Full Description
What does 'being interdisciplinary' mean for the inquirer, the scholar who embarks on an interdisciplinary path? In a clear and engaging style, Nancy J. Nersessian and Lisa M. Osbeck present a unique and in-depth qualitative study of interdisciplinary inquiry from the perspective of those who pursue it. Drawing on original interviews with distinguished interdisciplinarians - including scientists, engineers, humanists, designers, and artists - the book offers rich insight into how interdisciplinary practice shapes and reflects the intellectual, social, emotional, and personal lives of its practitioners. The chapters highlight how such engagement transforms identities and sociocultural structures while advancing intellectual and practical aims. For researchers, educators, and administrators, the volume offers a rare, deeply human portrait of what it actually means to live an interdisciplinary academic life. It also presents participants' advice on best practices for embarking on interdisciplinary careers, along with the authors' analysis of the virtues required for effective interdisciplinary work.
Contents
Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Examining interdisciplinary lives; Section I. Introduction to our Participants: 2. Interview study participants; 3. Becoming interdisciplinary; Section II. Dimensions of Interdisciplinary Lives: 4. Intellectual dimensions of the interdisciplinary life; 5. The multifaceted interdisciplinary identity; 6. The social and institutional landscape of the interdisciplinary life; 7. The complex emotions of the interdisciplinary life; Section III. Being Interdisciplinary: 8. Advice for being interdisciplinary; 9. Summary and conclusions: integrative lives and interdisciplinary virtues; Collected references; Appendix A. Abbreviated curriculum vitae for interview participants.
