Hi Diane--
Thanks for the clarification of faux interdisciplinarity. It was a real
question on my part. I have been involved in a number of efforts to
actually create interdisciplinary departments (at Irvine in the, gulp,
'60's and an inter-discipline (Communication) here at UCSD. I have
seen a lot of the kind of faux institutional globules you talk about,
where interdisciplinary means everyone can say and write what they
want about whatever and there is no basis for criticism, comparison,
or genuine dialogue.
I think education is especially prone to this problem as an institutional
form. Actually, I have never thought of it as a discipline, but as a domain
of social interest/concern.
My own experience indicates that having a common objective with real
world consequences helps people talk across the discourses we call
disciplines. In my own department, the goal of creating an inter-discipline
is constantly eroded by a very strong tendency to do-your-own-thing-ism,
which is one brand of faux interdicsiplinarity.
I have sea breezes and am listening to the Beethoven symphonies this weekend.
And thinking about units of analysis! :-)
mike
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