THE RIDDLE OF KNOWLEDGE FORMS AND THE ‘PARADOX' OF PARTICIPATION

Alex Koutsouris (1)

1 Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development,

Nowadays, the inadequacy of linear and mechanistic thinking (positivism/reductionism) in understanding both the source and the solutions of the many unwanted and undesirable biophysical and sociocultural impacts of modern agriculture, underlying that agriculture in its present (dominantly industrial) form is not sustainable, gives rise to multiple alternative proposals. The need to solve increasingly complex problems with a view to sustainability reinforces various ‘cross-disciplinary' forms of learning and problem solving, ‘integrating' perspectives and insights; cooperation by diverse academic experts and practitioners is called for. The current paper aims at addressing the dynamics of different forms of knowledge in the construction of knowledge, especially for sustainable (rural) development. In particular, the objective is to discuss the tentative contribution of Critical Realism (CR) in the understanding of the interfaces between different forms of knowledge (and their bearers/actors) in both theoretical and practical terms. CR with its realist, differentiated and stratified ontology claims, contra positivism, that science should aim at exploring the mechanisms which contribute to the generation of what is experienced. Therefore, it allows for new insights concerning ‘cross-disciplinary' research and development intervention. Thus, the implications of CR, especially on the problem of ‘transdisciplinarity' as well as on problems pertaining ‘participatory processes', are addressed.

Mots clés: Crossdisciplinarity; Critical Realism; Lay Knowledge; Science; Participation

Domaines: Agriculture, économie et politique

Alex Koutsouris. THE RIDDLE OF KNOWLEDGE FORMS AND THE ‘PARADOX' OF PARTICIPATION. ISDA 2010, Jun 2010, Montpellier, France. 10 p. ⟨hal-00512393⟩