Paper
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Supporting Human and Natural Ecosystems: Conceptual Frameworks for Transdisciplinary Inquiry
Betty Rambur, DNSc, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| Learning Objective #1: describe an ecologically referenced conceptual framework for nursing research.
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| Learning Objective #2: detail strategies for a comprehensive approach to health and environment on a college campus.
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Human health is increasingly influenced by macrophenomena such as globalization, urbanization, economic and social inequity, and environmental degradation including global climate change. Yet, despite immense interconnectivity with human health--and nursing’s historic interest in broad determinants of health and thus their importance to nursing research—there has been relatively few examples of nursing leadership at the interface of human health and the natural world. Such inquiry, by its very nature, requires novel partnerships. This paper offers two tools toward transdisciplinary partnerships, orientations that involve ecology and human health and evolve their interface. This first tool is a comprehensive conceptual framework to guide research. Derived from McMichael (2002) and slightly modified by the author, this model illustrates the interlay among natural, social, economic, technologic, and human environments. Marked by fluid, by-directional relationships among diverse influences,--what the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari (1987) names “reciprocal presuppositions,” this model posits interaction effects that are inherently of broad consequence. As such, it is well suited to guide study of complex human systems. The second strategy outlined in this paper is a comprehensive approach to socialization of new scientists and the next generation of leaders—college students—through the deliberate adoption of environment and health orientations on a college campus. Physical and spatial modifications as well as co-curricular and curricular redesigns, including ecological literacy and health literacy coursework, are detailed. Together, these suggestions offer participants 1) strategies by which to consider ecological antecedents, consequences, and implication of their own work; 2) a complex conceptual framework to guide health outcomes research; and 3) a roadmap by which to transform their campus or practice site.