Strange Bedfellows

‘Interdisciplinarity’ is a bit of a buzzword in the Dutch university sector. It is also one of the most prioritized policy goals at a national and European level. Yet, ‘interdisciplinarity’ remains under-defined, and the challenges and obstacles unique to doing interdisciplinarity remain fuzzy. How, then, are we supposed to adopt an interdisciplinary approach if we don’t even know what the word means?

In this peer-reviewed edited volume of student scholarship, we delve into what it means to do interdisciplinarity in response to this challenge.

Drawing upon both the disciplinary expertises of professional researchers and educators, and the experiences and analyses of students actually enrolled in interdisciplinary programmes, this volume is unique in offering both high-level conceptual analyses of the virtues and problems inherent to interdisciplinary research, and on-the-ground case notes of what interdisciplinary teaching and research looks like in practice.

Naomi de Ruiter is assistant professor at the University of Groningen and a member of the Young Academy Groningen. With a background in developmental psychology, her research concerns process mechanisms of identity in the context of social interactions.

Ryan Wittingslow is associate professor at the University of Groningen, a senior Humboldt fellow at TU Darmstadt, and a research affiliate at the University of Sydney. Most of his research sits at the meeting ground between aesthetics, philosophy of technology, and political philosophy. He also has devastating opinions about art.

Roland Chiu is senior lecturer at the University of Groningen. With a fundamental background in molecular and cellular biology, his research interests are mainly in the multidisciplinary field of oncology. Furthermore, he is involved in projects to bring technology to innovate and improve the educational experience of his students.