01.12.2025

Building bridges between disciplines

Insights from the PACE workshop

^{By Philipp Sigle}

How can genuine cooperation be achieved between disciplines that are often rooted in completely different ways of thinking? This question was the focus of this year's PACE workshop. In his presentation, historian Prof. Dr. Ewald Frie provided exciting insights into the challenges and opportunities of interdisciplinary cooperation, recounting his experiences writing the book Keplerstraße 2, which he co-authored with sociologist Boris Nieswand.
Frie described how different the expectations and working methods were in the two disciplines. The joint writing process thus became an experiment: How can a book be designed without overpowering the other side? The answer: through openness, patience, and a willingness to question one's own routines.
Frie emphasized that interdisciplinary collaboration must bridge not only methodological differences, but also temporal trends:

"Some of the things that are fashionable in your discipline have been fashionable in other disciplines ten years ago or will be fashionable there in ten years. You have to bridge the gaps between disciplinary mindsets."

Another central idea of his presentation was that it is often the unintended side effects that yield the greatest insights:

“Unintended side effects — things you didn't want to happen but that occur anyway — may be more important than the outcomes you originally aimed for.”

In addition to this impulse, the workshop as a whole was held under the motto of communication. In practical sessions, Rebecca Beiter showed PACE members how they can present their research in a comprehensible and convincing manner. This is a key competence for exchange with other disciplines and the public.

The workshop made it clear that interdisciplinarity is not a sure-fire success, but requires active bridge-building and a willingness to embrace new ideas.

Information about the PACE program