The guide “Between Worlds – A Guide to Transdisciplinary Research” addresses the question of how research can successfully bridge the gap between science and practice. In their work, researchers Dr. Josephine B. Schmitt, Scientific Coordinator at CAIS, and Samuel T. Simon, Facilitator at CAIS, provide well-founded and practice-oriented answers and invite readers to understand and shape transdisciplinary research as an effective and collaborative form of scientific cooperation.
The guide draws on both up-to-date academic findings and practical experiences from the transdisciplinary research-practice project Unlearning Anti-Feminism on TikTok (UlAT). Funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, this project brings together researchers from the University of Cologne and members of the association for political media education mediale pfade. Together with young people, they analyze the perception of anti-feminist content on TikTok and address it through educational initiatives. As part of the accompanying research, conducted by the guide’s authors, interviews, reflection workshops, and collaborative work processes were systematically evaluated. The insights gained form the foundation for the guide’s key recommendations.
The guide is aimed at researchers, practitioners, funding institutions, and policymakers working at the intersection of science and society. It offers orientation by highlighting key success factors and practical recommendations, with a particular focus on the so-called “in-between worlds” where transdisciplinary research takes place.
The guide is now available for download (in German only):
https://www.cais-research.de/en/research/research-incubator/research-incubator-guide/