Do We Need Development Sociology or Is a New Framework for Knowldege Production Needed? Some Reflections on Transdisciplinary Research

Being a development sociologist the aim of the presentation is not specifically on sociological thinking and knowledge production but I will argue in this presentation that a ‘new’ framework of organizing knowledge and modes of thinking is needed in face of the global ‘development’ challenges and issues. Starting from the assumption that science and knowledge is inherently social and thus cultural and contextual the question raised and discussed in this paper is whether transdisciplinary research defined as collaborative spaces between science and civil actors in order to integrate different values, perspectives, and experiences can lead to knowledge production on issues which cannot longer be analyzed from one disciplinary perspective only. Thus the aim of this presentation is not to present new work or advancements in sociological thinking and knowledge but rather to discuss what the role of development sociologists can be in such a ‘new’ knowledge framework giving their long lasting experiences with different theories, methodologies, reflexivity as well as the awareness that power und power-relations on different levels influence and structure knowledge, research and the development of theories.

Based on experiences in and with a transdisciplinary research and teaching project between different academic as well as non-academic actors from Europe and Asia this presentation will be more a reflection about knowledge production in such a setting, the role development sociologists can play and what such a new framework of knowledge production means for theorizing development. Most importantly the question will be raised whether such an approach is able to put scientific knowledge back into „culture“ and not treating it as a „separated“ entity detached from social or to put it differently whether the role of knowledge production in such a framework can lead to a mutual learning process instead of ‘just’ informing the public.