Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1007/s11625-016-0378-0
Title (Primary) Transdisciplinary research in support of land and water management in China and Southeast Asia: evaluation of four research projects
Author Siew, T.F.; Aenis, T.; Spangenberg, J.H.; Nauditt, A.; Döll, P.; Frank, S.K.; Ribbe, L.; Rodriguez-Labajos, B.; Rumbaur, C.; Settele, J.; Wang, J.
Source Titel Sustainability Science
Year 2016
Department BZF; iDiv
Volume 11
Issue 5
Page From 813
Page To 829
Language englisch
Keywords Evaluation; Interdisciplinarity; Knowledge co-production and integration; Land and water management; Sustainability problems; Transdisciplinarity
UFZ wide themes RU1;
Abstract Transdisciplinary research (TDR) aims at identifying implementable solutions to difficult sustainability problems and at fostering social learning. It requires a well-managed collaboration among multidisciplinary scientists and multisectoral stakeholders. Performing TDR is challenging, particularly for foreign researchers working in countries with different institutional and socio-cultural conditions. There is a need to synthesize and share experience among researchers as well as practitioners regarding how TDR can be conducted under specific contexts. In this paper, we aim to evaluate and synthesize our unique experience in conducting TDR projects in Asia. We applied guiding principles of TDR to conduct a formative evaluation of four consortium projects on sustainable land and water management in China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In all projects, local political conditions restricted the set of stakeholders that could be involved in the research processes. The set of involved stakeholders was also affected by the fact that stakeholders in most cases only participate if they belong to the personal network of the project leaders. Language barriers hampered effective communication between foreign researchers and stakeholders in all projects and thus knowledge integration. The TDR approach and its specific methods were adapted to respond to the specific cultural, social, and political conditions in the research areas, also with the aim to promote trust and interest of the stakeholders throughout the project. Additionally, various measures were implemented to promote collaboration among disciplinary scientists. Based on lessons learned, we provide specific recommendations for the design and implementation of TDR projects in particular in Asia.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17552
Siew, T.F., Aenis, T., Spangenberg, J.H., Nauditt, A., Döll, P., Frank, S.K., Ribbe, L., Rodriguez-Labajos, B., Rumbaur, C., Settele, J., Wang, J. (2016):
Transdisciplinary research in support of land and water management in China and Southeast Asia: evaluation of four research projects
Sustain. Sci. 11 (5), 813 - 829 10.1007/s11625-016-0378-0