Tackling Complex Social Challenges within Neoliberal Constraints: The Context Shaping ‘Intellectual Quality of Life’ (iQoL) in a Canadian University Context

Suzanne Huot,Dominique Weis,Sarah Bean Sherman,Skye Barbic,Liisa Holsti,Alison Wylie,Jocelyn Mckay

doi:10.3390/soc10010026

Abstract

The contemporary academic environment in Canada has undergone reorganization based on neoliberal principles, and has increased attention focused on the importance of supporting interdisciplinary initiatives to address complex problems affecting global society. The purpose of our study was to examine the experience of people participating in a specific university-funded interdisciplinary research initiative. As there is a strong emphasis within this program on reporting on the outcomes of the funding that supports interdisciplinary collaboration, our aim was to explore how participation may shape one’s intellectual quality of life (iQoL) and how one’s iQoL could be conceptualized and understood. Using a pragmatic constructivist case study, focus group and individual interviews were undertaken with 30 participants involved with university-funded interdisciplinary research teams. Findings illustrate that their iQoL was shaped by their capacity to engage in and achieve what they viewed as their core work and its outcomes. Related sub-themes addressed the social and relational climate, institutional environment and structure, and expectations and resources. We argue that further development of iQoL as a unique construct is required to adequately measure the full range of people’s experiences in academia, particularly when aiming to address ‘wicked’ social and global problems within a predominantly neoliberal context.

Highlights

In an increasingly globalized world social, political, environmental, and other complex challenges, including climate change, health pandemics, and global refugee crises, cannot be solved [1].Traditional university structures organized by disciplines and faculties spread across campuses can result in physical and intellectual separations and silos that generate first-order science [2] and make it more challenging to conduct the innovative research needed to address complex problems
We aimed to use this gained understanding to develop a concept characterizing their intellectual quality of life
Our paper contributes novel insight into a broader intellectual perspective on quality of life by asking ‘How is intellectual quality of life (iQoL) conceptualized by university members?’ We explored this question among faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and administrators involved with interdisciplinary research teams funded to address complex issues requiring innovative approaches

Summary

Introduction

In an increasingly globalized world social, political, environmental, and other complex challenges, including climate change, health pandemics, and global refugee crises, cannot be solved [1]. Traditional university structures organized by disciplines and faculties spread across campuses can result in physical and intellectual separations and silos that generate first-order science [2] and make it more challenging to conduct the innovative research needed to address complex problems. Further explained that the problems are described as wicked not because they are inherently morally problematic, but instead because they have defied traditional attempts to solve them. Tackling such wicked problems requires innovation and a whole system perspective [6]

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