Commons and Borderlands: Working Papers on Interdisciplinarity, Accountibility and the Flow of Knowledge

by Marilyn Strathern

In Commons and Borderlands a leading social anthropologist examines early twenty-first- century interests in interdisciplinarity, with particular attention to the conjunction of science and society. Interdisciplinary practice has become well entrenched in any number of scientific disciplines, or disciplines from the humanities or from social science for that matter. This does not deter current rhetoric which sees new opportunities in new combinations of interests. One arresting strand is the promise that in a strong form - transdisciplinarity - 'science' might thereby be brought into 'society'. Marilyn Strathern's questioning of this process addresses the challenge that notions of property ownership pose to the expected flow of knowledge. As is fitting for a consideration of the flow and transformational properties of knowledge, the contents of this collection are knowingly designated 'working papers', left as open, unfinished statements to highlight their future and the work they may still do. Marilyn Strathern is William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge.

Contents: Preface; Introduction - In crisis mode : a comment on interculturality; Chapter One - Knowledge on its travels: Dispersal and divergence in the make-up of communities; Chapter Two - Commons and borderland; Chapter Three - Who owns academic knowledge?; Chapter Four - Accountability across disciplines; Endnote - Re-describing society. Also of Interest Lawrence Kalinoe and James Leach, Rationales of Ownership: Transactions and Claims to Ownership in Contemporary Papua New Guinea

120 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2003