A Polyocular Framework for Research on Multifunctional Farming and Rural Development

The paradox of multifunctionality is that, on the one hand, the specialised functionalities of agriculture arise only because of the functional differentiation of social systems and scientific disciplines and, on the other hand, multifunctionality can enter only as a way to mediate between conflicts...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sociologia ruralis 2008-01, Vol.48 (1), p.1-15
Main Authors: Noe, Egon, Alrøe, Hugo Fjelsted, Langvad, Anne Mette S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Communication
Development
Farming
Interdisciplinary research
Knowledge
Methodology
Paradigms
Research trends
Rural and urban sociology
Rural Areas
Rural development
Rural sociology
Social Science Research
Social systems
Sociology
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Summary:The paradox of multifunctionality is that, on the one hand, the specialised functionalities of agriculture arise only because of the functional differentiation of social systems and scientific disciplines and, on the other hand, multifunctionality can enter only as a way to mediate between conflicts, interests and fragmented knowledge when different functions and observations of functions combine. The aim of this article is to contribute to a theoretical and methodological platform for multidisciplinary research on multifunctional farming. With the notions of polyocular cognition and polyocular communication we introduce a second order, interdisciplinary communication process that can meet the challenge of creating a shared view on multifunctional farming. Polyocular communication must be based on rules other than the rules of the disciplines involved. Whereas disciplinary communication is about providing consistent, efficient and precise knowledge in the context of a sharply delimited research world, polyocular communication is about extending a multidimensional space of understanding.
ISSN:0038-0199
1467-9523
DOI:10.1111/j.1467-9523.2008.00451.x