A interdisciplinaridade: desafios de uma prática inovadora em pesquisas ambientais

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes interdisciplinarity as a new quality in teaching and research activities for the understanding of environmental issues and to propose methodological steps to deal with sustainable development. The scientific knowledge arises with modern scientific revolution from the time when the experimental method is proposed in order to explain the nature. In this context arises a process of the fragmentation of knowledge in subjects that led to the establishment of boundaries between the sciences. From the mid-twentieth century many researchers seek to address the medium environment from a systemic approach, and begin to take advantage of interdisciplinarity for understanding and proposing alternatives to environmental problems. This paradigm shift does not occur easily and numerous difficulties beginning to emerge in the interdisciplinary implementation process as a new quality in teaching and research activities on the environment. The process of institutionalization of interdisciplinarity in the Brazilian postgraduate occurred slowly, gaining greater boost in the early twenty-first century, when the stricto sensu interdisciplinary graduate programs become the fastest growing in Brazil (BRAZIL, 2010a; 2013b ). In an attempt to identify the challenges to break the disciplinary boundaries in the pursuit of the implementation of interdisciplinarity as knowledge production method within a postgraduate program, we chose the Graduate Program in Natural Resource Management and Local Development Amazon (PPGEDAM), the Center for the Environment (NUMA) of the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) as a case study. We realize that the process of implementation of interdisciplinarity made significant progress, but it takes more effort in seeking to break the disciplinary boundaries, to consolidate and impulse research on the environment and on sustainable development.