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VOL. 8, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Interdisciplinary research as a tool for solving complex global challenges: A critical sociology of knowledge integration, power, and impact
Authors
Mohammed Ali
Abstract
Interdisciplinary research is widely advocated as an essential response
to intricate global challenges, including climate instability, public health
threats, energy insecurity, digital transformation, and escalating inequality.
But there is no guarantee that interdisciplinarity will work. A lot of "interdisciplinary"
projects end up with outputs that are broken up, symbolic collaboration, or
solutions that are scientifically sound but socially weak. This article
formulates a journal-level, critical sociology perspective on interdisciplinary
research as a contentious social practice influenced by power, prestige,
resources, and institutional incentives. Utilising Bourdieu’s notions of field,
habitus, and capital; the core–periphery dynamics of world-systems theory; and
the concept of institutional isomorphism to elucidate organisational
convergence, the article articulates the challenges of knowledge integration
and the tendency for interdisciplinary collaboration to devolve into legitimacy
performance rather than effective problem-solving.
The article suggests a practical framework for interdisciplinary impact that is based on sociology. It moves from "topic-based interdisciplinarity" to "decision-centered interdisciplinarity." It provides operational mechanisms for integration (epistemic translation, boundary objects, triangulation protocols, and governance design), evaluation metrics beyond publication counts (integration quality, implementability, equity, and learning capacity), and ethical safeguards to prevent exploitative collaborations. The analysis consistently underscores authentic organisational conditions, including career incentives, funding competition, metric pressure, data politics, and inequitable global infrastructures. The article concludes that interdisciplinary research only becomes a real way to solve global problems when institutions treat it like a skill with clear rules, resources, and responsibility, not just a slogan.
The article suggests a practical framework for interdisciplinary impact that is based on sociology. It moves from "topic-based interdisciplinarity" to "decision-centered interdisciplinarity." It provides operational mechanisms for integration (epistemic translation, boundary objects, triangulation protocols, and governance design), evaluation metrics beyond publication counts (integration quality, implementability, equity, and learning capacity), and ethical safeguards to prevent exploitative collaborations. The analysis consistently underscores authentic organisational conditions, including career incentives, funding competition, metric pressure, data politics, and inequitable global infrastructures. The article concludes that interdisciplinary research only becomes a real way to solve global problems when institutions treat it like a skill with clear rules, resources, and responsibility, not just a slogan.
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Pages:1-6
How to cite this article:
Mohammed Ali "Interdisciplinary research as a tool for solving complex global challenges: A critical sociology of knowledge integration, power, and impact". International Journal of Management and Commerce, Vol 8, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 1-6
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