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<p>Interdisciplinary collaboration between the two epistemic cultures of the natural sciences and humanities remains an unresolved challenge today. Yet, environmental research especially depends on such intersections. To explore ways of fostering such interdisciplinary collaboration, the authors were invited to trial an interdisciplinary research tandem, developed by researchers at Leipzig University’s <i>LeipzigLab</i>. The essay provides a reflection on our experience with the trial and draws insights from it for the challenges and demands of advancing interdisciplinary collaboration between the sciences and humanities. The article argues that spaces (and funding) are required that do not start from interdisciplinary project ideas but rather provide space and funding for researchers to engage in intentional extended conversations to first develop an understanding of their different epistemic approaches and ideals to practice tolerance towards other epistemic ideals. An understanding of interdisciplinarity that defines it narrowly and differentiates it from multi-, trans- and post-disciplinarity can help in this by providing an alternative way and attitude of doing science parallel to and on par with disciplinary work and structures that keeps established and tested disciplinary approaches intact. Although this can be achieved through informal conversations among researchers, we make a case for establishing such formal funding and research structures to actively foster environmentally much needed interdisciplinary collaboration.</p>

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Advancing interdisciplinarity through fostering epistemic tolerance

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月28日

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  • André Krebber,
  • Matti Wilks

摘要

Interdisciplinary collaboration between the two epistemic cultures of the natural sciences and humanities remains an unresolved challenge today. Yet, environmental research especially depends on such intersections. To explore ways of fostering such interdisciplinary collaboration, the authors were invited to trial an interdisciplinary research tandem, developed by researchers at Leipzig University’s LeipzigLab. The essay provides a reflection on our experience with the trial and draws insights from it for the challenges and demands of advancing interdisciplinary collaboration between the sciences and humanities. The article argues that spaces (and funding) are required that do not start from interdisciplinary project ideas but rather provide space and funding for researchers to engage in intentional extended conversations to first develop an understanding of their different epistemic approaches and ideals to practice tolerance towards other epistemic ideals. An understanding of interdisciplinarity that defines it narrowly and differentiates it from multi-, trans- and post-disciplinarity can help in this by providing an alternative way and attitude of doing science parallel to and on par with disciplinary work and structures that keeps established and tested disciplinary approaches intact. Although this can be achieved through informal conversations among researchers, we make a case for establishing such formal funding and research structures to actively foster environmentally much needed interdisciplinary collaboration.