Transdisciplinarity in Research about Agrifood Systems Transitions: A Pragmatist Approach to Processes of Attachment

Claire Lamine

doi:10.3390/su10041241

Abstract

The much-needed transformations of agrifood systems call for novel approaches that are able to bring together a diversity of actors’ and institutions’ knowledge and visions. While within the literature about participatory research and transdisciplinarity, many articles have discussed the issue of actor involvement, few have addressed it regarding agrifood system transitions, which are the focus of this paper. Inspired by recent work suggesting a pragmatist approach to stakeholder involvement and collective processes of problem framing and solving, this study (based on a reflexive analysis of six different projects involving different approaches to stakeholder involvement) developed an actor-oriented approach focused on what the motivations to enroll actors and for them to be enrolled are, and on the analysis of the diverse visions and controversies at play. The main outcome of this analysis is that a key issue regarding stakeholder involvement appears to be whether the diverse stakeholders and researchers involved share the sense of being part of a “community of fate” that makes them feel individually “affected” but also collectively “attached” to a shared problem and possibly to a shared future. This is not fixed and stable but can be reinforced through the research–action process itself, which should produce this collective attachment.

Highlights

IntroductionTransdisciplinarity is increasingly adopted as a key (if not buzz) word
In the sustainability sciences, transdisciplinarity is increasingly adopted as a key word
The analysis and confrontation of the transdisciplinarity “performed” in six research projects leads to confirming the recommendation made by several authors to reflexively consider stakeholder involvement and to ask whether stakeholders are involved: (i) in the deliberation about the work; (ii) in the framing of the problem; (iii) in the production of knowledge; and/or (iv) in the experimentation of problem solving [4]

Summary

Introduction

Transdisciplinarity is increasingly adopted as a key (if not buzz) word. In a recent article on transdisciplinarity in sustainability research, Popa et al [4] suggested considering this issue of stakeholder involvement through a pragmatist perspective which emphasizes the role of social learning processes and social experimentation in generating reflexivity on values and understandings in concrete problem framing and solving contexts, for researchers and actors alike. They suggested addressing the issue of stakeholder involvement based on a distinction between the analytical and transformational dimensions of transdisciplinary research, which can, respectively, be translated into complex-system approaches and extended-peer community ones, but are entangled and mutually reinforcing aspects

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion