In recent years interdisciplinarity has become a key dimension in the formulation and assessment of research. And indeed one of the main elements in Culture, Theory and Critique’s statement of aims is the exploration of the interface between disciplines. It is therefore opportune to devote an issue to what is meant by and what is at stake in the notion and practice of interdisciplinarity. In autumn 2010 we intend to publish a number of essays on the topic and suggest various questions amongst others which might be considered :

* What are the factors which explain the recent surge of interest in interdisciplinarity in the humanities ? Why has it become a significant part of the discourse not only of researchers themselves but also of research managers and funders ?

* What is the relationship between distinct disciplines and interdisciplinarity ?

* How stable are the existing disciplines and how do they respond to the interest in interdisciplinarity ? Are there serious risks of incoherence deriving from the opening of disciplinary boundaries ?

* References to ’interdisciplinarity’ often mean expanding the realm of objects that a discipline can treat without expanding the parameters of the discipline’s theory and methodology. How can an interdisciplinarity that truly challenges disciplinary assumptions be articulated and what is the status of the object of study in such a programme ?

* Can interdisciplinarity really operate in between disciplines or is it only ever a term used to account for work which draws from more than one disciplinary field ?

* What are the benefits of interdisciplinary research ? Is it in any sense inherently more probing and comprehensive simply because it combines different angles of analysis ?

* What are the conceptual and institutional differences between interdisciplinarity, multidisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity ?

* How does interdisciplinarity function in different research domains ? Do the sciences and humanities conceive the practice differently and what might these broad domains learn from the other’s approach ?

Culture, Theory and Critique welcomes theoretical essays on the theme of interdisciplinarity and critical analyses of particular examples of its practice. Essays should be submitted

for consideration by the end of March 2010.

For further information about the journal visit : www.tandf.co.uk/journals/RCTC and click on the Instruction for Authors tab.

www.tandf.co.uk/journals

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