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Interdisciplinarity in Social Sciences: Does It Provide Answers to Current Challenges in Higher Education and Research?

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Interdisciplinarity in Social Sciences: Does It Provide Answers to Current Challenges in Higher Education and Research? Interdisciplinarity in Social Sciences: Does It Provide Answers to Current Challenges in Higher Education and Research? Edited by Tatjana Muravska, Žaneta Ozoliņa Contributing authors: Alexandre Berlin, Zane Cunska, Manfred J. Holler, Guna Japiņa, Sylvain Jouhette, Roswitha M. King, Juris Krūmiņš, Ilona Kunda, Iasonas Lamprianou, Kristīne Medne, Indriķis Muižnieks, Nils Muižnieks, Tatjana Muravska, Žaneta Ozoliņa, Romāns Putāns, Fernando Reis, Inna Šteinbuka, Anete Vītola, Zane Zeibote University of Latvia Press UDK 378.4 In 720 Contributing authors: Alexandre Berlin, Zane Cunska, Manfred J. Holler, Guna Japiņa, Sylvain Jouhette, Roswitha M. King, Juris Krūmiņš, Ilona Kunda, Iasonas Lamprianou, Kristīne Medne, Indriķis Muižnieks, Nils Muižnieks, Tatjana Muravska, Žaneta Ozoliņa, Romāns Putāns, Fernando Reis, Inna Šteinbuka, Anete Vītola, Zane Zeibote. Interdisciplinarity in Social Sciences: Does it Provide Answers to Current Challenges in Higher Education and Research? Riga, University of Latvia Press, 2011, p. 232, il. Editors Tatjana Muravska, Žaneta Ozoliņa Reviewers Professor Dr. habil. Rainer Arnold, Chair of Public and Comparative Law, Jean Monnet Chair ad Personam, University of Regensburg, Germany Professor Dr. habil. Kęstutis Kriščiūnas, Jean Monnet Professor, Director, Institute of Europe, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania Professor Dr. Tiiu Paas, Chair of Economic Modeling, Faculty of Economics and Management, Tartu University, Estonia Professor Dr. habil. Baiba Rivža, Full Member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Latvia The publication of this book was supported by: EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATION IN LATVIA Layout Andra Liepiņa Cover design Agris Dzilna Proof reader Denīze Ponomarjova © European Commission Representation in Latvia, 2011 © University of Latvia, 2011 ISBN 978-9984-45-433-7 Contents Acknowledgement .................................................................................................... 5 Preface ......................................................................................................................... 6 Pierre Mairesse Director, European Commission, General Directorate Education and Culture Foreword ..................................................................................................................... 9 1. Educational and Demographic Trends ............................................................ 11 Sylvain Jouhette, Fernando Reis, Inna Šteinbuka Eurostat, European Commission Education and its Role in the EU 2020 Strategy: Statistical Aspect ............. 12 Zane Cunska, Juris Krūmiņš Diverse Educational and Professional Paths of Tertiary Graduates in Latvia .............................................................................................. 35 Ilona Kunda, Nils Muižnieks Resource Base for the Social Sciences and Humanities in Latvia: Sufficient for Expecting Rapid Development of the Field? ........................... 53 2. Monodisciplinarity vs Interdisciplinarity: Conflicts, Dilemmas and Potentials ................................................................. 65 Kristīne Medne, Tatjana Muravska Interdisciplinarity: Dilemmas within the Theory, Methodology and Practise ............................................................................................................ 66 Žaneta Ozoliņa, Anete Vītola Interdisciplinary Research Today – its Preconditions and Opportunities for Facilitation ............................................................................. 87 Roswitha M. King Perspectives on Interdisciplinarity in Academia ............................................. 102 Indriķis Muižnieks, Romāns Putāns Scientific Research Today – Challenges and Solutions for Latvia ................ 112 3. Interdisciplinarity in Academic and Non-academic Settings: Methods and Models .......................................................................................... 131 Alexandre Berlin Interdisciplinarity as an Increasingly Implied and Applied Concept ......... 132 Iasonas Lamprianou Interdisciplinary Research Methods in Social Sciences: Advances and Applications ................................................................................. 152 Tatjana Muravska Interdependence of Studies: European Studies as an Example of an Interdisciplinary Educational Programme .................................................. 165 Guna Japiņa Interdisciplinary Approach in the EU Policy Making Processes: in Preparation of Latvia’s Presidency of the EU Council .............................. 175 Manfred J. Holler The Two-dimensional Model of Jury Decision Making ................................. 193 Zane Zeibote Interdisciplinary Aspects of Researching Competitiveness of Business Clusters .............................................................................................. 205 Final Remarks ............................................................................................................ 224 About the Authors .................................................................................................... 226 Interdisciplinarity in Social Sciences 5 Acknowledgement The study of interdisciplinarity “manifestations“ in education and science could not occur without support from different disciplines and experts from a diversity of scientific fields. The publication of this book is the appropriate tribute to thank the supporters of this project. First of all, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the leadership of the University of Latvia. They counted on the potential of this study to provide a shared basis to understand the new trends in EU higher education and research and to respond to the demands of a modern knowledge-based economy. Both the Vice-rector for Research Indriķis Muižnieks, and the former Vice-rector for Academic Studies Juris Krūmiņš, contributed their ideas, critique and articles and also supported formally this publication. Professors and researchers from different faculties within the University of Latvia, experts from the European Commission, including Eurostat, and from partner universities in the EU as well as young researchers have been engaged in the preparation of the publication. This publication would not have been possible without support from the European Commission Representation in Latvia; we would like furthermore to express our gratitude for offering invaluable intellectual advise to explore the interdisciplinary diversity in Latvia and European Union. The publication of this book in Latvian and English enables the promotion and popularization of this subject in Latvia and beyond. Finally, we would like to express our special gratitude to all of the contributing authors who have enriched the debate on the role of interdisciplinarity in education and science, allowing to explore the potential complications that inevitably arise when expanding the borders of ones owns’ discipline. Our special thanks are due to Kristīne Medne for her relentless enthusiasm and intellectual contributions to this project and the resulting publication. Interdisciplinarity in Social Sciences 7 Preface The very nature of interdisciplinarity, as we understand it, requires that those who engage in it will always be working beyond the edges of what they know how to do well; in conception and methodology, such work cannot become conventional.”1 Interdisciplinarity has become a very commonly heard buzz-word in the field of social studies and research. This phenomenon gives raise to a vast spectrum of attitudes, which vary from glorification to scepticism and negation. The many different and often contradictory views on interdisciplinary education and research are the evidence that current approaches to global challenges cannot occur in the framework of one scientific discipline; scholars have to make very complicated choices. The desire to ensure one’s methodological purity and safeguarding against the possible impact of methodologies from other disciplines, can ultimately lead to isolation from outside knowledge and cooperation, and thus inhibit the promotion of one’s own ideas. At the same time, if interdisciplinarity is not critical and is based on the commonly followed methodological model, rather than critical analysis, this could result in the dissolution of the one’s own discipline and the ability of gaining knowledge objectively, thus loosing credibility. Independently of the positions taken by various representatives of the academic community, it is essential to discuss the role of interdisciplinarity in education and scientific research. In order to respond to the demands of a modern knowledge-based economy, Europe needs more highly skilled graduates. These individuals must be equipped not only with specific subject knowledge and competencies, but also with a number of generic competencies and crosscutting skills, such as 1 Dalke, A., Grobstein, P., McCormack, E. (2004), Theorizing Interdisciplinarity: The Evolution of New Academic and Intellectual Communities. Available at: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/local/ scisoc/theorizing.html 8 Preface communication, flexibility and an entrepreneurial spirit. These skills and competencies will allow graduates to succeed in today’s labour market. Education and training in our societies have the paradoxical aim of preparing students to perform very specific and complex tasks while at the same time thinking critically, participating in discussions, and working with multiple sources and great amount of different information. Today’s employers in the
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