Working with Interdisciplinarity in Knowledge Communities

This anthology pinpoints how interdisciplinarity can strengthen democratic knowledge communities. The authors show that interdisciplinarity is not only a methodological choice but also a political and cultural stance. It challenges entrenched hierarchies of expertise, creates space for alternative voices and fosters co-production of knowledge responsive to complex societal problems. The urgency of making interdisciplinary practices the norm rather than the exception is emphasised, and the book warns of what is at stake if these debates are ignored. Without deliberate efforts to integrate diverse perspectives, knowledge risks becoming either narrowly technocratic or so fragmented that it loses the capacity to inform collective decision-making. Both scenarios threaten the democratic promise of knowledge as a shared resource for society, and it is argued that legitimacy, access, and responsiveness are not optional add-ons but prerequisites for meaningful knowledge communities.