2. Interdisciplinary Resources
Followingisalistof interdisciplinaryresources,specifically;it’salistof “websitesthatprovide helpful
informationconcerninginterdisciplinarity.”
Interdisciplinarity Defined
OhioUniversity,Collegeof Fine Arts,School of InterdisciplinaryArtshasa webpage entitled,
InterdisciplinarityDefined. Professorsprovide theirowndefinitionsof interdisciplinarity,andit’s
interestingandinformativetobe able toread andcompare perspectives. Dr.CharlesS.Buchanan,
Directorof InterdisciplinaryArtswrites,“A discipline isabranchof study;interdisciplinarityisthe
employmentof multiple disciplinesinthe examinationof aspecifictopic,whichinourcase lieswithin
the domainof the arts. While Iam particularlyconcernedwithhow the variousartsoperate intandem
withinacertainhistorical andcultural moment,ultimatelyIleave itupto the studentstodetermine
theirinterdisciplinaryprojects.Notwithstanding,interdisciplinarityexpandsthe boundariesof
conventional knowledgeexponentially,andthusshouldbe consideredatthe forefrontof academic
inquiry.” Dr.WilliamCondee,Professorof InterdisciplinaryArtsbeginshisowndefinitionwith,
“Interdisciplinarystudiesshouldaskcomplex orvexingquestionsthatcannotbe answeredadequately
withinthe boundariesof the givendiscipline asitisdefinedataparticularmoment.Interdisciplinary
studiesshouldencounterabeastthat,if examinedsolelywiththe toolsof the discipline,wouldleave
out majorbodyparts—partsthat are inexplicable withinthe discipline.”
Several otherprofessorshave contributedtheirdefinitions,all of whichhelptoprovide insighttothe
subject. Please visit, http://www.ohio.edu/finearts/interarts/about/interdisciplinarity.cfm#_
FAQs about Interdisciplinarity
A Universityof College Londonwebsiteposessome basicandrelevantquestionsabout
Interdisciplinarityandoffersanswersthatmayhelpprovide insightandclaritytothe subject. For
instance –
Q: What does ‘interdisciplinary’mean? A:Putsimply,interdisciplinarymeans‘combiningsubjects
togetherinnewways.'Literally, interdisciplinarymeans‘workingbetweendifferentacademic
disciplines.’

3. Q: Whyis interdisciplinarityimportant? A: Many of the world’sgreatproblemsrequire an
interdisciplinaryapproachinordertosolve them.Thisistrue of problemsinthe ‘real world’ –e.g.
problemstodowithhealth,politics,engineeringorcities – butalso importantintellectual problems –
e.g.the relationbetweenreasoningandemotion,the studyof culture andidentity,the linkbetween
musicand learning.
For more FAQsabout interdisciplinarity,pleasevisit, http://www.ucl.ac.uk/basc/faq/interdisciplinarity
Center for the Study of Interdisciplinarity
A Universityof NorthTexaswebsite–Centerfor the Study ofInterdisciplinarityofferssome good
interdisciplinaryresources,andhighlightsanew bookbyRobertFrodemanentitled, Sustainable
KnowledgeA theory of Interdisciplinarity. “What isthe future of the university?The modernuniversity
system,createdinthe late 19th centuryand developedacrossthe 20th century,wasbuiltuponthe
notionof disciplinarity.Todaythe social,epistemological,andtechnological conditionsthatsupported
the disciplinarypursuitof knowledge are comingtoanend.Knowledgeproductionhasitself become
unsustainable:we are drowninginknowledgeevenasnew PhDscannotfindwork. Sustainable
Knowledgeexploresthese questionsandoffersanew accountof what isat stake intalkabout
'interdisciplinarity'.”
For more informationonthisbookandadditional resources,please visit, http://csid.unt.edu/
How to Inspire Interdisciplinarity
The Guardian HigherEducationNetworkpostsandarticle byDr. ElizabethDzengentitled, How to Inspire
Interdisciplinarity: Lessonsfromthe CollegiateSystem. “I think,”writesDr.Dzeng,“a keyaspectto
achievinginterdisciplinarityisthroughthe designof physical andsocial spaces.Creatingspaceswhere
people continuouslycome into contactwithpeople outside theirdiscipline innatural,casual social
settingsoverandoveragain,helpsdevelopsocial networksthateventuallybecomethe source of
intellectual inspirationandcreativity.” Dzengcontinues,“Itwouldbe amazingif new developmentson
campusgroupedpeople ininnovativeways,byproblemstobe solvedorthemestoexplore,ratherthan
by discipline.ProgrammessimilartoStanford'sBiodesignInnovationProgramwouldfurtherbring
togetherresearchers,butmore importantly,social spacesshouldbe createdthatfostercollegiality,trust
and personal connections.”
For the full article,pleasevisit, http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-
network/blog/2013/mar/15/interdisciplinary-academic-universities-research

4. The Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity
An OxfordUniversityPresswebsiteprovidesinformationandoffersforsale The Oxford Handbookof
Interdisciplinarity. EditedbyRobertFrodeman,Julie ThompsonKlein,andCarl Mitcham, the webiste
overviewsays --
 The collectionisdistinguishedbyitsbreadthof issuesandcase studieswrittenbyleading
expertsfrommultiple networksandorganizations
 Editedbyrespectedinterdisciplinaryscholarsandsupportedbya prestigiousadvisoryboard,
ensuringthe highestqualityandbreadthof coverage
 Each entryauthoredby one or more interdisciplinaryexpertsdrawnprimarilyfromNorth
AmericaandEurope
For complete informationregardingthiswork,please visit,
http://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-interdisciplinarity-
9780199236916;jsessionid=F1BB947E5D52DD5C8DE1311E0D0F0905?cc=us&lang=en&#