Politics of postdisciplinary knowledge: Lessons from a study of the Anthropocene

We gather at this conference to find creative ways to produce and represent knowledge, and to reflect on and criticise the ways in which disciplinary knowledge is generated. To be ‘postdisciplinary’ often means to confront disciplines and divisions, which have not only stifled the way science is conducted but also the way scientific knowledge is presented (Coles, Hall, & Duval, 2006). Tourism, like many other social phenomena, demands less bounded, more creative and imaginative ways of inquiry. This conference might show the way, as participants communicate and share their expert knowledge in diverse methods. In our study on tourism and the Anthropocene, we spoke to different stakeholders on the West Coast of Tasmania. As one drives through this beautiful part of the island, one will pass through deforested areas and mine-scarred landscapes. We spoke to environmentalists, climate-change deniers, and those in between. Perhaps expectedly, the diverse perspectives and knowledge we gathered suggest these facts are relative to the interests and perspectives of people. Knowledge is political in the way it is used, attained and presented (Foucault, 1972). As social scientists we present our findings and theorise. Here, we are looking for postdisciplinary ways to do so. As researchers, one urgent issue is how we may address the politics of knowledge in our postdisciplinary attempt. We will open up the discussion on the politics of facts, using examples from our study on tourism and climate-change. We do not have the answers yet, but at this conference we will begin to develop some answers alongside our peers.