Emerging water research issues and the need for cross disciplinarity Eiman Karar University of Pretoria 22nd March 2012
The Water Challenges •
Increased seasonal and inter-seasonal variability
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Decreasing per-capita availability in space and time
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Degrading water quality
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Demand and supply/Increasing competition Urban versus agriculture The rural poor access Upstream versus downstream National versus transboundary Environmental requirements
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Compliance and enforcement
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Governance and stakeholder participation
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Gender mainstreaming
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Sustainable Management
Social equity: redress and allocation reform
Water management
Economic efficiency: optimum social and economic benefits
Environmental sustainability: protection vs development
Research impact - Knowledge generation (develop, acquire)
Generation
New knowledge Repackaged knowledge Transfer
Sharing
Capacity building
Dissemination
- Knowledge sharing - Knowledge dissemination - Capacity building - Knowledge transfer - The knowledge base (bench marking) - Impact
Water knowledge The Universe is a coherent whole made up of different layers of realities. Individual realities are not a mirror of the real world. Knowing and understanding; As human beings we reached a point where we know a lot but understand little. Understanding separates the subject from the object.
The mere formulation of a problem is far more often essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires creative imagination and marks real advances in science.
No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. Albert Einstein, (1879 - 1955) UP working across disciplines
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Working across disciplines
Monodisciplinarity
multidisciplinarity
interdisciplinarity
transdisciplinarity
Nissani, 1995. Fruit Bowl Analogy UP working across disciplines
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Definitions Monodisciplinarity: Disciplinarity is mono-discipline by nature where specialisation is acquired and research is conducted using one discipline. Multidisciplinarity; is studying a research topic using more than one discipline at one and the same time by different people whose aim is to piece together their individual contributions towards solving a research question. (Max-Neef, 2005) Interdisciplinarity is a process of answering a question, solving a problem or addressing a topic that is too complex or broad to be dealt with adequately by a single discipline, hence it involves bringing together in a single mind, research endeavours. (Klein, 2004) Transdisciplinarity is across disciplines, between the disciplines and beyond and outside the disciplines (McGregor, 2004) its goal is understanding the world with all its complexity. Joint problem solving is one of its aims. It requires researchers to approach their inquiry in a ‘trans’-’sitory’ fashion (Burnett, 2003). UP working across disciplines
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Cross discipline research requires •
communication skills •
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Openness •
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each discipline has its own language and vocabulary. It is crucial that there be an appropriation, accommodation and integration of the different language to communicate
What it entails is being open to new ideas and acknowledge the limitations of our individual discipline.
Commitment and courage to
enhance the monodisciplinary
understanding to wider explanations whereby something novel and relevant will emerge that could not have been fostered in a disciplinary context.
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Quality criteria •
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A standard that can be used to measure quality is needed.
Educational fit •
If academic institutions want their graduates to be innovative problem solvers, they must ensure that the theoretical benefits of a transdisciplinary approach to the curriculum are in harmony with their institutional mission goals.
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Needs in water research • •
• • •
Transdisciplinarity in problem formulation Better communication between different disciplines by standardising and agreeing on shared terminologies. Universities to institutionally allow and incentivise transdisciplinary research. Enhance opportunities and dialogues between disciplines. Greater participation from the humanities.
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Water Research needs • • • • • • • • • •
Understanding the culture of water and its traditional leverage. Understanding the social tradeoffs in water. Understanding the political economy of water. Understanding the regional water dimensions in the future tradeoffs in water. Understanding the role of women in water education, water economy, water policy, etc. Understanding water in political science. Water measurable indicators. Forecasting futures and futures backcasting backcasting.. The constitutional and legal provisions to the right to water. Water custodianship and sustainability compliance.
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Thank you
International Conference on Fresh Water Governance for Sustainable Development 5th to 7th November 2012 : Champagne Sports Resort, Drakensberg, South Africa
http://www.wrc.org.za/freshwater
www.wrc.org.za File name
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