Month: November 2024

Epistemic justice and its relevance to transdisciplinary research

By Sarah Cummings, Charles Dhewa, Gladys Kemboi, Stacey Young and Mike Powell.

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1. Sarah Cummings; 2. Charles Dhewa; 3. Gladys Kemboi; 4. Stacey Young; 5. Mike Powell (biographies)

Can you imagine that you are in a situation where no-one listens to you or believes what you have to say? And the reason they are not listening or believing is because of your race or your gender or where you come from or your accent, or an intersectional combination of all four?

Or imagine that the knowledge of your community is seen as worthless and ignored, even when the community will suffer most when efforts to change it go awry?

This phenomenon is called epistemic injustice. Originally elaborated by social philosopher Miranda Fricker (2007), epistemic (or knowledge-related) injustice comprises unfair treatment in which the voices, experiences and solutions of marginalized individuals, communities and societies are ignored. We consider that it poses an existential threat to individuals and communities.

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Evaluation criteria for transdisciplinary research

This i2Insights contribution has been retracted.

For an excellent framework on evaluation criteria for transdisciplinary research, see:

Belcher, B. M., Rasmussen, K. E., Kemshaw, M. R. and Zornes, D. A. (2016). Defining and Assessing Research Quality in a Transdisciplinary Context. Research Evaluation, 25, 1–17. (Online – open access) (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvv025

with an updated and refined version available at: Transdisciplinary-Research-Quality-Assessment-Framework-2.0.pdf. 

 

From networks to systems of influence: The role of emergence in change

By Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze

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1. Margaret Wheatley (biography)
2. Deborah Frieze (biography)

How can people turn a common cause and vision of what’s possible into change? Can networks and communities of practice turn into systems of influence? How can we best prepare conditions for emergence of systems of influence?

We propose a three-stage lifecycle model of emergence and change, moving from networks to communities of practice to systems of influence.

Stage One: Networks

Networks are essential for people finding like-minded others, the first stage in the lifecycle of emergence and change. It’s important to note that networks are only the beginning. They are based on self-interest: people usually network together for their own benefit and to develop their own work.

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Transforming experts into team science leaders

By Gemma Jiang.

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Gemma Jiang (biography)

Are you transitioning from a subject matter expert to a team leader? What is key to leadership? What challenges are you likely to confront? What questions will you need to address?

Defining leadership

Leadership is about influencing change among a collective of people, not about titles or top-down decision-making.

Influencing change

Change is an enduring and accelerating force, from the actions of ancient mythological heroes to the demands of our rapidly evolving VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world. Effective leadership bridges deep personal transformation and profound organizational change, guiding individuals and institutions through transitions and innovations.

Influencing a collective

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