Creating Inspiring Workshops and Courses in Transdisciplinarity: A Guide - Manual / Resource - Page 91
Embracing differences, tensions, and con昀氀icts
Pluralism
What are the implications of pluralism for TDR practice?
Pluralism is the philosophy and ongoing practice of explicitly
recognizing, accepting, and accommodating multiple, diverse
ways of knowing and doing. Pluralism is not about reconciling
difference into a single-consensus perspective or view; it is about
seeking a peaceful and productive co-existence of diversity. In
academic terms, “epistemological pluralism” refers to diversity in
ways of knowing, worldviews, paradigms, or belief systems; for
example, science represents one way of knowing, spirituality is
another. “Methodological pluralism” is the application of a range
of different methods within a research project.
Pluralism entails a commitment to respecting and creating
space for diverse ways of knowing, different life experience,
and different normative positions. This approach may involve
strategies to include people, communities, or organizations
that may have been excluded from conventional research or
practice (minorities, disadvantaged, affected communities, etc.).
By exploring multiple perspectives, values, experiences, and
views, teams are more likely to develop a more nuanced and
multi-dimensional understanding of a problem and its possible
solutions. Health care, for example, developed new approaches
to supporting people living with complex diseases, such as HIV/
AIDS, when government and private providers included people
living with the diseases in their policymaking, planning, and
implementation processes.
What is the conceptual relevance of pluralism to TDR?
Pluralism is a central concept in transdisciplinary research, as the
basic premise of TDR is that there is value in bringing together
diverse understandings of a complex issue, situation, or problem.
This diversity can come from different academic disciplines, but
also of course from societal knowledge and practice. Genuine
epistemological pluralism represents the sharing of power
between different actors, where no single way of knowing is
privileged over others. While it may be clear that a TDR project
demonstrates methodological pluralism by the diverse tools and
techniques used to generate data, epistemological pluralism
tends to be more implicit and more difficult to achieve. Yet
the openness of pluralist approaches to TDR practice creates
opportunities to flatten historically hierarchical power structures,
broaden understanding of the issues being investigated and
addressed, and generate new ideas and options for actions.
Practices Pluralism
Considered exploration of difference in fundamental ways of
knowing can also reduce the risk of power imbalances and
facilitate trust, learning, and emergent ideas. The acceptance
and willingness to work across different worldviews can also
help participants recognize and address sources of tension
and conflict that may otherwise remain hidden. A pluralistic
approach does not see tension or conflict as a problem to be
resolved; rather, it can be embraced as a valuable (if difficult!) cue
to share power, and allow for change and emergence. Central
to navigating tensions is developing a strong capacity to be
reflexive, to understand one’s own values and positionality, and
to be willing and able to listen to others respectfully and with
willingness to share ownership of the research processes.
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