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The role of epistemic signalling in transdisciplinary knowledge production : Examples from the field of sustainable water management

Klintman, Mikael LU orcid ; Grafström, Maria and Jonsson, Anna LU (2020) In Scores rapportserier
Abstract
The number of arrangements where academia collaborates with governmental and
nongovernmental organisations, as well as industries, have increased over the last decades.
While research has focused on whether knowledge produced in such collaborations is genuinely
influenced by others than the ‘experts’, or those with the highest status and power, this report
explores the influence of framings and re-framings of what the participants and society should
perceive as the nature of knowledge: epistemology. We analyse the framings of epistemology
through the concept ‘epistemic signalling’. Epistemic signalling refers to communication or
rule-making that indicates what type(s) of knowledge is considered relevant,... (More)
The number of arrangements where academia collaborates with governmental and
nongovernmental organisations, as well as industries, have increased over the last decades.
While research has focused on whether knowledge produced in such collaborations is genuinely
influenced by others than the ‘experts’, or those with the highest status and power, this report
explores the influence of framings and re-framings of what the participants and society should
perceive as the nature of knowledge: epistemology. We analyse the framings of epistemology
through the concept ‘epistemic signalling’. Epistemic signalling refers to communication or
rule-making that indicates what type(s) of knowledge is considered relevant, valuable or useful
in knowledge collaboration. Empirically we draw on two examples of transdisciplinary
collaborations in the field of water management (one from the UK and one from the US). Indepth
interviews were combined with document analysis.
We have analysed three themes of epistemic signalling that we suggest influence knowledge
collaborations. The first one concerns how the form and theme of the collaboration were
decided upon and is based on Arnstein’s (1969) ladder of participation. The second refers to
what type(s) of participants were considered suitable – as for example experts or lay people.
Here we use the framework of aggregate (bargaining-oriented) versus integrative (deliberative)
processes of knowledge collaboration in our analysis. The third and last theme concerns what
is perceived as valuable and successful in the collaborations, something that we discuss in terms
of procedural and epistemic virtues of knowledge collaborations.
The epistemology of organisations and participants in knowledge collaborations ought to be a
distinct subject of open discussions from the earliest planning stage and onwards. It is easy to
assume that epistemic signalling would be esoteric parts of practical, collaborative knowledge
production. To the contrary, open epistemological reflections may help highlight situations
where hierarchies turn out to be remains of routines inconsistent with new goals of more
profound exchange of practical and scientific knowledge. In such cases, the epistemologies
need to be revised to better fit the new goals. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Book/Report
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Knowledge collaboration, transdisciplinarity, water management, epistemic signalling, participation, Environmental Competency Group, Uncommon dialogues
in
Scores rapportserier
issue
6
pages
31 pages
publisher
SCORE Rapportserie
report number
2020
ISBN
978-91-88833-11-2
978-91-88833-11-2
project
Beyond the market stalls and ivory towers: A study on integrated science for sustainable provision of knowledge
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1d867933-ea4f-4e06-ad57-9dc134e9a914
date added to LUP
2020-08-09 18:47:51
date last changed
2022-03-24 02:34:17
@techreport{1d867933-ea4f-4e06-ad57-9dc134e9a914,
  abstract     = {{The number of arrangements where academia collaborates with governmental and<br/>nongovernmental organisations, as well as industries, have increased over the last decades.<br/>While research has focused on whether knowledge produced in such collaborations is genuinely<br/>influenced by others than the ‘experts’, or those with the highest status and power, this report<br/>explores the influence of framings and re-framings of what the participants and society should<br/>perceive as the nature of knowledge: epistemology. We analyse the framings of epistemology<br/>through the concept ‘epistemic signalling’. Epistemic signalling refers to communication or<br/>rule-making that indicates what type(s) of knowledge is considered relevant, valuable or useful<br/>in knowledge collaboration. Empirically we draw on two examples of transdisciplinary<br/>collaborations in the field of water management (one from the UK and one from the US). Indepth<br/>interviews were combined with document analysis.<br/>We have analysed three themes of epistemic signalling that we suggest influence knowledge<br/>collaborations. The first one concerns how the form and theme of the collaboration were<br/>decided upon and is based on Arnstein’s (1969) ladder of participation. The second refers to<br/>what type(s) of participants were considered suitable – as for example experts or lay people.<br/>Here we use the framework of aggregate (bargaining-oriented) versus integrative (deliberative)<br/>processes of knowledge collaboration in our analysis. The third and last theme concerns what<br/>is perceived as valuable and successful in the collaborations, something that we discuss in terms<br/>of procedural and epistemic virtues of knowledge collaborations.<br/>The epistemology of organisations and participants in knowledge collaborations ought to be a<br/>distinct subject of open discussions from the earliest planning stage and onwards. It is easy to<br/>assume that epistemic signalling would be esoteric parts of practical, collaborative knowledge<br/>production. To the contrary, open epistemological reflections may help highlight situations<br/>where hierarchies turn out to be remains of routines inconsistent with new goals of more<br/>profound exchange of practical and scientific knowledge. In such cases, the epistemologies<br/>need to be revised to better fit the new goals.}},
  author       = {{Klintman, Mikael and Grafström, Maria and Jonsson, Anna}},
  institution  = {{SCORE Rapportserie}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-88833-11-2}},
  keywords     = {{Knowledge collaboration; transdisciplinarity; water management; epistemic signalling; participation; Environmental Competency Group; Uncommon dialogues}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2020}},
  series       = {{Scores rapportserier}},
  title        = {{The role of epistemic signalling in transdisciplinary knowledge production : Examples from the field of sustainable water management}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/82491798/Untitled.pdf}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}