Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies

About the Book

Completely updated to reflect advances in the literature on research, learning, and assessment, this book describes the role of both disciplines and interdisciplinarity within the academy, and how these have evolved. Authors Allen F. Repko, Rick Szostak, and Michelle Phillips Buchberger effectively show students how to think like interdisciplinarians in order to facilitate their working with topics, complex problems, or themes that span multiple disciplines.

New to the third edition are guiding questions at the start of each chapter, a discussion of the public policy issue of "basic income" as an example at the end of each chapter, application of interdisciplinary techniques in daily life, enhanced discussion of ethical decision-making, and updated examples and references throughout.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors PART I • UNDERSTANDING INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Chapter 1 • Interdisciplinary Studies in the Real World Why Interdisciplinary Studies Matters What Is Driving Interdisciplinary Studies Today? The Academic Benefits of Pursuing an Interdisciplinary Studies Degree Interdisciplinary Studies and Your Career Development A Threaded Example: Basic Income Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises Chapter 2 • The Rise of the Modern Disciplines and Interdisciplinarity Why the Past Matters The Rise of the Modern Disciplines The Rise of Interdisciplinarity Interdisciplinarity’s Criticism of the Disciplines Revisiting the Basic Income Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises Chapter 3 • Interdisciplinary Studies Defined Why Definitions Matter Defining Interdisciplinary Studies Differences Between Disciplinarity, Multidisciplinarity, Interdisciplinarity, and Transdisciplinarity Two Conceptions of Interdisciplinarity Useful Metaphors of Interdisciplinary Studies Basic Income Revisited Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises Chapter 4 • The Interdisciplinary Studies “Cognitive Toolkit” How She Did It Intellectual Capacities Values Traits Skills Ethical Analysis Ways to Apply Your Interdisciplinary “Toolkit” Basic Income Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises Chapter 5 • Academic Disciplines Disciplines and Disciplinarity Defined The Epistemic, Social, and Organizational Dimensions of Disciplines The Concept of Disciplinary Perspective The Defining Elements of a Discipline Typical Methods Disciplinary Perspective and Basic Income Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises Chapter 6 • The “DNA” of Interdisciplinary Studies Assumptions of Interdisciplinary Studies Theories Supportive of Interdisciplinary Studies Epistemology of Interdisciplinary Studies How Interdisciplinary Studies “Sees” Reflections on Basic Income Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises PART II • THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Chapter 7 • Thinking Critically About Disciplinary Perspectives What It Means to Think Critically About Disciplinary Perspectives Developing a Sophisticated Conception of Knowledge Why Interrogate Disciplinary Perspectives (or Practice Critical Pluralism) How Interdisciplinarians Interrogate Disciplinary Perspectives Basic Income Critical Thinking Scenario Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises Chapter 8 • Thinking Critically About Disciplinary Insights Critical Thinking Attitudes Categories of Statements Critically Analyzing Disciplinary Insights Critical Thinking About Basic Income Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises Chapter 9 • Thinking Critically About Integration and Its Results Approaches to Interdisciplinary Integration The Broad Model Approach to Integration Strategies for Integration The Result of Integration Reflecting on What Was Achieved Integration and Basic Income Critical Thinking Scenario Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises PART III • INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND WRITING Chapter 10 • An Interdisciplinary Research “Road Map” The Power and Usefulness of Research Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Research The Broad Model of the Interdisciplinary Research Process STEP 1: Define the Problem or State the Research Question Some Useful Group Exercises STEP 2: Justify Using an Interdisciplinary Approach Researching a Basic Income Critical Thinking Questions Applications and Exercises Chapter 11 • Identifying Relevant Disciplines and Gathering Information About the Problem STEP 3: Identify Relevant Disciplines STEP 4: Conduct a Literature Search The Broad Model Rubric Applied to STEPS 3 and 4 Investigating Basic Income Critical Thinking Questions Critical Thinking Scenario Peer Evaluation and Edit Activity Chapter 12 • Analyzing Insights and Reflecting on Process STEP 5: Critically Analyze the Disciplinary Insights Into the Problem STEP 6: Reflect on How an Interdisciplinary Approach Has Enlarged Your Understanding of the Problem Basic Income Revisited Conclusion Critical Thinking Questions Appendixes Appendix A: Intellectual Autobiography Appendix B: Student Portfolios and Blogging Appendix C: Service Learning, Internships, and Alternative Projects for Nontraditional Students Appendix D: The Broad Model Rubric: Instructor Version and Sample Student Outline Appendix E: Answer Key Glossary of Key Terms References Index

About the Author :
Allen F. Repko, PhD, is the former director of the interdisciplinary studies program in the School of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he developed and taught the program’s core curriculum for many years. The program is one of the largest in the United States. Repko has written extensively on all aspects of interdisciplinary studies, has twice served as coeditor of the interdisciplinary journal Issues in Integrative Studies, and has served on the board of the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS). Rick Szostak, PhD, is professor and chair of economics at the University of Alberta, where he has taught for 34 years. He is the author of a dozen books and 50 articles, all of an interdisciplinary nature. Several of his publications address how to do interdisciplinary research, teach interdisciplinary courses, administer interdisciplinary programs, or organize information in order to facilitate interdisciplinarity. As an associate dean, he created the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Alberta, the Science, Technology and Society program, an individualized major, and two courses about interdisciplinarity. He has twice served as coeditor of the interdisciplinary journal Issues in Integrative Studies. He was president of the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) from 2011 to 2014. He can be contacted at rszostak@ualberta.ca.     Michelle Phillips Buchberger, PhD, is an assistant professor of integrative studies at Miami University. She previously proposed, developed and chaired the B.S. Interdisciplinary Studies program at Franklin University. She currently co-chairs the Alpha Iota Sigma international honors society for interdisciplinary studies and has presented and written on topics including teaching interdisciplinary studies online, working with nontraditional students, and creative thinking in interdisciplinary studies. She teaches several courses about interdisciplinarity, including theories and methods of interdisciplinary studies and integrative studies seminars, as well as Film Studies and Liberal Studies. She has a PhD in English Literature, which she also teaches. She can be contacted at buchbem@miamioh.edu.

Review :
Written clearly and concisely, this book should be welcomed by instructors and students alike.  Filled with "real world" examples on most every page, this user-friendly book is the blueprint for understanding interdisciplinary research.  
The new edition continues to offer the most comprehensive foundation for understanding key concepts in interdisciplinary studies with both a scholarly and practical approach. Students also have opportunities to build their own ‘cognitive toolkits’ through applications and exercises. A welcome addition includes a threaded example demonstrating interdisciplinary thinking in action. 
This textbook is a great guidance tool for teaching the value of interdisciplinary scholarship and a method for the integration of disciplines, perspectives and ideas.  The text is useful for instructors and students in finding a pedagogical plan toward interdisciplinary study and research.  The third edition offers improved clarity and examples to important sections. It provides a deeper explanation of the history and ethics applied to interdisciplinary analysis.  
The third edition has clear language, well-constructed figures, and photographs. The textbook provides excellent cases, research, and examples for student learning that will garner student interest and engagement, particularly the discussion on basic income in each chapter.  The variety of application exercises and discussion prompts not only give students the opportunity to practice critical thinking, self-reflection, and improve their metacognitive skills but also allow for flexibility for the instructor. 
Repko, Szostak, and Buchberger have revised Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies in such a way that makes this text so much more meaningful and useful for the professor and the student.  The end of chapter critical thinking and application exercises were a highlight of the previous text, but the new revised edition even adds more ideas and application scenarios that are extremely thought provoking.  As one introductory interdisciplinary student exclaimed last semester, "Why isn’t all of education like this?"