Advancing transdisciplinarity as an epistemology for more ethical engagements with fishing communities

Abstract

Celebrated as one of the necessary solutions to more sustainable ocean governance by the UN Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development, transdisciplinarity, co-design, co-production, and co-creation of knowledge continue to be praised by a variety of scholars for their opportunities for impactful and socially significant research. However, despite increased recognition as necessary to respond to complex sustainability challenges, including transformative ocean governance, there are sustained differences in how people and scholars define and conceptualize transdisciplinarity and how people operationalize and apply transdisciplinary research. This perspective is not about what transdisciplinary research entails but is rather asking whether transdisciplinary research is always the appropriate approach. Without a clear understanding of what ethical and equitable transdisciplinarity entails, how do we ensure this does not negatively impact non-academic collaborators such as fishing communities? How do we make sure transdisciplinarity does not become yet another extractive research practice? The paper discusses the difference between partial and comprehensive transdisciplinarity, addresses coloniality of co-design, and reflects on who we cite and why as researchers. Finally, the paper considers how we can advance transdisciplinarity as an epistemology for more ethical engagements with fishing communities and invite fellow marine researchers to ask critical questions.