Transgressing discipline boundaries: is BEQUEST an example of 'the new production of knowledge'?

This paper places the BEQUEST concerted action (an international project on sustainable urban development) within the context of the discussion that has arisen, within the last decade, about the so-called ‘new production of knowledge’. Where such production occurs, short-life inter-disciplinary teams collaborate by engaging in a dynamic form of research characterized by practical problem-solving through negotiated and consensually produced knowledge. In BEQUEST,such knowledge production was electronically mediated - collaboration and dissemination occurred predominantly over the Internet. Attention is drawn to BEQUEST's modus operandi for dealing with contentious issues - sustainable development, inter-disciplinary working, and the design and management of virtual organizations. And it closes by commenting on the implications of crossing discipline boundaries - demanded by ‘the new production of knowledge’ - for the organization and conduct of research on the built environment. Cet article replace les actions concertées de BEQUEST (projet international sur le développement urbain viable) dans le contexte des débats qui ont été lancés, au cours des dix dernières années, sur ce qu'il est convenu d'appeler la « nouvelle production de connaissances ». Lorsque de telles productions existent, des équipes pluridisciplinaires à courte durée de vie collaborent en engageant une forme dynamique de recherche caractérisée par la résolution de problèmes pratiques par l'intermédiaire d'un savoir négocié et produit sur une base consensuelle. Dans le projet BEQUEST, cette production de connaissances a été médiatisée par les moyens électroniques, la collaboration et la dissémination se faisant, pour l'essentiel, par le biais de l'Internet. L'attention est attirée sur le modus operandi de BEQUEST en ce qui concerne le traitement des problèmes contentieux : développement durable, travail pluridisciplinaire ainsi que la conception et la gestion d'organisations virtuelles. L'article se termine par des commentaires sur les conséquences qu'entraîne le franchissement des frontières disciplinaires - demandé par « la nouvelle production de connaissances » - pour l'organisation et la conduite de la recherche en matière de cadre bâti.

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