title: Stepping stone or stumbling block? Mode 2 knowledge production in sustainability science.
abstract: The concept of Mode 2 has often been seen as especially applicable to fields addressing grand challenges, such as climate change. Being a relatively new field-interdisciplinary in its approach, and focused on addressing such issues-sustainability science would appear to be a case in point. The aim of this paper is twofold: 1) to explore the perceived relation between Mode 2 and sustainability science, and 2) to advance the discussion of Mode 2 from a philosophical perspective. To address these questions we focus on three characteristic features of Mode 2: the notion of a distinct, but evolving framework; boundary crossing; and a problem solving capacity "on the move". We report the results of a survey carried out amongst leading sustainability scientists. The survey gives insight into the scientists' perception of Mode 2, their perception of their own field of sustainability science and the relation between the two. The free text answers reveal a tension within the field of sustainability science: with developments both towards Mode 1 and Mode 2 science. We conclude that the implementation of inter- and trans-disciplinarity is challenged by institutional and conceptual factors alike.
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, Lund University, Box 192, 221 00 Lund, Sweden; LUCID, Lund University Centre of Excellence for Integration of Social and Natural Dimensions of Sustainability, Lund University, Box 170, 221 00 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: henrik.thoren@fil.lu.se.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thorén
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science, University of Gothenburg, Box 100, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Breian
mesh_terms: D057231:Climate Change; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D019359:Knowledge; D012586:Science
keywords: Interdisciplinarity; Mode 1; Mode 2; Sustainability science; Transdisciplinarity