Doing Interdisciplinary Research
Working Together Across Disciplines
- Sawsan Khuri - Collaborative Capacities, University of Exeter, UK
Tackling the complex challenges our world faces requires working across disciplines.
This straightforward book uncovers a path for successful research collaboration, empowering you to innovate beyond traditional boundaries. Grounded in evidence and inclusive practice, it unpacks disciplinary ways of thinking and provides step-by-step guidance on the theory and practice of challenge-led research, from initial planning to dissemination.
The book also:
- Explores methods for preparing and conducting successful interdisciplinary research which integrates knowledge from different fields.
- Brings interdisciplinary research to life with 11 case studies from across the globe, including the UK, US, Switzerland, Middle East and West Africa.
- Equips you with skills to do impactful and reflexive cross-disciplinary research.
Inspiring you with possibilities for how collaborative work can help solve global challenges and arming you with the practical tools to do so, this is the perfect guide for upper undergraduates and beyond.
With vivid case studies, deep expertise, and genuine authenticity, this book weaves together the many strands of interdisciplinary research into something both intellectually rich and deeply human. The author brings clarity and skill to complex questions, offering not only a thoughtful guide to interdisciplinary work, but also an inspiring window into how such work can be approached with rigor, curiosity, and care.
What makes the book especially compelling is its blend of personal journey, strong scholarship, and practical insight. Through rich examples and a clear commitment to identity, equity, and cultural competence, the author shows that interdisciplinary research is not just about combining fields, but about building meaningful connections across perspectives in ways that are both rigorous and impactful.
Written in an accessible voice, this text nonetheless will prove a vital resource for interdisciplinary researchers of all levels. A roadmap for the novice, a way forward to more experienced researchers contemplating interdisciplinary work for the first time, and insight into new tools, such as AI and Design Thinking, for the seasoned researcher.
An invaluable resource to develop understanding of interdisciplinary research, plan a project and develop the necessary skills for success.
Doing Interdisciplinary Research will be a must-have volume for anyone interested in practicing or studying interdisciplinarity. Its erudite approach combines theoretical sophistication with a practical sensibility that will help the experienced interdisciplinarian as much as the novice.
Doing Interdisciplinary Research is a rich and generous handbook for readers at any stage of their interdisciplinary journey. It makes interdisciplinarity feel practically learnable, offering clear frameworks, tools and reflective guidance for developing the skills, habits and confidence needed to participate thoughtfully and effectively in interdisciplinary research contexts.
An invitation to return to our deepest motivations as researchers while learning to navigate systemic, intersectional challenges as interdisciplinarians. Realistic and approachable.
An incredibly engaging and comprehensive manual to Interdisciplinary research! In centering curiosity as the driving force of interdisciplinary inquiry, Khuri proves anyone can practice interdisciplinary research. Following the authors step by step breakdown, has increased my confidence in planning my own interdisciplinary dissertation; a highly recommendable read for students!
An exceptionally well-written and thoughtful appreciation of the challenges and opportunities associated with inter-disciplinary research. The author artfully blends insightful discussions of the dynamics of interdisciplinary working relationships with case studies that illustrate otherwise abstract principles. Her book leaves you with much to think about and yet specific ideas about how to go about managing the day-to-day realities of interdisciplinary research.
If you let it, this book will change how you approach any collaboration, not just interdisciplinary ones. Sawsan Khuri’s approach to both thinking about and undertaking interdisciplinary work allows you to put into action the best practices that emerge from the study of effective transdisciplinary teams. Doing Interdisciplinary Research puts theory through the lens of hands-on experience and turns it into practical approaches to genuinely work across disciplines.
An excellent reference for novice and experienced transdisciplinary researchers alike, with history, frameworks, and practical tools all in one. This book is a complete roadmap from foundational concepts to real application. Essential reading for anyone navigating inter- and transdisciplinary research collaborations.
This practical guide is an essential addition to any aspiring interdisciplinary researcher's toolbox. It is written in a clear and accessible style, making the case for interdisciplinarity, what it involves, and how to get started. Khuri's case studies and explainers model the creative and critical approaches she promotes, inspiring readers while demonstrating the practices she wants to see. It will be particularly helpful to early career researchers considering their own professional and career development, addressing both the competencies to build and where to focus their energy and attention. Khuri argues convincingly for a whole-systems approach that takes researchers beyond a narrow focus on academic outputs towards real-world impact, and shows its value. Doing Interdisciplinary Research makes clear that these skills are those all researchers need, with particular emphasis on relational skills such as communication, collaboration, and the facilitation that holds it all together.