Interdisciplinarity

To date, these terms are the most frequently discussed ones. Challenges arise because of 'heterogeneous terminology and technical jargon' and 'concepts that, while used by all disciplines, carry different connotations (Research Group Report 2004). Ideally, such different meanings become obvious soon and the group develops some shared language (see Voßkamp, Utopieforschung 1982).

At the same time, it is precisely these different perspectives and points of view that enrich interdisciplinary work and make it particularly productive. The convergence of different perspectives (see Gülich, interview 2018) opens up 'new dimensions' (Büntgen, podcast 2024) and provides access to new methods and data (see Bünstorf and Menke, blog post 2021; Borrelli and Kmak, podcast 2024). 

'In fact, I often saw interdisciplinarity come to life precisely in situations where not everything worked out right away.' (Triebel, Annual Report 1978, translated)

Uncertainty can be uncomfortable, but coping with and even taking advantage of this irritation can lead up to productive results. At the same time, it is possible to prevent some uncertainties by being guided through the 'merger process', e.g. by a coach.

Research group members need patience and endurance to work together successfully (see Roggenhofer, ZiF-Mitteilungen 2008), especially when facing possible disappointment.

Interdisciplinary research is not something that can be done casually or in addition to other work. According to Jürgen Kocka, 'interdisciplinarity [...] takes time, and necessitates detours'. 'One should not burden interdisciplinary work with excessive expectations' (Kocka, Realität und Ideologie 1991). 

On a theoretical level, there are repeated attempts to develop categorizations of interdisciplinarity. The distinction between 'small-scale' and 'large-scale' interdisciplinarity is based on the degree of proximity between the collaborating disciplines (cf. Weinrich, interview 2018; Gülich, interview 2018).

Britta Padberg, on the other hand, develops a typology in which she distinguishes six different types of interdisciplinarity based on the nature of the relationship between the individual disciplines. For example, she distinguishes 'Egalitarian Collaboration' from 'Subordinative Interdisciplinarity' or 'Complementary Interdisciplinarity' (Padberg, article 2014).

There have been several attempts to conceptualize interdisciplinary work as a process that comprises various phases. Based on his experiences at ZiF, behavioral scientist Sverre Sjölander breaks down the process of interdisciplinary collaboration into ten distinct phases.

From 'Singing the Old Songs' to 'Everybody on the Other Side Is an Idiot' the process eventually moves on to 'Getting to Know the Enemy' and finally to 'The Real Beginning' (Sjölander, Long-Term and Short-Term Interdisciplinary Work, 1985). Sjölander’s model has been repeatedly cited in international research on international research.