Chapter 7
Transdisciplinary Research in Land Use
Science—Developments, Criticism
and Empirical Findings from Research
Practice
Jana Zscheischler
Abstract The particular importance of transdisciplinarity (TD) is emphasised
against the backdrop of urgent complex real-world challenges and a changed societal demand for knowledge. It is no longer just a matter of producing new scientific
insights, but also of achieving the solution-oriented goals and producing the action
knowledge that support sustainable development and land management. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) projects have been supported in Germany over the past two
decades. However, critical questions are increasingly being raised about the extent to
which such projects have been successful. This chapter introduces the development
of the TDR concept; describes the current criticism of TDR; and presents empirical findings from research practice. The results reveal a number of implementation
deficits that can be traced back to a misfit with academic structures and a lack of
knowledge.
Keywords Co-production of knowledge · Sustainable land management · Mode 2
7.1 Land Use Science—From Land Cover to Global
Change Research
For a long time, the natural environment was predominantly an object of natural
sciences and the belief that progress is a matter of technology development prevailed.
The environmental crisis, arising ethical discourses on responsibility (Jonas 1984),
the postulation of a risk society (Beck 1986) and the ensuing awareness of the
increasing vulnerability of modern societies have modified society’s opinion on
progress and science (Gibbons et al. 1994; Nowotny et al. 2001). As a result, more
integrative concepts such as “human–environment interactions” started evolving in
the early 1970s (Crumley 2007 cit. in Palsson et al. 2013). This development was
J. Zscheischler (B)
Working Group “Co-Design of Change and Innovation”, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural
Landscape Research—Land Use & Governance, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg,
Germany
e-mail: jana.zscheischler@zalf.de
© The Author(s) 2021
T. Weith et al. (eds.), Sustainable Land Management in a European Context,
Human-Environment Interactions 8, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50841-8_7
127
Transdisciplinary Research in Land Use
Science—Developments, Criticism
and Empirical Findings from Research
Practice
Jana Zscheischler
Abstract The particular importance of transdisciplinarity (TD) is emphasised
against the backdrop of urgent complex real-world challenges and a changed societal demand for knowledge. It is no longer just a matter of producing new scientific
insights, but also of achieving the solution-oriented goals and producing the action
knowledge that support sustainable development and land management. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) projects have been supported in Germany over the past two
decades. However, critical questions are increasingly being raised about the extent to
which such projects have been successful. This chapter introduces the development
of the TDR concept; describes the current criticism of TDR; and presents empirical findings from research practice. The results reveal a number of implementation
deficits that can be traced back to a misfit with academic structures and a lack of
knowledge.
Keywords Co-production of knowledge · Sustainable land management · Mode 2
7.1 Land Use Science—From Land Cover to Global
Change Research
For a long time, the natural environment was predominantly an object of natural
sciences and the belief that progress is a matter of technology development prevailed.
The environmental crisis, arising ethical discourses on responsibility (Jonas 1984),
the postulation of a risk society (Beck 1986) and the ensuing awareness of the
increasing vulnerability of modern societies have modified society’s opinion on
progress and science (Gibbons et al. 1994; Nowotny et al. 2001). As a result, more
integrative concepts such as “human–environment interactions” started evolving in
the early 1970s (Crumley 2007 cit. in Palsson et al. 2013). This development was
J. Zscheischler (B)
Working Group “Co-Design of Change and Innovation”, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural
Landscape Research—Land Use & Governance, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg,
Germany
e-mail: jana.zscheischler@zalf.de
© The Author(s) 2021
T. Weith et al. (eds.), Sustainable Land Management in a European Context,
Human-Environment Interactions 8, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50841-8_7
127