Inclusive transdisciplinarity needs you


"Accordingly, we argue that co-production that aims to overcome contemporary conditions shaped by the colonial past and persistent power inequalities requires that those involved undertake inner work toward making room for a relational stance, away from approaches incentivizing data or knowledge extraction and toward embracing onto-epistemological diversity." (Manuel-Navarrete et al. 2025, emphasis added)

https://ecologyandsociety.org/vol30/iss3/art22/


I feel deeply, and this passion propels me onward in colonial, often male-dominated systems. I want you to know I wept reading this article.


Emotion *absolutely* has a place in science. Because it is part of the human experience, and humans are doing the science within the web of life.


And maybe tears are empirical data indicating Something Important. The joy and grief spilling out your eyes like a sign post pointing to change.


Inclusive transdisciplinarity may be the answer to something you didn't know you were looking for. Power imbalance is prevalent in knowledge co-creation because cognitive dissonance is hard. Because (colonial) systems have inertia. Because Euro-western-educated folks hold to an illusion of objectivity in doing science according to the 'dominant paradigm.' Because sitting with difficult emotions and learning from them is not everyone's fluency for myriad reasons.


Look. Listen.


I've met Knowledge Holders who didn't bankrupt themselves at a university, but still know more about wildlife biology than I ever will. I've had the privilege to learn from people who were, on paper, my students. Your science is richer when it's multidisciplinary and informed by multiple ways of knowing.


We use a reference condition approach in ecological restoration that implicitly involves learning from plant communities. Ecology is all about learning from non-human beings. Put another way...


"A reflexive cycle for fostering inclusive TDR" requires five inner, iterative shifts:

1. Recognizing the value of building relationships for inclusive TDR

2. Creating internal conditions for participating in TDR learning

3. Recognizing the diversity of knowledge in interpersonal relationships

4. Strengthening the connection with all beings

5. Recognizing the cyclic nature of knowledge co-production


Let's do this.


Comments

  1. Mae21 August 2025 at 09:55

    Don't forget to credit your co-authors, people <3

    ReplyDelete

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