Elsevier

Environmental Science & Policy

Volume 125, November 2021, Pages 116-125
Environmental Science & Policy

Pathways, contextual and cross-scale dynamics of science-policy-society interactions in transdisciplinary research in African cities

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.08.014Get rights and content
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open access

Highlights

  • Context-sensitivity is crucial to SPSI in Transdisciplinary research (TDR).

  • Science-policy-society interactions (SPSI) is complex in TDR projects.

  • Intensity and frequency of SPSI interaction depends on actor’s role.

  • The supra-system is important to understanding influence of external context.

  • SPSI in TDR contributes to addressing the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Abstract

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are inherently complex. This paper contributes to the literature on co-production of knowledge at the interface of science, policy, and society in integrated, transdisciplinary research (TDR) projects. By analysing five projects of the Leading Integrated Research for Agenda 2030 in Africa (LIRA) implemented in nine African cities, the paper identifies the pathways for science-policy-society interactions (SPSI) within the TDR projects, the cross-scale and contextual dynamics influencing the interactions as well as the challenges of foregrounding the interactions. We identified four SPSI pathways: i) TDR processes, ii) explicitly conceptualising and communicating research projects in relation to mandates and policies, iii) the global sustainability agenda, and iv) relationships and networks. We argued that these pathways can be construed as important windows for foregrounding SPSI in TDR projects. Cross-scale dynamics such as the spatial scale of interactions, actors’ roles, and purposes of engagement were critical determinants of the intensity and frequency of the interactions between the project actors. The analysis suggests that being context-sensitive is key to foregrounding SPSI in TDR projects. Conceptual threshold crossing, resource intensity, power differentials, discontinuity, as well as a history of academic and practice silos present formidable challenges to SPSI in TDR projects. These challenges can be addressed through the identified pathways, adequate capability development; incentivising academics and practitioners engaged in co-production of knowledge; stimulating co-production through adequate resources; building redundancies within the project teams, ideas, and processes, and paying attention to the politics of co-production of knowledge.

Keywords

Co-production of knowledge
Complexity
Sustainability
Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Triple Helix model

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