Sociology without Frontiers? On the Pleasures and Perils of Interdisciplinary Research

The potential benefits of interdisciplinary research are commonly stated and widely acknowledged. Amongst the many claims that are made, it is suggested that an interdisciplinary approach can lead to greater innovation, promote lateral thinking, and encourage reflexivity in the research process. This paper presents a personal reflection, drawn from experience in one specific sub-field of medical sociology, on how some of these benefits might actually come to fruition. However, it also explores something which is generally given far less consideration: the potential perils of interdisciplinary research. In particular, I will focus on two areas. First, I will raise some intellectual concerns over what interdisciplinary research might mean for the health of sociology as a discipline. Secondly, I will consider some of the ethical issues that can arise when we put our professional sociological skills at the service of another profession. I will conclude by reflecting on what the implications of these concerns are for my own work in the sociology of health and illness, and what might constitute ‘successful’ interdisciplinary collaboration in this field.