ABSTRACT
Transdisciplinarity as a concept attracts a range of interpretations. Nicolescu's ironic use of the phrase war of definition' in his discussion of the methodology of transdisciplinarity at least allows the space, in the words of Beck, for the struggle for definition. Disciplines are defined as institutions, that is conventions, norms or formally sanctioned rules that coordinate human action. Disciplines provide scientists with frames of reference, methodological approaches, topics of study, theoretical canons and technologies. Wallerstein assigns three contemporary meanings to the usage of the word discipline' in universities as intellectual constructs, organisational containers and cultural communities. Multidisciplinarity was well established by the 1980s, according to Bursztyn: although not aiming to replace the disciplinary structure materialized in departments, subjects such as planning studies, development studies, urban and regional studies. Interdisciplinarity is characterised by collaboration between researchers from different disciplines, but the research process is jointly established to develop a common methodological approach and a shared problem formulation'.
