ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author reflects on the role that anthropology can play in research and practice for socially sustainable development. Using concrete examples from her own energy research, she reflects on some of the merits and challenges related to interdisciplinary work. The merits of combining different disciplines are relatively obvious within applied research where knowledge production is supposed to lead to better solutions, and here the author argues that anthropology, with its people-centred focus, has a key role to play. However, working in interdisciplinary teams also poses challenges. Anthropologists’ passion for variety in human experience may be at odds with policy makers’ needs for generalized knowledge and recommendations. Tanja Winther ends her chapter by providing reflections on her personal journey over the last two decades, from being a student of engineering, discovering a cultural clash between engineers and anthropologists, to embarking on a journey to bridge energy and anthropology.
