Jess Laccetti mentioned on Twitter that she is starting a transdisciplinarity reading list. Transdisciplinarity is a relatively young research approach, and so finding information isn’t easy. The following list is not at all comprehensive, but they are some of my favourites.
It is important to note that despite the area being somewhat new, it already has (as is normal) people invoking the name of transdisciplinarity even though they mean other forms of already existing research approaches. Although I do attempt my own more complicated concept explication of the area in my thesis, I’ll quickly note there that there are (at least) two very different implementations of transdisciplinarity in the methodological realm: one that argues it should be about collaboration between academia & non-academia to address world-scale problems, and another that argues it is a conceptual approach that can be applied to anything, by an individual or group. I personally am in the school of the latter (which is the Nicolescu school if you like), but find the information and methodological rigor of the former approach invaluabe (which you’ll find at the td-net site, Handbook & Principles books). There is also ‘transdisciplinarity’ as an artistic approach (which is the leaning of the Planetary Collegium and others). I don’t use transdisciplinarity in that sense.
BOOKS
- Nicolescu, B. (2008) Transdisciplinarity: Theory and Practice, Cresskill, NJ, Hampton Press
- Hirsch Hadorn, G.; Hoffmann-Riem, H.; Biber-Klemm, S.; Grossenbacher-Mansuy, W.; Joye, D.; Pohl, C.; Wiesmann, U.; Zemp, E. (Eds) (2008) Handbook of Transdisciplinary Research
- Pohl, C. and G. Hirsch Hadorn (2007) Principles for Designing Transdisciplinary Research [this book has a great concept explication and appendix of all the different definitions of transdisciplinarity, as well as guidance as to the design of such research]
- Nicolescu, B. (2002) Manifesto of Transdisciplinarity, Albany, State University of New York Press [ah, where it all began — for me]
- Klein, J. T., W. Grossenbacher-Mansuy, et al. (2001) Transdisciplinarity: Joint Problem Solving Among Science, Technology, and Society: An Effective Way for Managing Complexity, Basel ; Boston, Birkhäuser.
- Guattari, F. (1995) Chaosmosis: An Ethico-Aesthetic Paradigm, Bloomington, Indiana University Press.
ARTICLES
- Burnett, R. (2005) ‘Disciplines in Crisis: Transdisciplinary Approaches in the Arts, Humanities and Sciences’  Retrieved from http://www.eciad.ca/~rburnett/transdisciplinary.html.
- Hunsinger, J. (2005) ‘Toward a Transdisciplinary Internet Research’, The Information Society 21: 277–279.
- Genosko, G. (2003) ‘Félix Guattari: Towards a Transdisciplinary Metamethodology’, Angelaki: The Journal of the Theoretical Humanities 8(1): 129 – 140.
- Judge, A. (1994) ‘Transdisciplinarity through Structured Dialogue: Beyond sterile dualities in meetings to the challenge of participant impotence’ Retrieved from http://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs/trandis.php.
- Judge, A. (1994) ‘Transdisplinarity-3 as the Emergence of Patterned Experience: Transcending duality as the conceptual equivalent of learning to walk (Part I)‘ Retrieved from http://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs/tranpat1.php.
- Judge, A. (1994) ‘Transdisplinarity-3 as the Emergence of Patterned Experience: Transcending duality as the conceptual equivalent of learning to walk (Part II)‘ Retrieved 10 Jan, 2008, from http://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs/tranpat2.php.
- Lattanzi, M. (1998) ‘Transdisciplinarity: Stimulating Synergies, Integrating Knowledge’, UNESCO Documents and Publications. Geneva, UNESCO, Division of Philosophy and Ethics. [PDF]
- (2000). ‘Seb Henagulph’s ‘Three Pillars of Transdisciplinarity’ Retrieved from http://www.goodshare.org/pillars.htm.
- Mittelstrass, J. (2001) ‘On Transdisciplinarity’, Science and the Future of Mankind, Vatican City: Pontifical Academy of Sciences, The Holy See. [PDF]
- Nicolescu, B. (2003, 21 May) ‘Convergence and differences between the two approaches of transdisciplinarity‘, Retrieved from http://www.interdisciplines.org/interdisciplinarity/papers/5/22#_22.
- Nicolescu, B. and A. T. D. Alvarenga (2008 [2006]) ‘Interview of Basarab Nicolescu on the history of transdisciplinarity’, transdisciplinarity@yahoogroups.com, CIRET List.
- Nowotny, H. (2003, 1 May) ‘The Potential of Transdisciplinarity’, Rethinking Interdisciplinarity, Retrieved from http://www.interdisciplines.org/interdisciplinarity/papers/5.
- Volckmann, R. and B. Nicolescu (2007) ‘Transdisciplinarity: Basarab Nicolescu Talks with Russ Volckmann’, Integral 4: 73-90. [PDF]
RESEARCH GROUPS/CENTERS/NETWORKS
- International Center for Transdisciplinary Research and Studies (CIRET) + Listserv [Nicolescu publishes interviews and essays through this list]
- Network for Science and the Humanities (td-net) + Listserv + Bibliography [the listserv & bibliography provides top-notch current info about the area]
- Roy Ascott’s Planetary Collegium – Zurich node + Facebook Group
- Transdisciplinary book series- Listserv [low, almost non-existent, traffic as yet]
BLOGS
- TransdisciplinarityCV – Jorge Sousa Brito’s blog
VIDEOS
- Dr. Sue McGregor explains ‘The Nature of Transdisciplinary Research and Practice’ in this 30 minute interview that is available for online streaming [I don’t subscribe to all of her definitions of transdisciplinarity, but the video is interesting nevertheless]
I’d love to hear of any resources you think I’d be interested in!
Wow Christy that was quick! This is a great start for me! Thanks very much.
Thanks for pointing out that there are divergent views of transdisciplinarity. I have already come across Basarab Nicolescu and am looking forward to meeting with him soon. [thought I’d throw that in there! ;)] I follow his and your line of thought that transdisciplinarity can be implemented across any kind of discipline/field. The former approach that divides academia and industry/non-academia suggests that both are usually unconnected (not always the case) and that fields within each are able to be amalgamated into one notion of “academic” or “non-academic.” I defintely prefer the idea that we can facilitate feedback/discussion between all kinds of sectors.
NB: I’m loving the fact that your assistance emerged from my tweet 🙂
You’re meeting him soon?! I’m jealous! Actually, I was thinking of creating another podcast with a scholarly leaning just so I can do interviews with cool peeps like Basarab. Keep me posted on your journey.
Yup. I’m getting into the hang of saying: “I’m going to Paris for business…” It’s a difficult life
The meeting is part of my mapping the field/background research into transdisciplinarity stage. Actually, it’s quite a neat story as Nicolescu commented on a blog post I did on transdisciplinarity and it took off from there.
I’ll definitely keep you posted.