The Need for Disciplines in the Modern Research University

How does the concept of interdisciplinarity relate to the established liberal arts disciplines? “The Need for Disciplines in the Modern Research University” suggests that disciplines are an indispensable feature of a modern research university. Disciplines represent an institutionalized form of specialization that is inevitable in the context of the vast and rapidly growing domains of knowledge. They are forms of social organization that generate, evaluate, organize, and disseminate research and scholarship. A closer examination reveals that disciplines have many virtues: They are broad, not narrow; open, not siloed; dynamic, not ossified, and their contributions will be essential for addressing any of the world’s grand challenges. Specific policies intended to promote interdisciplinarity need to be designed in ways to strengthen the disciplinary strengths of the university.