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Why context is important for transdisciplinary sustainability research - 9 factors
Transdisciplinary research (TDR) integrates academic and non-academic expertise to jointly generate actionable research that contributes to addressing societal sustainability challenges. Although context is widely recognized as important, the role and definition of contextual factors shaping TDR remain under-researched. This study develops an integrative understanding of context by synthesizing theoretical literature and analyzing 17 semi-structured interviews from international TDR case studies. We identify nine important contextual factors in three categories: external factors (outside of projects), internal factors (within projects) and temporal/spatial dimensions (project boundaries). These contextual factors influence collaborative research processes in different ways in different projects and require continuous reflexivity and adaptation. Positional awareness and ethics are central to shaping power dynamics, stakeholder engagement and co-creation of research, emphasizing the need for context-sensitive approaches. To support this in a structured way, we present a framework that links context to research design, process, methods and outcomes. In addition, we provide a set of reflective questions for researchers and practitioners to identify, assess and respond to contextual influences that shape sustainability transformations. By promoting a more systematic understanding of context, this study contributes to building reflexive and inclusive approaches to transdisciplinary collaboration.
One of the case studies was our terminated transdisciplinary innovation group ginkoo.