La science contribue au développement de la société dans différentes fonctions. Le portail web montre les rôles que les scientifiques peuvent y jouer et propose des approches pour y réfléchir.

Image : Manu Friedrich

Model 5

After A. Hilger et al.1

This model presents 15 roles of actors engaged in transdisciplinary and transformative research, identified in a systematic literature review.The roles are categorised in four activity realms: field, academia, boundary management, and knowledge co-production (see figure 2). This fine-grained model helps scientists to position themselves within a transformation process, to discuss complementary roles, and to contest the boundaries between scientists and practitioners. Interestingly, the model also contains the role of the ‘troublemaker’.

Role of scientist

What does the scientist do in this role?

Choreographer

«Sets the stage», organises and structures the process, and selects and invites participants.

Facilitator

Facilitates and encourages knowledge integration and learning processes, balances different interests, empowers process participants

Intermediary

Mediates between, integrates different perspectives; gives affected or underrepresented groups a voice

Knowledge collector

Collects data, documents and presents the knowledge, uses participatory observation

Knowledge co-producer

Contributes knowledge, contributes method, participates in problem framing, discusses and agrees on research question, and discusses results and suggested solutions

Field expert

Contributes (local, tacit, traditional, experiential) knowledge, provides contacts

Data supplier

Provides information or data and supports data collection as informant (surveys, interviews)

Results disseminator

Disseminates results, generates recommendations, tools, popular science articles or reports; raises awareness

Communicator

Engages in formal/informal communication

Practice expert

Contributes expertise and application-oriented knowledge, supports experiment

Scientific analyst

Contributes scientific knowledge, evaluates process, conducts system or actor analysis

Self-reflexive participant

Engages in processes of (self-)reflection on normative orientation and internal/external power dynamics; thematises roles and self-awareness

Coordinator

Leads process/case study, is a contact person

Application expert

Tests and adapts project results in the application process, introduces them into decision-making process

Troublemaker

Maintains previous relationships and conflicts with others, negotiates and contests rules of interaction, obstructs supply, use, or extraction of data from the field

Figure 2: Overview of the 15 identified roles, arranged in four activity realms. The field (green) describes activities relating to expertise provided on the problem under investigation and the application of respective solutions, with roles primarily adopted by non-scientific actors. In contrast, the roles located in the realm of Academia (blue) involve research activities and tend to be adopted by researchers. The boundary management realm (yellow) includes activities required for establishing the processes of knowledge co-production; these take place in all the overlapping areas but ­ especially where all three areas overlap. Roles highlighted in bold consist of more than one subcluster.
Figure 2: Overview of the 15 identified roles, arranged in four activity realms. The field (green) describes activities relating to expertise provided on the problem under investigation and the application of respective solutions, with roles primarily adopted by non-scientific actors. In contrast, the roles located in the realm of Academia (blue) involve research activities and tend to be adopted by researchers. The boundary management realm (yellow) includes activities required for establishing the processes of knowledge co-production; these take place in all the overlapping areas but ­ especially where all three areas overlap. Roles highlighted in bold consist of more than one subcluster.Image : Hilger et al. 2021
Figure 2: Overview of the 15 identified roles, arranged in four activity realms. The field (green) describes activities relating to expertise provided on the problem under investigation and the application of respective solutions, with roles primarily adopted by non-scientific actors. In contrast, the roles located in the realm of Academia (blue) involve research activities and tend to be adopted by researchers. The boundary management realm (yellow) includes activities required for establishing the processes of knowledge co-production; these take place in all the overlapping areas but ­ especially where all three areas overlap. Roles highlighted in bold consist of more than one subcluster.
Figure 2: Overview of the 15 identified roles, arranged in four activity realms. The field (green) describes activities relating to expertise provided on the problem under investigation and the application of respective solutions, with roles primarily adopted by non-scientific actors. In contrast, the roles located in the realm of Academia (blue) involve research activities and tend to be adopted by researchers. The boundary management realm (yellow) includes activities required for establishing the processes of knowledge co-production; these take place in all the overlapping areas but ­ especially where all three areas overlap. Roles highlighted in bold consist of more than one subcluster.Image : Hilger et al. 2021
Model 5
Model 5
Model 5
Model 5