1st Global Conference

Friday 14th May - Saturday 15th May 2004
Budapest, Hungary

Call for Papers

Marking the launch of a new inter- and multi-disciplinary research project, this conference aims to examine, explore and promote innovative and inter-disciplinary research methods. Many research methodologies exist across the disciplines but it is sadly true that the amount of transference between disciplines is rare and inter-disciplinary approaches all too few.

Since the inception of Inter-Disciplinary.Net we have been forcibly struck by how many are dealing with this issue at the micro-level in that they are experimenting with research methods that whilst well-established, are novel to their chosen discipline. Philosophical techniques have been used in management, transdisciplinary approaches have been used in biomedicine, and multi-disciplinary approaches are being used in IT, computing and multimedia. The conference attempts to tackle this issue head on and look for innovation in the way research is conducted, both in terms of re-use of existing approaches and/or new methods that are beginning to emerge.

Papers, presentations, workshops and reports are invited on any of the following themes;

• New methods that focus on inter-disciplinary work; understanding inter-disciplinary concepts; inter-disciplinarity, multi-disciplinarity, transdisciplinarity; interlinking research methodologies; the desirability of inter-disciplinary research
• Research methods and design; experimental models; the possibilities for inter-disciplinary collaboration and teamwork at national, international and global levels
• Methods which bridge academic research with business, professional and vocational research; understanding disciplines and how they evolve, institutions and how they are organised and methods of processing and transmitting research
• Quantitative and qualitative research methods (a comparison and/or case studies and/or pros and cons
• Case studies of re-use of existing methods in new domains; the significance of case study reporting
• Evaluations and assessments of such methods
• IT-"compatible" research methods (data processing methodologies; processing of field work data; of interviews, ecc.)
• Acceptability to the political, economic and social worlds (e.g. funding)
• (Politically determined) power imbalances ("mainstream" methodologies vs. minority/ Indigenous/feminist/ethnic methodologies
• Cultural differences in research methods
• Interculturally appropriate interview "techniques" and/or methods; cultural differences in such methods
• Postcolonial methodologies (interculturally adequate methods) - current critique of ("mainstream") postcolonial methodologies

This is purely an indicative list - papers are welcome on any related theme. There will also be an opportunity for a ‘problem-solving’ consultative exercise whereby projects in development from any context can be presented to the delegates for feedback and responses.

Papers will be considered on any related theme. 300 word abstracts should be submitted by Friday 27th February 2004. If your paper is accepted for presentation at the conference, an 8 page draft paper should be submitted by Friday 16th April 2004.

All papers accepted for and presented at the conference will be published as an ISBN eBook. Selected papers accepted for and presented at this conference will be published in a hard copy themed volume.