Abstract
Cross-disciplinary research is essential in understanding and reducing energy usage, however the reality of this collaboration comes with many challenges. This paper provides an insight into the integration of social science in energy research, drawing on the expertise and first hand experiences of a range of social science researchers (predominantly Early Career Researchers (ECRs)) working on UK cross-disciplinary projects in energy demand. These researchers, participants in a workshop dedicated to understanding the integration of social science in energy research, identified four groups of challenges to successful integration: Differing expectations of the role of social scientists; Working within academia; Feeling like a valued member of the team; and Communicating and comprehension between disciplines. Suggestions of how to negotiate those challenges included: Management and planning; Increasing contact; Sharing experience; and Understanding team roles. The paper offers a definition of ‘success’ in cross-disciplinary energy research from the perspective of social science ECRs, comprising external, internal and personal components. Using the logics of interdisciplinarity, this paper suggests that integration of the social sciences in the projects discussed may be partial at best and highlights a need to recognise the challenges ECRs face, in order to achieve full integration and equality of disciplines.
Highlights
IntroductionIn a previous issue of this journal, Sovacool et al [44] call for greater integration of the social sciences in energy research to try and overcome their current status as ‘social outcast’
Energy research needs the social sciences [42]
Energy demand research, which forms the empirical basis of this paper, covers areas including energy efficiency measures, paper chooses not to include the work of economists as whilst economics has much to contribute to our understanding of the human dimensions of energy, and a role to play in the integration of social science, its past dominance in energy research has been criticised and discussed at length elsewhere [18,23,36,43,45]
Summary
In a previous issue of this journal, Sovacool et al [44] call for greater integration of the social sciences in energy research to try and overcome their current status as ‘social outcast’. They suggest this should be done through: the collection of more social science data, ‘problemcentred’ research, and the inclusion of diverse perspectives. It may be said that such projects are doing what Sovacool et al [44] suggest needs to be done in order to better integrate the social sciences into energy research. The theory of integration, and its practice in reality, are two very different things; issues which are introduced below
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