Each discipline has a part to play

Differences in disciplinary theories and methods can pose challenges to interdisciplinary research. Research managers must build a strong foundation that establishes a framework for defining each discipline’s contribution. In this resource, I outline ways to do this.

Laying the groundwork

If you have been provided with a broad study theme, assemble a gender-balanced team of researchers with relevant expertise at different stages of their careers. Next, encourage all team members to contribute ideas to narrow the focus. If discussions reach a deadlock, establish an agreement that sets clear boundaries on which sub-topics will be explored.

Once your team agrees on a theme, members can identify a relevant public issue by analysing social media and news sites. There are several ways to do this, such as searching for specific keywords and checking trending topics on social media or Google Trends. Team members can also conduct more in-depth content and sentiment analysis using Python. All these methods are highly effective for initial research; not only are they free, but they also provide real-time data beyond what is available in academic articles.

For instance, a research team studying online social movements would start by conducting observations to identify sentiment. They might review posts and comments on social media and learn that, for example, ride-hailing app drivers are protesting about the low fares imposed on them by the apps through which they offer their services. These drivers might be mobilising other social media users, especially fellow drivers, to engage in “spamming” – posting negative comments about and giving the apps low ratings. In this case, the research team can use Python to scan the comments, helping to refine research questions and establish clearer objectives. 

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Defining the goals 

The goals and expected outcomes can serve as a guide in determining the contribution of each discipline within the team. Continuing with the above ride-hailing app example, the team can explore questions such as: “How can ride-hailing app drivers use ‘spamming’ to campaign and protest?” and “To what extent is this action effective in achieving the workers’ goals?” 

Next, the researchers can identify the drivers’ goals and assess the effectiveness of their actions in addressing them. In this example, researchers also need to examine the impact of the “spamming” process on the platforms affected. These observations should be linked to relevant existing research to refine the argument, clarify objectives and outline the expected impact of the study. Clearly defining these aspects as a team will lead to the next step, capacity mapping.

Mapping capacities and analysing data

At this stage, the team must map the input of each member and discipline involved. This involves highlighting each team member’s strengths, research methods, specific skills, access to research and their field’s latest theoretical and research advancements.

Continuing with the above example, the study aims to understand the “spamming” process and its impact by conducting interviews and crawling and analysing data. Research should be supported by preliminary studies and the latest social movement theories. With this in mind, the team should identify their internal resources, such as access to information, theoretical knowledge and digital skills – especially technical abilities such as coding, scraping and digital data analysis. They should also factor in each member’s access to study participants. 

Then, based on this mapping, the team can determine an effective division of labour. The conceptual framework and approach can rely on expertise from the social sciences and humanities. Coding and large-scale digital data analysis tasks can rely on computational expertise either from within the team (if available) or externally. Then, all team members can collectively discuss their findings to produce a comprehensive analysis. 

Maintaining flexibility

Conducting interdisciplinary projects fosters an open mindset toward the theories, methods and distinct perspectives that each field brings to the study. Without this recognition, one discipline may dominate, causing the research to drift from the core public issue. Additionally, other disciplines may end up serving merely as complementary additions rather than integral components of the research. Therefore, the key to successful interdisciplinary research is acknowledging the presence of other disciplines according to the needs of the public issue being addressed. 

Nevertheless, imbalances in workload distribution across disciplines are common. To address this, refer back to the research design, particularly the goals. If a team member seeks to dominate in a way that does not align with the research needs, you could develop a sub-study that accommodates their interests while still allowing them to contribute to the broader research framework. This approach is commonly applied in umbrella studies that consist of multiple sub-studies.

For example, in the ride-hailing research project, there may be a member who wants to emphasise political and policy aspects, even though the initial focus is on the worker-platform relationship. In this case, they can develop a sub-study to examine policies that influence platform actions and responses. Rather than being a hindrance, this imbalance can instead serve as an opportunity to enrich the broader study. 

By aligning these processes with a topic that engages researchers and uses their appropriate skills, research managers can empower a balanced, hierarchy-free interdisciplinary team. This ensures the focus remains on generating knowledge that contributes to a fairer society. 

Estu Putri Wilujeng is a lecturer at the University of Indonesia.

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