Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
agricultural systems, recent research suggests that transition within agriculture also
involves new organizational forms and practices. Can these new organizational forms
constitute niches in their own rights?
There is, thus, considerable challenge in attempting empirical application of the MLP.
All of the above mentioned issues pose some intriguing methodological challenges, as
various concepts have both to be elaborated and operationalized, in order to enable field
research. Nevertheless, methodological implications arise also from a series of other
contributions of the MLP, such as its critique of the dominant paradigm of knowledge
production and integration into a process of social change. This is a topic of major
importance, since the MLP draws on a multitude of scientific disciplines, trying to integrate
them in a coherent whole. The integrated production of knowledge necessitates both the
active participation of various actors along with the involvement of knowledge derived
from various scientific fields.
The aim of this chapter is to present some of the methodological challenges in the
course of studying emerging transitions as well as the responses to these challenges within
the FarmPath research project. In particular, the issue of inter- and trans-disciplinarity is
raised in the second section, followed by some challenges in the use of core concepts of the
MLP, such as the regime, the niche, the landscape and the interactions between a niche and
a regime. In the fourth section, some challenges in the selection of case study countries and
sites are explored, while the fifth section concerns the challenge of sustainability
assessment in emerging transitions. The chapter concludes with an assessment of the
challenges associated with the spatial character of an emerging transition.
What kind of research for an emerging transition?
One of the distinguishing characteristics of socio-technical transition studies in general, and
the MLP in particular is interdisciplinarity: knowledge derived from divergent scientific
fields. Recently, there has been a growing interest in integrating this diverse scientific
knowledge with the experiences of non-experts (a range of stakeholders, who are engaged
in a participatory process of social learning). Thus, transdisciplinarity occurs from the
combination of interdisciplinarity and stakeholders' engagement (Grin, 2010). This
integrated production of knowledge underpins both the definition of problems and the
analysis for promoting sustainable development (Voß
et al
., 2006). Also, Wiek
et al
. (2006)
argue that the requirements of managing transitions (such as generation, integration and
adaptation of knowledge and methods) should be fulfilled within a transdisciplinary setting
involving scientists, experts and stakeholders.
These two methodological approaches permeate broader studies of transition. In the
current study of emerging transitions, interdisciplinarity is manifest in several respects
among team members, while trandisciplinarity appears in the interaction of researchers with
a broad range of stakeholders. For both approaches, some problems have been encountered,
such as different language, jargon, and different competencies and skills. Additionally, in
the transdisciplinary approach a series of other problems have arisen concerning
participants, such as differing priorities and objectives, as well as difficulties with
recruitment, engagement and retention of interest. In any funded research process, the
obligations of the researchers to the funding body inevitably constrain the freedom with
which research objectives and activities can be co-developed with stakeholder groups.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search