Content area

Abstract

This research investigates interdisciplinarity within the field of information science through the lens of boundary objects, addressing the primary research question: How does an examination of academic boundary objects provide evidence of the evolution of interdisciplinarity? By analyzing four boundary objects, (1) a peer-reviewed journal, Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology (JASIS&T) (2) an academic conference, the iConference, (3) university organizational structures of U.S. iSchools, and (4) the nomenclature used to refer to U.S. iSchool academic units, the study explores how these artifacts document the collaboration and evolution of academic communities in information science. Motivated by the need to provide actionable insights for higher education administrators, this research provides a process to demonstrate fluctuations in interdisciplinarity that can inform resource allocation, recruitment, and organizational planning. Grounded in Star and Griesemer’s Theory of Boundary Objects and Kline’s interdisciplinarity framework, this study employs text and content analysis to track shifts in academic communities. It introduces a novel method that extends beyond bibliometric approaches, allowing for the examination of non-traditional artifacts such as course catalogs and syllabi. Findings reveal three distinct narratives: (1) the evolution of the information science field, (2) the evolving role of library science within information science, and (3) the shifting of key elements - Information, People, and Technology - within the discipline. By analyzing boundary objects within information science, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of interdisciplinarity amongst academic communities and over time.

Details

1010268
Business indexing term
Title
Evidence of the Evolution of Interdisciplinarity: A Study of Boundary Objects in Information Science
Number of pages
194
Publication year
2025
Degree date
2025
School code
0659
Source
DAI-A 86/12(E), Dissertation Abstracts International
ISBN
9798283140322
Committee member
Qin, Jian; Jordan, John M.; Bergen-Cico, Dessa
University/institution
Syracuse University
Department
Information Management
University location
United States -- New York
Degree
D.P.S.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
31931603
ProQuest document ID
3222149108
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/evidence-evolution-interdisciplinarity-study/docview/3222149108/se-2?accountid=208611
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Database
ProQuest One Academic