Abstract
In light of recent calls for an increased commitment to interdisciplinary endeavors, this paper reflects on the implications of a critical geography of water that crosses social and natural sciences. Questions on how to best research the relationship between water and society have been raised both in the field of critical geographies of water and sociohydrology. Yet, there has been little crossover between these disciplinary perspectives. This, we argue, may be partly explained by the fact that interdisciplinary research is both advocated and antagonized. On the one hand, interdisciplinarity is argued to deliver more in terms of effectively informing policy processes and developing theoretical perspectives that can reform and regenerate knowledge. On the other hand, natural and social sciences are often presented as ontologically, epistemologically, and methodologically incompatible. Drawing on our own research experience and expertise, this paper focuses on the multiple ways in which critical geographies of water and sociohydrology are convergent, compatible, and complementary. We reflect on the existing theoretical instruments to engage in interdisciplinary research and question some of the assumptions on the methodological and epistemological incompatibility between natural and social sciences. We then propose that an interdisciplinary resource geography can further understandings of how power and the non-human co-constitute the social world and hydrological flows and advance conceptualizations of water as socionatures.
Highlights
As a sub-field of hydrology, sociohydrology is dedicated to unravelling the interactions and feedbacks between human and water systems
In the attempt of contributing to a more fruitful dialogue between disciplines, we focus on the multiple ways in which critical social sciences and geosciences are convergent, compatible, or complementary by drawing on our research expertise and experience in critical geographies of water and sociohydrology
Sociohydrology conceptualizes the hydrological cycle as more than H2 O: it embodies the agency of humans and infrastructures acting on it and shaping its flows
Summary
“The specialist who forever stays at home and digs and delves within his [sic] private enclosure has all the advantages of intensive cultivation—except one; and the thing he [sic]. As a sub-field of hydrology, sociohydrology is dedicated to unravelling the interactions and feedbacks between human and water systems Scholars in this field increasingly invoke a mutual obligation of hydrologist and social scientists to collaborate to deliver research that advances science in new directions and contributes to addressing grand societal challenges posed by global environmental changes [10,11,12]. Much of this scholarship tends to fall back on discussions on the epistemological and methodological differences that constrain these collaborations This is evident when it comes to integration between qualitative social sciences and quantitative natural sciences [9,13,14,15,16,17,18]. We conclude that interdisciplinary critical water geographies are sparse, they demonstrate that discipline-bridging studies can further understandings of how power and the non-human co-constitute the social world and hydrological flows at different spatial and temporal scales
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
