Association for Interdisciplinary Studies

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A Critical Review of Harvard's Project Zero
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2009) Stuart Henry
Project Zero, a research center at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, is impressive and far-reaching in its scope. It is a multifaceted research project that is commonly referred to as being interdisciplinary or as doing interdisciplinary work, and among other things performs research on the nature of interdisciplinary teaching and research. This paper critically reviews a segment of the Project's work and considers it in light of a definition of "interdisciplinarity" (Klein & Newell, 1997) around which a consensus is developing. The review provides a brief history of Project Zero, then focuses on the GoodWork¨ Project with further emphasis on the GoodWork¨ Interdisciplinary Studies Project. Both teaching and research reports are reviewed, noting those that are traditionally published and/or offer literature reviews. The role of in-house and popular press publication versus peer-reviewed publication is considered. This review concludes that Project Zero does interdisciplinary-related work, rather than interdisciplinary work. It is suggested that Project Zero could draw more heavily on the wider literature in its research reports as well as pursue an explicitly integrative process in its research.
'A Jack of All Trades and a Master of Some of Them': Successful Students in Interdisciplinary PhD Programs
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2011) Szostak, Rick; Repko, Allen
Interdisciplinarity has become a growing emphasis in U.S. higher education, and the prevalence of interdisciplinary doctoral programs is one indicator of such growth. Despite this growth, the experiences of individuals within interdisciplinary doctoral programs have been largely unexamined in the literature. This paper examines a self-designed interdisciplinary doctoral program for the two-fold purpose of better understanding students' experiences and faculty members' conceptualizations of what constitutes student "success." Using the lens of socialization, findings uncovered issues related to a lack of program structure and support for those involved. Findings from the study demonstrate a need for a higher level of self-direction for these students given the increased ambiguity of the program's structure as well as the need for external support given the lack of community.
A Qualitative Model of the Integrative Learning Process
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1983) Miller, Raymond C.
A Role for Formalisms in Integrative Studies
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1999) Bailis, Stanley; Wentworth, Jay
The increasing importance of integrative studies in higher education makes it more vital to rethink integrative studies from the perspective of reaching maximum benefit. In rethinking integrative studies, it is appropriate to subsume a number of active concepts under more embracing rubrics. Also it is noteworthy that subsumption does not destroy or eliminate the active concept, does sustain the capacity to use the active concept appropriately, and does provide elbow room both for perceiving that concept within the larger rubric, and for reconceptualization of the active concept within the more embracing rubric.It is certainly appropriate as well to rethink the possibility that, in developing integrative studies in higher education, we can and should draw more heavily upon guidance from selected scholarly predecessors than we appear now to be doing, whether they were academics or not. Then, this guidance can also be integrated with any relevant knowledge under exploration at present. Finally, appropriately, we should consider the possibility of applying classical formalisms from formal logic, using computer assistance (which makes those formalisms readily available, and does not require understanding of their symbolic systems or operations as a precondition of their application) as a way of enhancing the breadth and quality of integrative studies: especially of those that involve complexity.
A Theory of Interdisciplinary Studies
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2001) Wentworth, Jay; Sebberson, David
"Interdisciplinarity is necessitated by complexity, specifically by the structure and behavior of complex systems. The nature of complex systems provides a rationale for interdisciplinary study. An examination of complex systems yields new insights into the practice of interdisciplinary study and confirms widely accepted principles for the conduct of interdisciplinary inquiry. Complex systems also unify the apparently divergent approaches to the interdisciplinary study of the humanities and sciences. Most importantly, the distinguishing but elusive characteristic of interdisciplinary studies—synthesis or integration—is at last explained in terms of the unique self-organizing pattern of a complex system."
Access to Interdisciplinary Information: Setting the Problem
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1989) Bailis, Stanley; Gottlieb, Stephen; Klein, Julie Thompson
Identifying and locating interdisciplinary literature, and ideas and information that reside in different disciplines, poses problems for researchers and students. Using electronic means of access, such as online indexes and abstracts and online library catalogs, has provided more flexibility and reduced the amount of time needed for the search process. But scholars continue to question the completeness of the resources for their interdisciplinary work. In part, the problems are due to structures of disciplinary literature and the various forms of access that support current academic and scholarly publications. Scholars can overcome some of the problems with flexible research approaches congruent with the available tools. More importantly, perhaps, groups of interdisciplinary researchers could initiate the development of a taxonomy and language specific to interdisciplinary study and teaching.
Administering Interdisciplinary and Innovative Programs: Lessons from the Rise and Fall of Arizona International College
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2006) Navakas, Francine; Fiscella, Joan
After/words: Rhetorics, Narrativity, and Complicit German Christians
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2000)
Against and For Holism: A Review and Rejoinder to D.C. Phillips
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1984-85) Miller, Raymond C.
AIS Officers and Board Members, 2014
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2014) Association for Interdisciplinary Studies
An Argument for the Study of Play
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1988) Bailis, Stanley; Klein, Julie Thompson; Miller, Raymond
This paper examines the potential for interdisciplinary solutions to problems resulting from a traditional view of the "diffusion of innovations," which has been one of the more popular topics of social science research during the past twenty years. The concept of "re-invention" advanced by diffusion theorists is discussed and compared to the concept of "play" advanced by social anthropologists. The paper shows how an anthropological notion of play might be used to refine and extend diffusion theory.
An Exploration of the Interdisciplinary Character of Women's Studies
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1996) Bailis, Stanley; Newell, William H.
This article uses the AIS "Guide to Interdisciplinary Syllabus Preparation" to explore the claim that women's studies programs and courses are interdisciplinary. Grace presents a historical overview of the development of women's studies as an academic interdisciplinary venue and then analyzes women's studies courses from U.S. colleges and universities, using exemplary syllabi published in the National Women's Studies Association 1991 Report to the Profession. The analysis concludes that women's studies programs are characterized by seven types of courses, many of which are distinctly not interdisciplinary even though they claim to be.
An Interdisciplinary Approach to Web Design
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2004) Navakas, Francine; Fiscella, Joan
The theory of interdisciplinary studies can be understood to apply to the creation, not just the study, of a complex system; in this case, to the creation of a Web site. We examine the aspects of a Web site that make it complex, and the disciplines used in its creation. After interpreting the steps in Web site design as steps in the interdisciplinary process, we critique specific Web sites and show how they could be improved through a more fully interdisciplinary Web design process. We conclude with recommendations for making more interdisciplinary both the education of Web designers and their organization into Web design teams.
An Interdisciplinary Model to Implement General Education
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1990) Doty, William G.; Klein, Julie Thompson
An International Learning Community: Cultural Studies and Study Abroad in an Integrated Studies Program
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2005) Navakas, Francine; Fiscella, Joan
This paper describes the inclusion of a cultural studies/language component and a study abroad experience into the University of North Dakota's successful and long-established Integrated Studies Program. These international study opportunities join a curriculum which fully integrates courses in science, humanities, social science and communications.
An Introductory Comment: Integration, Cultural and Academic
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1987) Klein, Julie Thompson; Bailis, Stanley; Miller, Raymond C.
Another Approach to Interdisciplinary Studies
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2001) Wentworth, Jay; Sebberson, David
"Newell’s “A Theory of Interdisciplinary Studies” is criticized for its undefined and inadequate borrowing of the term nonlinear from chaos theory and the repeated use of this term as a deus ex machina to explain emergent or self-organizing behavior. His theory is unable to model complex behavior or to distinguish, as he wants to do, his definition of complexity from the complexity generated by chaos theory or neo-evolutionary biology. His theory does not clearly distinguish systems and processes that produce phenomena and the system and process that produces knowledge of phenomena. His theory, it is argued, paints an unrealistic picture of what the interdisciplinary scholar does. An approach to interdisciplinarity that contrasts with Newell’s is then put forward. The incremental nature of scholarly work combined with the system and process of knowledge production is shown to be analogous to the process of iteration through nonlinear equations of chaos theory and fractal mathematics. Interdisciplinary scholarship is viewed as similar to discipline scholarship, but too often, interdisciplinary scholarship does not become part of an iterative, ongoing system and process."
Apollo Meets Dionysius: Interdisciplinarity in Long-Standing Interdisciplinary Programs
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2003) Schindler, Roslyn Abt; Stuart Henry
At the invitation of the AIS Board of Directors, representatives of several long-standing interdisciplinary programs gathered on October 9, 2003, to participate in back-to-back panel discussions at the 25th AIS conference. Following months of email exchanges prior to the conference, the panel moved quickly into an exploration of the common issues faced by such programs. Many, the panel discovered, can be examined fruitfully by extending Nietzsche’s distinction between the Apollonian and Dionysian, applied by him to tragedy, to an overview of experimental, interdisciplinary programs. In the panel discussion, it became apparent that this distinction could serve as a useful metaphorical lens through which to view many of the tensions that shaped the structures and practices of the programs represented. Since those structures and practices, in turn, influenced how faculty members and students each came to understand the interdisciplinary approach to education common to these programs, the panelists came to appreciate that the insights gained from viewing interdisciplinary education as an outcome of Apollonian-Dionysian tension are of more than passing or parochial interest.
Applying More Integrative Potentials for IDS Program Planning and Development
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 2001) Wentworth, Jay; Sebberson, David
"The continuing development and success of IDS (Interdisciplinary Studies) programs in higher education depend on the quality of processes associated with their planning, implementation, and review. Underlying and often taken-for-granted assumptions influencing IDSplanning processes are important to uncover and critically examine in dialogues involving IDS and institutional stakeholders. Potential integrating approaches and methods for IDS planning initiatives are explored, based on the author’s background in the applied social sciences and the fields of management and organization studies. These integrative potentials from the fields of strategic management and organizational development/change should empower more stakeholder voices and create alternative forms of dialogical inquiry to fit particular institutional cultures. Challenges remain for faculty and administrators in recognizing these integrative approaches and having facilitative resources to increase their potential for success."
Arguing for the Rainforest: High-Tech Topoi and the Value(s) of a Database
(Association for Interdisciplinary Studies, 1992) Bailis, Stanley; Gottlieb, Stephen; Klein, Julie Thompson; Fiscella, Joan
When the World Bank created its Environment Department, no institutional mechanism existed to create, collect, or disseminate environmental information that had accumulated in the Bank. Considering the ethical and political dimensions of environmental information, designers of an environmental database began to conceive it as a source for arguments rather than as a storehouse of data. Conceived in terms of argument, the database was developed in light of rhetorical principles that recognized that "factual" and "objective" knowledge shifts radically in destabilized contexts and is inseparable from values and beliefs.

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