Transdisciplinary Understanding Research Articles

Shaping the Coast: Accounting for the Human Wildcard in Projections of Future Change

AbstractCoastal change and evolution are the product of physical drivers (e.g., waves) tightly coupled with human behavior. As climate change impacts intensify, demand is increasing for information on where, when, and how coastal areas may change in the future. Although considerable research investments have been made in understanding the physical drivers and processes that modify and shape coastal environments, many do not account for human behavior, compromising the accuracy of comprehensive future change predictions. We outline four social science approaches—historic case studies, simulations, longitudinal studies, and longitudinal studies supported by experimental data—that can be coupled with physical change information to support transdisciplinary understanding of future change. A fundamental need for each approach is more and better empirical data to better gauge human behavior. In addition, foundational investments in transdisciplinary collaboration help research teams support the integration of these approaches.

Transdisciplinary understanding of the fundamental and practice-oriented nature of pedagogical education

Relevance. Increasing of fundamentality and practice-oriented nature are two important strategies for development of pedagogical education at the present stage. Fundamentalization ensures the formation of deep basic knowledge system, defines a holistic scientific picture of the human world. Practice orientation is revealed through a prism of gaining experience in the course of various activities, the willingness of a person to productively increase and use his or her knowledge and methods of activity to solve problems arising in the reality, orientation towards continuous self-education and self-development. The aim of the article is scientific substantiation of transdisciplinarity as a strategy for bringing together the fundamentality and practice-oriented pedagogical education at the present stage. Methodology and methods. The methodological basis of transdisciplinarity is based on the ideas of a synergetic approach. The ideas of the praxiological approach are used in determining the essential characteristics of pedagogical actions success in terms of improving the quality of professional training for teachers. The professional training of future teachers to solve comprehensively set real tasks based on the formed knowledge system and acquired experience is focused on the concept of an activity-based approach. The results of the study. The results are presented by the scientific substantiation of the integration of the fundamentality and practice-oriented training for future teachers on the basis of a transdisciplinary strategy, the definition of conditions for the formation of transdisciplinary thinking among teachers, the development of practical skills and skills for solving complex problems through the prism of diverse knowledge and methods of activity: the inclusion of teachers in project, research, experimental activities, the organization of continuing education, strengthening the nonlinearity of the development in the educational system and ensuring disciplinary flexibility, reflexive understanding of the results for activities based on the consideration of praxiological knowledge to ensure the success of pedagogical actions. Conclusion. A teacher can carry out labor pedagogical actions effectively, efficiently, technologically and safely using the pedagogical education based on a transdisciplinary basis, in close interaction of deep fundamental knowledge acquired through direct practice of skills and experience, as well as using praxiological knowledge based on an understanding of the general theory of successful activity. The presented results can be used in the development of educational programmes for pedagogical bachelor’s degree and programmes of additional professional education based on the capabilities of the digital learning environment.

Astrobiocentrism: reflections on challenges in the transition to a vision of life and humanity in space

Abstract Astrobiocentrism is a vision that places us in a scenario of confirmation of life in the universe, either as a second genesis or as an expansion of humanity in space. It manages to raise consistent arguments in relation to questions such as what would happen to knowledge if life were confirmed in the universe, how would this change the way we understand our place in the cosmos? Astrobiocentrism raises a series of reflections in the context of confirmed discovery, and it develops concepts that work directly with what would happen after irrefutable evidence has been obtained that we are not alone in space. Unlike biocentrism or ecocentrism, the astrobiocentric view is not limited to the Earth-centric perspective, and for it incorporates a multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary understanding. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to make a reflection on the astrobiocentric issues related to the challenges and problems of the discovery of life in the universe and the expansion of mankind into space. Here we explore some aspects of the transition from biogeocentrism to astrobiocentrism, astrobiosemiotics, homo mensura, moral community, planetary sustainability and astrotheology.

The Enculturation of Liminality in Zine-Making: Acts of Associative Commonality That Enable Participation in a Media-Making Communitas

Participation in zine-making is enacted through a series of inter-linked making practices and intentions, constructed within both personal and interpersonal frames, and shared with others in different ways. Zines are catalysts for network formation within a cultural or sub-cultural community, with zine-makers sharing experiences, resources, and creativity to inform and associate with the community. Drawing on the constructivist grounded theory analysis of thirty-four semi-structured email interviews with zine-makers, this study sought to theorize a transdisciplinary understanding of the potential role zine-making communities play in the decision by an individual to participate in zine-making and how that participation was defined, enacted, and enculturated through zine-making. Using a constructivist grounded analysis, a model of participation was developed that defined and explored the bounded boundaryless of the zine-making communitas. In these spaces, members of the communitas deliberately transitioned into or through liminality and found affiliation and communion through engaging in and sharing the processes involved in zine-making (such as construction, distribution, and writing). Within this semi-fragile zine-making community, smaller sub-spaces were formed through engagement or affiliation with different interpretations and enactions of these processes, manifest in the production of different zine typologies and the creation and engagement with readership or circulation networks.

Dynamics of interdisciplinarity: a microlevel analysis of communication and facilitation in a group model‐building workshop

AbstractParticipatory system dynamics is assumed to generate inter‐ and transdisciplinary understanding and whole‐system perspectives via scripted workshop structure, facilitation, and the use of visual boundary objects. However, there is little research into how exactly workshop activities and facilitators affect communication dynamics during a workshop and create an interdisciplinary perspective. Thus, we offer an innovative dynamic understanding via a rare microlevel analysis of facilitation and dynamics of communication and interdisciplinarity in a group model‐building workshop. We investigate how the conversation focus unfolds over time and examine in depth disciplinary transitions as well as the facilitator's role. We also analyse participants' perceptions of interdisciplinarity from the workshop and provide a research framework for workshop microlevel analysis. Based on the workshop's heritage science setting, we discuss the recursive nature of generating joint meaning and the use of participatory system dynamics for managing interdisciplinarity in a research project and make recommendations. © 2023 The Authors. System Dynamics Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of System Dynamics Society.

Was wird unter einer Public-Health-Intervention verstanden? Ergebnisse eines Delphi-Prozesses im deutschsprachigen Raum

BackgroundInternationally, a variety of definitions for public health interventions (PHI) exist. In the German-speaking countries, however, a definition is still outstanding. Therefore, the aim of this study was to derive consensus criteria for the definition of PHI from the expert perspective of science and practice. MethodsA Delphi survey with two online rounds was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023. Six criteria were formulated by a working group and posed for consensus: 1) the intention of the intervention, 2) potential conflicts of interest of the initiators of the intervention, 3) primary vs. secondary/tertiary prevention, 4) costs, 5) targeting, and 6) the reach of the intervention. In both Delphi rounds, experts from academia and practice were recruited through relevant networks and associations throughout the German-speaking world. The judgments were asked about standardized rating scales with the possibility of open justification. ResultsIn the first Delphi round, n = 52 and in the second round n = 43 experts from research, care and administration/management in health care participated. Consensus was reached on four of the six criteria after the second Delphi round: the intention of the intervention, possible conflicts of interest of the initiators of the intervention, primary vs. secondary/tertiary prevention, and the scope of the intervention. From the perspective of the experts interviewed, these are the criteria that distinguish PHI. Discussion and conclusionBased on the consensus criteria, PHI can be defined more concretely. Thus, the results contribute to a better inter- and transdisciplinary understanding. Ideally, the criteria will make it easier to assign interventions to the public health sector in the future, even if a precise examination will be necessary in individual cases, among other things because the experts disagreed on the criteria of costs and how to address the target group.

Diversion: Where Do We Go From Here?

This conclusion provides a brief synopsis of the research articles presented in this special edition of The Journal of Contemporary Justice. The research findings clearly demonstrate that when the objective of diversion is sought by diversion-based programs where the criminal justice and health care systems intersect, processes and services frequently break down. As this collection of articles highlights, our collective understanding of diversion is siloed by academic discipline; thus, the broader picture of diversion remains muddled. It remains muddled because the reporting of diversion is scattered across disciplinary journals where a more robust understanding of diversion becomes unwieldy if not impossible for researchers and practitioners alike without sifting through multiple books, journals, manuscripts, and websites. Therefore, diversion will continue to elude efficacy without the coordination and cooperation of numerous disciplines spanning both the criminal justice and health care systems diversion. As this collection of articles strongly suggests, there is a need to create a transdisciplinary understanding of diversion as well as publication outlets so best practices can be developed and shared in one place.

303 Burn Rehabilitation Training for the Pediatric Burn Critical Care RN

Abstract Introduction New registered nurses (RNs) in the burn pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) need extensive pediatric, critical care, and wound care training. Each of these specialties present a challenging learning curve to the new RN and can overshadow the RN’s focus on burn rehabilitation. Our goal was to improve the RN’s understanding of the importance of early rehabilitative care and their role in the provision of burn rehabilitation in the burn PICU setting. Methods We developed an interdisciplinary program which allowed the RN to work alongside burn physical and occupational therapists. The aim of the program was to teach the participants the importance of early and consistent splinting, positioning, mobilization, and other therapeutic interventions and to learn how to incorporate these techniques into their nursing plan of care. Over two years, nine RNs participated in a four-hour shadow program with a senior physical and occupational therapist. The therapists provided direct hands-on training with patients across the care continuum focusing on competencies aligned with the American Burn Association’s Burn Nurse Competencies. The RNs completed a self-assessment tool to score their self-perceived knowledge related to burn rehabilitation. The self-assessment included a 10-question Likert-scale survey, based on Benner’s Novice to Expert Model. Scoring aligned with the Benner Stages of Clinical Competence: 10 = Novice, 20 = Advanced Beginner, 30 = Competent, 40 = Proficient, and 50 = Expert. The survey was completed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-6 months post-intervention. Results Nine RNs completed the serial surveys. The median years of nursing experience was 2.5 (2-3.5) years. The training was provided at a median time of 4 (3.1-4.6) months after orientation completion. The median score for the pre-intervention assessment was 19 (16-25). The immediate post-intervention score significantly increased to a median of 30 (25-31) (p=0.006) and was maintained at 3-6 months post-intervention (32 (29-37) p=0.0002). There was no significant difference in assessment scores between the immediate post intervention and the 3-6 month post intervention assessment (p=0.25). All median values are median (interquartile range) and significance level was set at a p< 0.05. Conclusions New RNs in the burn pediatric critical care unit have a tremendous learning curve. Our training model demonstrates that there may be improved competency when learning is introduced in staged approaches. Additionally, burn rehabilitation in the PICU requires a transdisciplinary understanding of the patient’s needs. Our training program demonstrates that collaboration across professional disciplines to provide nursing education can improve the clinical competency of new RNs. Applicability of Research to Practice Identifying more efficient and effective methods of new RN training can improve the delivery of nursing care and improve patient outcomes.

EDITORIAL SPECIAL ISSUE: PART IV-III-II-I SERIES

EDITORIAL SPECIAL ISSUE: PART IV-III-II-I SERIES

Institutionalising the Exception: Homeland Security Section 102(c) Waivers and the Construction of Border Barriers

ABSTRACT To expedite the construction of barriers along the border with Mexico, U.S. Secretaries of Homeland Security have waived an extensive array of laws since 2005 when authority for such actions was first delegated to that position as part of the REAL ID Act. This paper contextualises the political origins of what is referred to as Section 102(c) waiver authority, shows how these waivers are used to dramatically expand border barrier construction, and reviews legal challenges. In doing so, it connects the use of waivers in governance as viewed through the study of law with the theoretical prominence of Agamben in the discipline of geography. By examining the specific ways in which these legal practices and their geographic expression have institutionalised a state of exception that pushes the boundary of legal acceptability, we arrive at a more transdisciplinary understanding of the role of states of exception as a tool of governance.

Interindividual differences in intergenerational sustainable behavior are associated with cortical thickness of the dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Intergenerational sustainability requires people of the present generation to make sacrifices today to benefit others of future generations (e.g. mitigating climate change, reducing public debt). Individuals vary greatly in their intergenerational sustainability, and the cognitive and neural sources of these interindividual differences are not yet well understood. We here combined neuroscientific and behavioral methods by assessing interindividual differences in cortical thickness and by using a common-pool resource paradigm with intergenerational contingencies. This enabled us to look for objective, stable, and trait-like neural markers of interindividual differences in consequential intergenerational behavior. We found that individuals behaving sustainably (vs. unsustainably) were marked by greater cortical thickness of the dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Given that these brain areas are involved in perspective-taking and self-control and supported by mediation analyses, we speculate that greater cortical thickness of these brain areas better enable individuals to take the perspective of future generations and to resist temptations to maximize personal benefits that incur costs for future generations. By meeting recent calls for the contribution of neuroscience to sustainability research, it is our hope that the present study advances the transdisciplinary understanding of interindividual differences in intergenerational sustainability.

Understanding interdisciplinary perspectives of plant intelligence: Is it a matter of science, language, or subjectivity?

BackgroundEvidence suggests that plants can behave intelligently by exhibiting the ability to learn, make associations between environmental cues, engage in complex decisions about resource acquisition, memorize, and adapt in flexible ways. However, plant intelligence is a disputed concept in the scientific community. Reasons for lack of consensus can be traced back to the history of Western philosophy, interpretation of terminology, and due to plants lacking neurons and a central nervous system. Plant intelligence thus constitutes a novel paradigm in the plant sciences. Therefore, the perspectives of scientists in plant-related disciplines need to be investigated in order to gain insight into the current state and future development of this concept.MethodsThis study analyzed opinions of plant intelligence held by scientists from different plant-related disciplines, including ethnobiology and other biological sciences, through an online questionnaire.ResultsOur findings show that respondents’ personal belief systems and the frequency of taking into account other types of knowledge, such as traditional knowledge, in their own field(s) of study, were associated with their opinions of plant intelligence. Meanwhile, respondents’ professional expertise, background (discipline), or familiarity with evidence provided on plant intelligence did not affect their opinions.ConclusionsThis study emphasizes the influential role of scientists’ own subjective beliefs. In response, two approaches could facilitate transdisciplinary understanding among scientists: (1) effective communication designed to foster change in agreement based on presented information; and (2) holding space for an interdisciplinary dialogue where scientists can express their own subjectivities and open new opportunities for collaboration.

Ethical and Axiological Problems of Involving the Public in a Social and Humanitarian Assessment of the Risks and Consequences of Modern Science

This article focuses on the urgent philosophical and methodological issue of organizing effective social control over the development and implementation of modern technoscience. The relevance of the topic is caused by the fundamental transformation of science associated with the strengthening of its production and its technological and socio-administrative functions to the detriment of its humanistic components. The intensive expansion of technoscience into all spheres of human existence inevitably increases its risky nature, which necessitates a transdisciplinary understanding and orientation towards traditional human values: truth and good. An effective mechanism of social reflection on the achievements of technoscience is a socio-humanitarian examination, which attracts not only the elite scientific community but also social institutions, public organizations, and many volunteers — non-professional examiners who realize the ability of creative self-organization and insights in order to improve its adequacy. Various world practices of involving the public in the discussion of the ethical acceptability of research in modern technoscience were studied. Ethical and axiological problems associated with the participation of society in the development and humanization of modern science were thereby identified.
 Keywords: philosophy of science and technology, modern science and society, socio-humanitarian examination

Combining stool and stories: exploring antimicrobial resistance among a longitudinal cohort of international health students

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health concern that requires transdisciplinary and bio-social approaches. Despite the continuous calls for a transdisciplinary understanding of this problem, there is still a lack of such studies. While microbiology generates knowledge about the biomedical nature of bacteria, social science explores various social practices related to the acquisition and spread of these bacteria. However, the two fields remain disconnected in both methodological and conceptual levels. Focusing on the acquisition of multidrug resistance genes, encoding extended-spectrum betalactamases (CTX-M) and carbapenemases (NDM-1) among a travelling population of health students, this article proposes a methodology of ‘stool and stories’ that combines methods of microbiology and sociology, thus proposing a way forward to a collaborative understanding of AMR.MethodsA longitudinal study with 64 health students travelling to India was conducted in 2017. The study included multiple-choice questionnaires (n = 64); a collection of faecal swabs before travel (T0, n = 45), in the first week in India (T1, n = 44), the second week in India (T2, n = 41); and semi-structured interviews (n = 11). Stool samples were analysed by a targeted metagenomic approach. Data from semi-structured interviews were analysed using the method of thematic analysis.ResultsThe incidence of ESBL- and carbapenemase resistance genes significantly increased during travel indicating it as a potential risk; for CTX-M from 11% before travel to 78% during travel and for NDM-1 from 2% before travel to 11% during travel. The data from semi-structured interviews showed that participants considered AMR mainly in relation to individual antibiotic use or its presence in a clinical environment but not to travelling.ConclusionThe microbiological analysis confirmed previous research showing that international human mobility is a risk factor for AMR acquisition. However, sociological methods demonstrated that travellers understand AMR primarily as a clinical problem and do not connect it to travelling. These findings indicate an important gap in understanding AMR as a bio-social problem raising a question about the potential effectiveness of biologically driven AMR stewardship programs among travellers. Further development of the ‘stool and stories’ approach is important for a transdisciplinary basis of AMR stewardship.

Teaching “wicked” problems in geography

Wicked problems form the most significant challenges to society and science. The current and next generation of researchers, educators, planners and policy-makers require the inter- and trans-disciplinary understanding and skills to address these issues. Higher Education has a role and responsibility to lead research (Dentoni & Bitzer, 2015) into and also teach wicked problems (Wilson, 2009). Young people are increasingly aware of and proactively taking action on issues such as climate change, single use plastics and pollution. This demonstrates the need for module and programme designers to consider how to integrate and embed teaching of wicked problems and affiliated aspects such as environmental management, social justice, and global citizenship, into Geography curricula. There is also the need to develop the knowledge, understanding and higher-level transferable and problem-solving skills of undergraduates to equip them to deal with the challenges of researching and communicating wicked problems, whether through actively changing workplace practices, influencing policy-makers or training the next generation of teachers. Geography can be viewed as a key facilitating subject which has an important role in equipping students and researchers with the skills to confront problems and to work towards solutions (Kate et al., 2019).

The EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive and corporate narrative disclosure practices: the case of the fashion industry

The present work tackles the crucial issue of global sustainability and the challenge of policy coherence around sustainability, focusing on sustainability reporting in the fashion industry in the EU. As the legislative framework has grown increasingly rigorous, so has the importance of well-formed and carefully focused legislation. By examining non-financial (sustainability) reporting in the fashion industry and its challenges, this paper exposes the most plausible next steps to be taken in terms of requirements for non-financial reporting as well as changes to corporate purpose and behaviour. This paper engages with policy and legal considerations, practical behaviour and their analysis in relation to sustainability science, providing an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary understanding of the sustainability reporting and adjacent framework in the EU.

Re-visioning Places of Public Gathering in the Contemporary Arab Urbanism

Over the past decades, contemporary urbanism in Arab cities has undergone a radical transformation under the influence of a variety of forces, such as globalization, with the influx of money, ideas, people, and development models. Consequently, development visions of cities in the Arab world have shifted from local to imported international models, generating new paradigms of Arab contemporary urbanism, which are strongly impacting on public places in particular. Imported international models in Arab Cities have varied between establishing new urban typologies resembling Western urban imagery and icons, gated communities, themed cities, gigantic commercial centres and shopping malls, among other models. Places of public gathering in Arab cities are conceived as catalysts for change and as opportunities for domesticating and appropriating imported Western urban models. The multiplicity of opportunities for shaping, upgrading and rebuilding places of public gathering, from global paradigms to local realities, have stimulated many urban ambivalences and complexities, in which reconsidering places for public gathering nowadays implies a transdisciplinary understanding and a multifaceted perspective. The superimposing of changing concepts has critically transformed settings, structure, and functions of places for public gathering, while establishing the Arab urbanism as a brand new competitive urban system.

The M\xf6bius strip of market spatiality: mobilizing transdisciplinary dialogues between CCT and the marketing mainstream

This paper develops the Möbius strip as an ‘ordering theory’ (Sandberg and Alvesson, 2020) that brings CCT studies into dialogue with mainstream marketing approaches. The aim is to work toward a transdisciplinary understanding of market spatiality, a topic that has become increasingly important for theorists and practitioners (Warnaby and Medway, 2013; Castilhos et al., 2016; Chatzidakis et al., 2018). Building on psychosocial interpretations of the Möbius strip as a ‘tactical’ way of thinking, a range of insights and ideas are organized along a single strip of theorization. This paper maps a continuous plane of logic between the concepts of space, place, emplacement, spatiality, implacement, and displacement. The potential applications of the Möbius strip are then demonstrated by showing how the transdisciplinary topic of ‘atmosphere’ can be theorized from multiple perspectives. The paper concludes by exploring how the Möbius strip might also be employed in other areas of marketing theory and practice, potentially generating further transdisciplinary conversations between CCT and the marketing mainstream.

Social Media Use, Disbelief and (Mis)information During a Pandemic: An Examination of Young Adult Nigerians’ Interactions with COVID-19 Public Health Messaging

This study contributes to transdisciplinary understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic through an examination of perceptions of public health messages as consumed primarily through social media by a purposively enlisted set of young adult Nigerians. The research used focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to elicit the views of 11 young adults, aged 21 to 24, resident in Ajegunle, a low-income community in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. The study identifies the centrality of social media platforms to the respondents’ processes of meaning-making, and draws on Hall’s (1980) encoding/decoding model in order to bring to the fore their oppositional interpretations of public health messages. The study also identifies respondents’ varying levels of disbelief about the realities of COVID-19, their mistrust of the government officials conveying and enforcing decisions to combat the pandemic, and the propensity for the social media messages they consume and propagate to serve as channels of misinformation.

TRANSDISCIPLINARIDADE:

O presente estudo se iniciou a partir de uma reflexão sobre o fazer científico dentro do curso de Naturologia da Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (UNISUL). Como recorte perspectivo, buscou-se compreender a Transdisciplinaridade, conceito fundamental tanto para a pós-modernidade quanto na construção curricular da graduação em Naturologia da UNISUL. Como metodologia, observou-se de modo hermenêutico-fenomenológico a oralidade docente, levantada por meio de um encontro-pesquisa, em que foram averiguados a formação e o entendimento transdisciplinar dos docentes. A partir das entrevistas, foram construídas as Interpretações Essenciais Sintéticas (IES), que significaram a compreensão dos temas. Dessa maneira, os resultados foram organizados em: Educação, Naturologia e Transdisciplinaridade e suas subcategorias adjacentes. Sucessivamente, essas categorias seguiram uma dialética hermenêutica em espiral. Trazer à luz o entendimento da Transdisciplinaridade, implica no pensar sobre a não-hierarquização dos saberes, possibilitando um valor ético, humano e ecossistêmico, que garante a vida em sua diversidade essencial.