Aktivitäten und Veranstaltungen

The Power of the Margins: Construction and Transformation of Disciplinary Identities in Historical Perspective

Organized by:
Christine Nawa, Universität Regensburg
Carsten Reinhardt, Universität Bielefeld
Thomas Steinhauser, Fritz-Haber-Institut der MPG, Berlin

Since the 1980s historical research on the constitution of independent academic disciplines has sparked off many fruitful debates in history of science and has led to fascinating new insights into the processes of discipline building. As a result, sociological research has thrown into doubt the stability and actual relevance of scientific disciplines. Instead, notions have been put forward such as the triple helix of science, industry, and the state; a novel, trans-disciplinary "mode 2" is thought to replace the traditional, disciplinary "mode 1" of scientific research; or a new technoscientific style of knowledge production should dominate recent scientific efforts.

A distinct portrait of the sciences has been drawn and voices are getting louder, stating that rationalising the concept of disciplines goes along with the dissolving of subject-related identities and strategic knowledge of orientation. No doubt, there are many hunters. But is the scientific discipline as dead as the dodo, having gone extinct like this bird species not being capable of flight? Answering this question will be relevant for evaluating the future of our education and innovation systems, as both still continue to draw heavily on the concept of the discipline.

Historians of science have explored new approaches to scientific change through trans-disciplinarity, trans-nationality, and globalization. Currently, the interest shifts to processes of internal differentiation within the allegedly well-established field of the physical sciences. A conference held in Leuven in 2007 clearly showed the relevance of this topic and opened up a wide array of stimulating new issues for research. Nevertheless, crucial questions have been largely ignored so far: What has been given up to create a discipline as such – and what will be abandoned by bidding farewell to the accepted concept of disciplines? But also: What will be gained? How do disciplinarily marginal approaches emerge and become centre-stage for innovation, education, and growth?