientists when engaging in this space, and the advantages and pitfalls of each. We illustrate the breadth of modes of engagement at the science-policy-management interface using the Murray–Darling Basin as an example. We emphasise the need for effective governance arrangements and data practices to protect scientists from accusations of operating as advocates when working to inform management and policy.
18 Seymour, V.; Willls, B.; Wilkin, P.; Burt, P.; Ikin, E.; Stevenson, P. C. 2022. Incorporating citizen science to advance the natural capital approach. Ecosystem Services, 54:101419. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2022.101419]
Citizen science ; Natural capital ; Assessment ; Public participation ; Environmental policies ; Frameworks ; Ecosystem services ; Decision making ; Government ; Stakeholders ; Scientists ; Sustainability ; Case studies / UK
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051063)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041622000158/pdfft?md5=cb67722d5f91d3e43d807ac73ffed90f&pid=1-s2.0-S2212041622000158-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051063.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051063.pdf
(1.44 MB) (1.44 MB)
There are several frameworks which have been developed to describe the Natural Capital assessment approach. However, some of these frameworks are not fully operational in practice, and there is no unified methodology. Furthermore, calls have been made to increase the public’s awareness and understanding of Natural Capital issues. To address some of these limitations it has been suggested to incorporate citizen science methods, an approach which has been increasingly growing in the Natural Capital field. The purpose of this article is to present a framework within the context of UK environmental policy as a case study. It illustrates the practicalities and the potential of using citizen science and other forms of public engagement approaches within a pre-existing Natural Capital accounting framework. This article first reviews current UK Natural Capital assessment approaches, as well as the potential for including citizen science and public engagement approaches. Combining these approaches, the inclusion of citizen science within the Natural Capital assessment framework is explored through the development of a conceptual model. We argue that the inclusion of a citizen science approach, and other forms of public engagement within the Natural Capital assessment can support in gathering a multidimensional perspective on comprehensive Natural Capital assets, and ecosystem service benefits. Knowledge generated could then be implemented to support holistic decision-making for nature-based solutions.
19 Filippi, M. E.; Barcena, A.; Trogrlic, R. S.; Cremen, G.; Mentes, E. Y.; Gentile, R.; Creed, M. J.; Jenkins, L. T.; Kalaycioglu, M.; Poudel, D. P.; Muthusamy, M.; Manandhar, V.; Adhikari, S.; Rai, M.; Dhakal, A.; Barake, B.; Tarbali, K.; Galasso, C.; McCloskey, J. 2023. Interdisciplinarity in practice: reflections from early-career researchers developing a risk-informed decision support environment for Tomorrow's cities. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 85:103481. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103481]
Interdisciplinary research ; Scientists ; Decision support ; Disaster risk management ; Political aspects ; Case studies
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051612)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420922007002/pdfft?md5=1f21b4dfd1aa61daf4bf426d2924ce68&pid=1-s2.0-S2212420922007002-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051612.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051612.pdf
(5.15 MB) (5.15 MB)
The concept of disaster risk is cross-disciplinary by nature and reducing disaster risk has become of interest for various disciplines. Yet, moving from a collection of multiple disciplinary perspectives to integrated interdisciplinary disaster risk approaches remains a fundamental challenge. This paper reflects on the experience of a group of early-career researchers spanning physical scientists, engineers and social scientists from different organisations across the global North and global South who came together to lead the refinement, operationalisation and testing of a risk-informed decision support environment for Tomorrow's Cities (TCDSE). Drawing on the notions of subjects and boundary objects, members of the group reflect on their individual and collective journey of transgressing disciplinary boundaries across three case studies between June–December 2021: operationalisation process of the TCDSE; development of a virtual urban testbed as a demonstration case for the implementation of the TCDSE; and consolidation of frequently asked questions about the TCDSE for communication purposes. The paper argues that (1) the production of boundary objects in interdisciplinary research nurtures relations of reciprocal recognition and the emergence of interdisciplinary subjects; (2) the intrinsic characteristics of boundary objects define the norms of engagement between disciplinary subjects and constrain the expression of interdisciplinary contradictions; and (3) affects and operations of power explain the contingent settlement of interdisciplinary disagreements and the emergence of new knowledge. Activating the interdisciplinary capacities of early-career researchers across disciplines and geographies is a fundamental step towards transforming siloed research practices to reduce disaster risk.
20 Stoler, J.; Staddon, C. 2023. Open access and the evolving academic publishing landscape of the water sector. Water International, 48(1):5-17. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2022.2139397]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051619)
(0.63 MB)
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