The Open Access volume illustrates how interdisciplinary research develops over the lifetime of a scholar.
Drawing on case-studies by researchers in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, it presents interdisciplinarity not as a single project, but as an attitude that trickles down, or spirals up, into research. The book presents how interdisciplinary work has inspired shifts in how the contributors read, value concepts, critically combine methods, cope with knowledge hierarchies, write in style, and collaborate.
Drawing on extensive examples from the humanities and social sciences in what anthropologist David Howes calls a ‘biographical approach’, the editors and chapter authors show how they started, tried to open up, dealt with inconsistencies, had to adapt, and ultimately learned and grew as researchers. The book offers valuable insights into the conditions and complexities present for interdisciplinary research to be successful in an academic setting.
The book is co-edited by Karin Bijsterveld (Full professor of science, technology and modern culture at MUSTS) and Aagje Swinnen (professor in ageing studies at Maastricht University). Apart from Bijsterveld, plenty of MUSTS’ current and former members contribute to the volume: Harro van Lente, Jo Wachelder, Kathleen Gregory and Sally Wyatt, Flora Lysen, Patricia de Vries, Peter Peters, and Jessica Mesman.
The Open Access book can be downloaded as .epub here.