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| Titel |
How to integrate social sciences in hydrological research? |
| VerfasserIn |
Roman Seidl, Roland Barthel |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2016
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
en
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 18 (2016) |
| Datensatznummer |
250131687
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2016-12120.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| The integration of interdisciplinary scientific and societal knowledge plays an increasing role
in environmental science. Many scholars have long advocated for a joint effort of scientists
from different disciplines (interdisciplinarity) to address the problems of the growing
pressure on environmental and human systems (Nature, 2015). Such a need was also
recognised for the hydrological sciences (HS) e.g. most recently by Vogel et al.
(2015). Vibrant new approaches such as “Panta Rhei” (Montanari et al., 2013) and
“Socio-Hydrology” (Sivapalan et al., 2012) discuss and propose options for the deeper
involvement of hydrologists in socio-economic questions. While there is widespread
consensus that coping with the challenges of global change in water resources requires more
consideration of human activity, it still remains unclear which roles the social sciences and
the humanities (SSH) should assume in this context. Despite the frequent usage of the term
“interdisciplinarity” in related discussions, there seems to be a tendency towards
assimilation of socio-economic aspects into hydrological research rather than an
opening up for interdisciplinary collaboration with social scientists at eye level. The
literature, however, remains vague with respect to the concepts of integration and
does not allow confirming this assumed tendency. Moreover, the discourse within
the hydrological research community on increasing the consideration of societal
aspects in hydrological modelling and research is still led by a comparatively small
group.
In this contribution we highlight the most interesting results of a survey among
hydrologists (with 184 respondents). The survey participants do not think that SSH is
presently well integrated into hydrological research. They recognize the need for better
cooperation between the two disciplines. When asked about ways to improve the status of
cooperation, a higher status and acknowledgment of interdisciplinary research by colleagues
do not seem to be major incentives for integrative work. The statement “Hydrologists
themselves should consider and integrate socioeconomic aspects in their own work” was
rated most often as the most preferable option. Our sample seems to be relatively biased
toward those individuals who already have an interest or considerable experience in
cooperating with researchers from the social sciences or the humanities. Such a bias
might indicate that the general interest among hydrology academics in including
socio-economic aspects in their research is not as high and widespread as it could and should
be.
References:
Montanari, A. et al., 2013. "Panta Rhei-Everything Flows": Change in hydrology and
society-The IAHS Scientific Decade 2013-2022. Hydrolog Sci J, 58(6): 1256-1275.
Nature, 2015. Why interdisciplinary research matters. Nature, 525(7569): 305.
Sivapalan, M., Savenije, H.H.G., Bloschl, G., 2012. Socio-hydrology: A new science of
people and water. Hydrol Process, 26(8): 1270-1276.
Vogel, R.M. et al., 2015. Hydrology: The interdisciplinary science of water. Water Resour
Res, 51(6): 4409-4430. |
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