Call for Proposals
for the 27th DeGEval Annual Conference 2024 at the University of Potsdam
Transdisciplinarity: Impulses for and through evaluation!
Currently, social and scientific developments are often characterized by two opposing processes: On the one hand, the transformations of modern society and the associated challenges are becoming increasingly complex and demand ever more sophisticated social and political solutions. On the other hand, we see a differentiated system of poorly networked scientific disciplines and an increasingly segmented scientific research practice that seems less and less able to cope with the complexity of societal challenges. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for research and science to transfer acquired knowledge into practice, for example in political decision-making processes.
In academic debates in recent years, the concept of "transdisciplinarity" or "transdisciplinary research" has often been discussed as a possible solution to the challenges created by these contradictory processes.
Transdisciplinary concepts are characterized by the fact that they
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enable new forms of knowledge generation,
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constructively bring together different knowledge carriers and forms of knowledge from the definition of the problem to the implementation of complex real-world solutions,
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develop, test and provide innovative communication, exchange and coordination formats and
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build fundamental trust between stakeholders and stimulate learning processes.
Anyone who regularly carries out evaluations, monitoring or impact analyses and/or conducts research in this area will immediately notice the direct parallels between transdisciplinarity and the field of evaluation.
Theoretically and conceptually sound approaches, various exchange formats and real-world tasks are the rule in the practical fields of evaluation, as are interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary evaluation teams. Different realities of scientific disciplines, practice, everyday life and politics come into direct contact and stimulate an exchange of knowledge and its interpretations. As a result, multiple perspectives, misunderstandings, contradictions or even ruptures can be observed time and again in the communication between evaluators, commissioning parties or participants. This often begins with the definition of the evaluation mandate and continues through to the recommendations for action derived from evaluations. At the same time, the systemic, integrative or participatory evaluation approaches used in a number of evaluation fields promote attitudes and approaches similar to those postulated by transdisciplinary approaches, without explicitly referring to them.
Despite their very different disciplinary histories, transdisciplinary research and evaluation obviously have a great deal in common and face comparable challenges. Nevertheless, representatives of both disciplines know little about each other. In order to be able to discuss these topics, the 27th annual conference will focus on the topic "Transdisciplinarity - Impulses for and through evaluation!". On the one hand, the focus will be on the extent to which there is already experience with transdisciplinary approaches or even their evaluation in the various evaluation fields. Secondly, the question of the extent to which evaluations or evaluation projects have already generated knowledge or developed concepts that could provide helpful impulses for transdisciplinary research will be of interest.
As at previous annual conferences, we welcome both proposals for contributions related to the conference theme and free submissions. As part of our conference theme, we would like to discuss the following questions and topics (using examples from evaluation practice, but also from a theoretical perspective):
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To what extent can transdisciplinarity or transdisciplinary concepts provide good and suitable impulses for evaluation (research)?
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What impulses does evaluation (research) offer for transdisciplinary research?
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How are evaluation and transdisciplinarity connected? What connects them and what separates them?
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Where and with what findings are transdisciplinary, integrative, systemic or participatory approaches already fruitfully used in evaluations and/or inspire each other?
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What experiences and challenges are there with regard to transdisciplinary evaluations and the evaluation of transdisciplinarity or transdisciplinary research?
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To what extent can findings from evaluation (research) inspire exchange and communication processes between science and practice?
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How can the forms of interaction practiced in evaluations and the generation of knowledge provide impulses for transdisciplinary approaches?
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In which fields of evaluation are the synergies between transdisciplinarity and evaluation particularly fruitful?
We cordially invite you to actively participate in the discussion in Potsdam and to present your contribution at the annual conference. You can submit proposals for two categories of contributions, which will be marked accordingly in the program:
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Submissions on the conference theme relate to aspects of the topic area outlined above "Transdisciplinarity - Impulses for and through evaluation!?" and deal with them scientifically, reflexively or practically and from a perspective that is as interdisciplinary and cross-policy field as possible.
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General submissions: Other evaluation-related contributions that meet the review criteria and are not directly related to the conference theme are also explicitly welcome.
Contributions can be submitted via the DeGEval conference website. The following contribution formats are available in German or English:
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Lightningtalk: In a lightning talk, an ongoing or completed research or practical project with its innovative aspects or novel questions is presented in a way that is as generally understandable as possible. A lightning talk session consists of ten five-minute lightning talks, each followed by three minutes of questions.
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Individual presentation: In individual presentations, evaluation-relevant topics are examined practically, reflectively and/or scientifically. Preference is given to contributions with a theoretical, methodological or methodological focus or on research on evaluation. If specific evaluation studies or projects are presented, the focus should be on the evaluation level and the subject level should only be addressed where necessary. Presentations are usually given 20 minutes plus 10 minutes for discussion. Individual presentations are grouped into thematic sessions (max. 3 presentations per session).
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Complete session: Complete sessions (90 minutes) can be designed as a lecture session, panel discussion, workshop or in another form. Abstracts include a description of the planned session as well as all contributions and persons involved (sessions with "NN" participation are generally not accepted). In the case of a lecture session, short summaries of the individual lectures must be submitted and the participants in discussion panels, including the moderator, must be named. Please submit these together as a single submission. Since policy field-specific sessions are usually already organized by the respective DeGEval working groups, some of which have their own calls for papers, sessions with a clear cross-policy field perspective are preferred.
Please submit your abstract with a maximum of 2,500 characters including spaces (for complete sessions with a maximum of 5,000 characters) by March 17, 2024 via our conference homepage and please note the instructions for submission there. All contributions will be evaluated in an anonymous review process. The following criteria will be used primarily when deciding on submissions
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Quality of content and methodology
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Comprehensibility of the abstract (problem definition, approach, main arguments, evaluation focus, subject-specific topicality)
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Innovative content
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Cross-policy perspective
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Relevance to the conference topic (only for contribution category 1)
You will be informed about the acceptance of your contribution by May 31, 2024. You will find more information about the conference here shortly.
Contact:
DeGEval - Gesellschaft fΓΌr Evaluation e. V.
Wilhelm-Theodor-RΓΆmheld-StraΓe 20
55130 Mainz
Phone +49 (0) 6131 / 2173887
Mobile: +49 (0) 152 56123078
