Peter Weingart Livres

Academic disciplines provide a framework for the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next. Not only do they shape our education and understanding, they structure our professional lives. Interdisciplinarity, the reconfiguration of academic disciplines and the boundaries between them, has lately become a field of major interest to scholars and policy makers. This collection brings together the latest research and analysis from this emerging field. The editors take as their central thesis the idea that the existing matrix of disciplines is dissolving, leading to fundamental changes in the traditional order of knowledge. Contributors to the volume include specialists from Canada, Australia, Europe, and the United States who focus on the actual practice of interdisciplinarity: the ways in which it is researched, organized, and taught in institutes and universities around the world. The role of funding bodies is also considered, revealing the relationship and the delineation of disciplines and their resource bases. Together, the essays offer first-hand insights into the operations and successes of some of the world's foremost interdisciplinary research centres. In acquainting us with the current state of interdisciplinary research the volume also considers the social and economic contexts that make such research possible.

Metaphors are explored as crucial catalysts in the construction of knowledge theories, offering a fresh perspective on knowledge dynamics and the sociology of knowledge. This book delves into how metaphors influence understanding and theory formation, making it essential reading for both social and cognitive scientists.

The book explores the necessity of effective science communication, addressing concerns about the accessibility of scientific language and methods to the public. It examines the potential for citizen participation in scientific research and debates, advocating for a stronger relationship between science and society. The text raises critical questions about the responsibilities of scientists in engaging with the public and seeks to identify strategies for making complex scientific knowledge more intelligible and relatable.

This collection of essays examines the evolving relationship between scientific expertise and political decision-making, emphasizing the need for democratization, participation, and accountability. It addresses challenges in ensuring reliable knowledge while maintaining public trust and democratic legitimacy in governance.

The formal scientific communication system is currently undergoing significant change. This is due to four developments: the digitisation of formal science communication; the economisation of academic publishing as profit drives many academic publishers and other providers of information; an increase in the self-observation of science by means of publication, citation and utility-based indicators; and the medialisation of science as its observation by the mass media intensifies. Previously, these developments have only been dealt with individually in the literature and by science-policy actors. The Future of Scholarly Publishing documents the materials and results of an interdisciplinary working group commissioned by the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) to analyse the future of scholarly publishing and to make recommendations on how to respond to the challenges posed by these developments. As per the working group’s intention, the focus was mainly on the sciences and humanities in Germany. However, in the course of the work it became clear that the issues discussed by the group are equally relevant for academic publishing in other countries. As such, this book will contribute to the transfer of ideas and perspectives, and allow for mutual learning about the current and future state of scientific publishing in different settings.

Die wissenschaftliche Politikberatung ist ein aktuelles Thema, das viele Fragen aufwirft: Welche Rolle spielt sie, wer ist am kompetentesten – Universitätsprofessoren, Think Tanks oder Akademien? Sollte die Beratung sich nur auf die Politik konzentrieren oder auch die Gesellschaft einbeziehen? Ein zentraler Diskussionspunkt ist, wie die Beratung erfolgen sollte – ob direktiv empfehlend oder als Präsentation von Optionen, die aus wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen abgeleitet sind und nicht eindeutig sein können. Die unterschiedlichen Vorstellungen über den Nutzen und die Ausgestaltung der wissenschaftlichen Politikberatung reflektieren sowohl die langjährige akademische Diskussion als auch die praktischen Erfahrungen von Wissenschaftlern in diesem Bereich. Die Schnittstelle zwischen Politik und Wissenschaft bringt das Problem der Legitimation mit sich: Wissenschaftler sind nur durch ihr Wissen legitimiert, sollten jedoch politische Entscheidungen nicht durch ihre Expertise beeinflussen oder usurpieren, da ihnen die demokratische Legitimation fehlt. Zudem sind viele Fragen so komplex, dass es oft keine klaren Antworten gibt, und Werturteile, die politischen Zielen zugrunde liegen, sind unvermeidbar. Der Sammelband bietet einen Überblick über verschiedene Funktionen und Organisationsformen der Politikberatung und enthält sowohl akademische Positionen als auch Erfahrungen von Beratern und Empfängern der Beratung.

Interdisciplinarity is an inflationary concept in the discourses of higher education and science policy. Yet, some recent structural reforms in European and US universities reflect fundamental changes in the organization of knowledge production and teaching. This publication takes a fresh look at the meaning given to the concept of interdisciplinarity with these reforms. It presents examples of different forms of interdisciplinary research and teaching. These case studies are put in the broader context of reflections on developments in the organization of universities and their implications for knowledge production.

Das Buch stellt die Ergebnisse einer Diskursanalyse zum anthropogenen Klimawandel in Deutschland dar. Im Vordergrund stehen die kommunikativen Risiken der Thematisierung ökologischer Bedrohungen für Wissenschaft, Politik und Massenmedien.