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Interdisciplinary risks–a delicate balance between trust and critical review

Sahlin, Ullrika LU orcid and Thorén, Henrik LU (2025) In Journal of Risk Research 28(3-4). p.197-202
Abstract

We argue that the subject matter and objectives of risk science establish it as an inherently interdisciplinary field, closely connected to both academic disciplines and practical applications. However, risk research faces a range of interdisciplinary challenges. These include the production of low-quality research—characterised by superficial and insufficiently grounded conclusions—a lack of mutual trust between disciplines, limited understanding of risk research, and cultural, institutional, or epistemological oversimplification. Organisations such as the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) and SRA Europe play a critical role not only in defining the scope of risk research but also in managing its epistemic risks. Effective management of... (More)

We argue that the subject matter and objectives of risk science establish it as an inherently interdisciplinary field, closely connected to both academic disciplines and practical applications. However, risk research faces a range of interdisciplinary challenges. These include the production of low-quality research—characterised by superficial and insufficiently grounded conclusions—a lack of mutual trust between disciplines, limited understanding of risk research, and cultural, institutional, or epistemological oversimplification. Organisations such as the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) and SRA Europe play a critical role not only in defining the scope of risk research but also in managing its epistemic risks. Effective management of these interdisciplinary challenges can enhance the field’s credibility and increase its appeal to prospective researchers. Therefore, we recommend that contemporary risk researchers actively engage with both risk-related and non-risk disciplines to strengthen the field’s foundations and broaden its impact.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
epistemic risk, Interdisciplinary, risk research, trust
in
Journal of Risk Research
volume
28
issue
3-4
pages
6 pages
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:105010679009
ISSN
1366-9877
DOI
10.1080/13669877.2025.2526473
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
20715fc1-b972-489c-aaa5-09f0c242cf56
date added to LUP
2026-01-27 15:47:12
date last changed
2026-01-27 15:47:45
@misc{20715fc1-b972-489c-aaa5-09f0c242cf56,
  abstract     = {{<p>We argue that the subject matter and objectives of risk science establish it as an inherently interdisciplinary field, closely connected to both academic disciplines and practical applications. However, risk research faces a range of interdisciplinary challenges. These include the production of low-quality research—characterised by superficial and insufficiently grounded conclusions—a lack of mutual trust between disciplines, limited understanding of risk research, and cultural, institutional, or epistemological oversimplification. Organisations such as the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) and SRA Europe play a critical role not only in defining the scope of risk research but also in managing its epistemic risks. Effective management of these interdisciplinary challenges can enhance the field’s credibility and increase its appeal to prospective researchers. Therefore, we recommend that contemporary risk researchers actively engage with both risk-related and non-risk disciplines to strengthen the field’s foundations and broaden its impact.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sahlin, Ullrika and Thorén, Henrik}},
  issn         = {{1366-9877}},
  keywords     = {{epistemic risk; Interdisciplinary; risk research; trust}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3-4}},
  pages        = {{197--202}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Journal of Risk Research}},
  title        = {{Interdisciplinary risks–a delicate balance between trust and critical review}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2025.2526473}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13669877.2025.2526473}},
  volume       = {{28}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}