Challenges to Interdisciplinarity: Development of Arena Work in Gender Research Collaborations
Hildur Kalman, Britta Lundgren, Ann Öhman

Abstract
The article discusses the challenges of working with hybrid teams within the overarching programme Challenging Gender, with its interdisciplinary theme groups and its arena for joint reflection and theoretical development. The intellectual exchange over concepts with heterogeneous meanings across hybrid themes may lead to many debates and controversies over allegedly joint concepts and be experienced as time-consuming exercises that give meagre results. The article analyses the interaction within hybrid themes and between themes on the arena. The anticipated dynamics in the process of arena work required both flexibility and adaptability, and the work was developed in several stages. Two important steps were the outlining of core statements and core questions at the heart of each theme, and letting themes actively challenge the research questions of other themes. The article stresses the importance of exposure to methodological and theoretical pluralism to create scientific development and intellectual excitement.

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