SST 505 Interdisciplinary Methodologies
This course on interdisciplinary methodologies consists of a weekly discussion seminar on interdisciplinarity that emphasizes the skills of interdisciplinary thinking, research, creativity, and collaboration, and is tailored to, and structured along, the content courses taught in Semester I.
The course introduces students to foundational concepts, theories, and practices of interdisciplinarity, with particular attention to its relevance for sustainability studies and complex societal problem-solving. Students examine the role of interdisciplinary inquiry in addressing sustainability challenges that transcend single disciplinary frameworks and require collaboration across academic fields as well as engagement with societal actors.
Key areas of study include the analysis of complex societal and environmental problems through interdisciplinary approaches; the exploration of methodological frameworks that emerge through cross-disciplinary collaboration; and the development of strategies for integrating diverse forms of knowledge in the pursuit of sustainable solutions. The course also examines competing concepts, goals, and visions of sustainability as they arise across disciplinary, institutional, and societal contexts.
Students critically engage with the complementarities, tensions, and contradictions that characterize different approaches to sustainability, while reflecting on the methodological assumptions, insights, and blind spots embedded within various disciplinary traditions, including their own. Through seminar discussions and collaborative exercises that connect with two case studies that span all courses in semester I, students develop the analytical and practical skills necessary to navigate complexity, synthesize multiple perspectives, and contribute to interdisciplinary research and problem-solving.
Offered
Fall