Guest Editors:
Frédéric Darbellay, University of Geneva, Switzerland—frederic.darbellay@unige.ch
and Rick Szostak, University of Alberta, Canada—rszostak@ualberta.ca
Interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity (ITD) have become key approaches to contemporary knowledge production and higher education. They are studied and advocated by a diverse international scholarly community, encompassing different but complementary traditions that share common values: crossing disciplinary and institutional boundaries, fostering new forms of collaboration, and contributing to addressing complex societal challenges.
At the same time, ITD is deeply embedded in institutional structures and academic policies, shaped by the organization of disciplines, the formation and evolution of scientific communities, and processes of academic socialization. Universities and research organizations play a crucial role in the institutionalization and administration of ITD, through mechanisms of funding, evaluation, recognition, and support for researchers, faculty, and students who engage in these approaches. Understanding the current conditions and possible futures of ITD therefore requires critical reflection on the policies, institutional cultures, and administrative systems that influence how ITD is recognized, integrated, and valued—while also considering the barriers that may hinder its development.
This special issue seeks to explore the politics of inter- and transdisciplinarity, with particular attention to current challenges and future prospects in universities and research systems worldwide. Contributions may include historical perspectives when they provide insights for understanding current issues and informing visions for the future, but the main emphasis is on analyzing present dynamics and imagining possible futures for ITD research, teaching, and academic careers.
We welcome contributions from a variety of disciplinary, geographical, and institutional contexts. Submissions may address theoretical, empirical, or practical issues related to academic governance, institutionalization processes, administrative structures, and the development and support of ITD communities and practices.
Possible topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Current Challenges and Practices
– Institutional policies, governance models, and funding, evaluation, and administrative structures that support or constrain ITD.
– Processes of institutionalization of ITD: support mechanisms, academic recognition, and integration within university structures.
– The formation of scientific communities and epistemic cultures around inter- and transdisciplinary research.
– Academic careers and training for researchers, faculty, and students engaged in ITD: obstacles, incentives, and recognition.
– Case studies and critical analyses of universities, research centers, or networks implementing ITD practices.
– Strategies and collective actions the ITD community can take to enhance the visibility, recognition, understanding and societal relevance of inter- and transdisciplinary research.
Future Visions and Prospects
– Imagining the university of the future: new models of knowledge organization, governance, and academic administration.
– The role of ITD in addressing complex societal and global challenges.
– Reforming funding and evaluation systems: developing mechanisms suited to the complexity, duration, and collaborative nature of inter- and transdisciplinary work.
– Institutional reforms and strategies to create supportive environments for ITD careers.
– Futures studies approaches to the development of inter- and transdisciplinary higher education and research.
Submission Guidelines and Review Process
Prospective authors are invited to submit a 200-word abstract describing their proposed paper and its relevance to the special issue by October 31, 2025 to the guest editors (frederic.darbellay@unige.ch and rszostak@ualberta.ca).
After an initial review of abstracts, selected authors will be invited to submit a full paper. Only invited manuscripts will undergo the peer-review process.
– Abstract: 200 words
– Full paper: 5,000-6,000 words (including references)
– Style:– APA format
– Abstract deadline: October 31, 2025
– Notification to authors: November 28, 2025
– Full paper deadline: March 31, 2026
About Issues in Interdisciplinary Studies
Founded in 1982, Issues in Interdisciplinary Studies is a peer‑reviewed journal published by the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies and Texas Tech University Press. It is dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of all forms of interdisciplinarity.
See: https://interdisciplinarystudies.org/issues/
