University Experiments in Interdisciplinarity – Obstacles and Opportunities

Interdisciplinarity is an inflationary concept in the discourses of higher education and science policy. Yet, some recent structural reforms in European and US universities reflect fundamental changes in the organization of knowledge production and teaching. This publication takes a fresh look at the meaning given to the concept of interdisciplinarity with these reforms. It presents examples of different forms of interdisciplinary research and teaching. These case studies are put in the broader context of reflections on developments in the organization of universities and their implications for knowledge production.