THE INTERDISCIPLINARITY DEBATE: A CRITICAL INTRODUCTION

Abstract

The call for interdisciplinarity has become increasingly urgent today. We must encourage in our students, teachers and researchers a clear understanding of these complexes (i.e., inter-multi-trans-meta disciplinary), instilling a true reflective vocation on these aspects of both knowledge production and organization. Even more than a research style, this transdisciplinary reflective vocation must be expressed in interdisciplinary themes and approaches and attentive to opportunities for multi- and transdisciplinary study and thinking. Thus, a proper stance upon knowledge should be open to participation in the resolving of societal challenges, by actively searching for a dialogue and collaboration with social and community partners, building on extramural links beyond the conservative logic of academic and scientific corporations. With this short article, we aim to provide a critical analysis, an introduction to the interdisciplinary debate, placing it historically, establishing a consensual definition of these complexes' concepts, and underlining the principles that should structure the 'interdisciplinary style' research.