Created in 1998, the Rencontres Jeunes Chercheurs (RJC) of the Doctoral School « Langage et langues » (ED 268, Sorbonne Nouvelle University - Paris 3) is an opportunity for junior researchers preparing for a Master's degree or a Doctorate, but also for post-doctorates, to present their work in paper or poster sessions.

At the Crossroads of Sciences:
Inter- and Transdisciplinarity in the Language Sciences

Since the second half of the 19th century, a process of fragmentation, both scientific and political, has contributed to build the existing research landscape. New academic disciplines became institutionalized, such as sociology or psychology, while the different areas of knowledge have been fractured into ever more specific fields. For some years, a feeling of "identity crisis" (Bouvier, 2004) has spread in all disciplines, as reflected by the growing numbers of initiatives aimed at promoting collaboration or confrontation between different fields in order to account for all aspects of studied phenomena.

The language sciences appear to be emblematic of these interactions between different areas of knowledge. Indeed, analyzing linguistic phenomena requires combining different outlooks (study of sound, structure, meaning, etc.), as well as borrowing from other sciences (logic, anthropology, history, cognitive sciences, etc.).

Studying the relations between disciplines implies questioning their very notion, analyzing how a given "discipline" comprises different subdivisions ("subdisciplines", "components") and delimits them. To define a discipline within fixed bounds, it is necessary to draw upon epistemological criteria (definition of a topic, methodology, articulating coherent explanations, etc.), as well as social and historical criteria (institutionalization).

Subsequently, we have to define how disciplines can interact. In line with Frédéric Darbellay (2005) and Patrick Charaudeau (2010), we distinguish three types of interactions: "multidisciplinarity", "interdisciplinarity" and "transdisciplinarity". In a multidisciplinary approach, each field keeps its autonomy, its methods, and tools; it consists in a juxtaposition of viewpoints all bringing their own teachings on a given subject. An interdisciplinary approach strives to set up a dialogue between several disciplines about one topic, in order to establish proper connections between concepts, tools and interpretations. Lastly, a transdisciplinary approach transcends various sciences, achieving an integration of knowledge so that a sui generis discourse emerges with its own frame of thought.

Inter- and transdisciplinarity are not mere "intellectual trends". We should also consider them as being a precautionary principle, because they enable one to free himself from visions and divisions of academic work imposed by the disciplines. As Nicolas Freymond et al. state: forgetting that it is the outlook that creates the object keeps scientific practice within bounds bereft of any theoretical relevance. Therefore, drawing upon different fields and opinions from a critical standpoint appears to be necessary.

That is why the RJC 2012 invites participants to reflect upon the possible terms of exchanges (of concepts, methods, results, etc.) and comparisons between different fields, or even of their integration. We will pay particular attention to papers dealing with the following questions:

• What is a "discipline"? What are the relationships between "disciplines" and "knowledge"? How have the existing disciplines and subdisciplines been formed historically?
• What were the socio-historical evolutions of the theory and practice of inter- and transdisciplinarity?
• Is monodisciplinarity still possible in the language sciences?
• What are the prospects offered by inter- and transdisciplinary approaches?
• What are the limits and constraints of such approaches?
• What bridges can be built between disciplines?
• How do different fields see themselves with regards to trans- and interdisciplinarity?
• How can interdisciplinarity be fostered within the research teams?

Bibliography

• BOUTET, Josiane & MAINGUENEAU, Dominique (2005) « Approches interdisciplinaires des pratiques langagières et discursives », Langage et société, 114, Paris, MSH.
• BOUVIER, Pierre (2004) « Interdisciplinarité, monodisciplinarité, transdisciplinarité » [en ligne], Socio-anthropologie, 14, URL : http://socio-anthropologie.revues.org/index372.html
• CHARAUDEAU, Patrick (2010) « Pour une interdisciplinarité focalisée'' dans les sciences humaines et sociales » [en ligne], Questions de Communication, 17, URL :http://www.patrick-charaudeau.com/Pour-une-interdisciplinarite.html
• CHISS, Jean-Louis & PUECH, Christian (1999) Le Langage et ses disciplines, Paris, Duculot.
• DARBELLAY, Frédéric (2005) Interdisciplinarité et trans-disciplinarité en analyse des discours. Complexité des textes, intertextualité et transtextualité, Genève, Slatkine.
• FREYMOND, Nicolas et al. (2003) « Ce qui donne sens à l'interdisciplinarité » [en ligne], A contrario, 1, URL : www.cairn.info/revue-a-contrario-2003-1-page-3.htm
• KOURILSKY, François (dir.) (1990) Carrefour des sciences, Actes du colloque du CNRS « Inter-disciplinarité », Paris, Éditions du CNRS.
• ORRIGI, Gloria & DARBELLAY, Frédéric (dir.) (2010) Repenser l'interdisciplinarité, Genève, Slatkine.
• RAMADIER, Thierry (2011) « L'interdisciplinarité au service de la complexité » [en ligne], Articulo - Journal of Urban Research, Book Reviews, URL : http://articulo.revues.org/1731

Keynote speakers:
Frédéric DARBELLAY - Senior Scientist, University Institute Kurt Bösch
Dan SAVATOVSKY - Professor, University of Burgundy

Scientific Committee:
Violaine BIGOT, Maria CANDEA, Francine CICUREL, Jeanne-Marie DEBAISIEUX, Cécile FOUGERON, Jean-Marie FOURNIER, Emmanuel FRAISSE, Florentina FREDET, Cédric GENDROT, Kim GERDES, Daniel GILE, Luca GRECO, Jean-Patrick GUILLAUME, Pierre HALLÉ, Sû-tôôg-nooma Kukka KABORE, Takeki KAMIYAMA, Dominique KLINGLER, Marie-Christine LALA, Florence LEFEUVRE, Jean-Léo LÉONARD, Marc-Antoine MAHIEU, Aliyah MORGENSTERN, Jean-Paul NARCY-COMBES, Gilles PHILIPPE, Claire PILLOT-LOISEAU, Konstantin POZDNIAKOV, Christian PUECH, Nicolas QUINT, Sandrine REBOUL-TOURÉ, Annie RIALLAND, Rachid RIDOUANE, Anne SALAZAR ORVIG, Pollet SAMVELIAN, Dan SAVATOVSKY, Jacqueline VAISSIÈRE, Daniel VÉRONIQUE, Martine VERTALIER, Patricia VON MÜNCHOW

Organizing Committe:
Marion CARNIS, Alejandro DIAZ VILLALBA, Aurélia ELALOUF, Raphaëlle FOUILLET, Jiayin GAO, Maximilien GUÉRIN, Marine LE MENÉ, Laura NICOLAS, Marie REETZ, Marie RIVIÈRE, Camille SIMON, Marie VIAIN