mission
CSID conducts research into the theory and practice of inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to knowledge. Interdisciplinary centers focused on a particular theme or problem are ubiquitous, but there is no other center within the American academy dedicated to developing the theory and practice of interdisciplinarity.
CSID research is generally conducted via case studies, an approach we call 'field philosophy.'
Our work extends across the University of North Texas -- forming one set of case studies -- and around the world.
In addition to our various publications, at North Texas our projects include
Beyond campus, our work includes
- Comparative Assessment of Peer Review
- 3TEP
- Developing a repository of best practices of interdisciplinarity across the sciences, engineering, and the humanities
vision
Interdisciplinarity is entering a new era. The founding work in the field was definitional and taxonomic in nature (e.g., Klein 1995, 2000, and 2006). There was also important work done in terms of the codification of approaches to undergraduate interdisciplinary programs (e.g., Repko 2008) and research methodology (e.g., Hirsch Hadorn, 2008). Work in these areas continues. The most pressing challenge before us, however, is to understand 'interdisciplinarity' as giving voice to a set of questions concerning the overall viability of our knowledge society in an age of massive cultural transformation.