Interdisciplinarity master programs in Greek universities: Οrganization and cognitive conditions

Abstract

This paper focuses on the development of interdisciplinarityin the Master’s programs in Greek universities. For our analysis, we searched for tools from the Sociology of Organisations (Mayntz) and the Sociology of Science (Whitley). We argue that the University and its keyactors have adopted interdisciplinarity, firstly, as a means to increase institutional funding, and secondly, with care so as not to disturb theinternal institutional structure and the power relations between the key actors in the University. Indeed, on the one hand, universities, responding to the public calls for interdisciplinary programs, took advantage of the European support program for Greece in order to enrich their infrastructures. On the other hand, the new structures and functions (interdisciplinary Master’s programs) remain loose and weak. So the central role of the Department and laboratories remains intact. As a consequence, the internal relations of the institutional actors are protected. Thus, interdisciplinarity seems to be a low priority issue. However, it is interesting to consider that more than 10 years after theend of European funding, the majority of these programs remains active.