Qualitative data sharing and synthesis for sustainability science

Steven M. Alexander; Kristal Jones; Nathan J. Bennett; Amber Budden; Michael Cox; Mercè Crosas; Edward T. Game; Janis Geary; R. Dean Hardy; Jay T. Johnson; Sebastian Karcher; Nicole Motzer; Jeremy Pittman; Heather Randell; Julie A. Silva; Patricia Pinto da Silva; Carly Strasser; Colleen Strawhacker; Andrew Stuhl; Nic Weber

doi:10.1038/s41893-019-0434-8

Qualitative data sharing and synthesis for sustainability science

Steven M. Alexander, Kristal Jones, Nathan J. Bennett, Amber Budden, Michael Cox, Mercè Crosas, Edward T. Game, Janis Geary, R. Dean Hardy, Jay T. Johnson, Sebastian Karcher, Nicole Motzer, Jeremy Pittman, Heather Randell, Julie A. Silva, Patricia Pinto da Silva, Carly Strasser, Colleen Strawhacker, Andrew Stuhl, Nic Weber

Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Socio–environmental synthesis as a research approach contributes to broader sustainability policy and practice by reusing data from disparate disciplines in innovative ways. Synthesizing diverse data sources and types of evidence can help to better conceptualize, investigate and address increasingly complex socio–environmental problems. However, sharing qualitative data for re-use remains uncommon when compared to sharing quantitative data. We argue that qualitative data present untapped opportunities for sustainability science, and discuss practical pathways to facilitate and realize the benefits from sharing and reusing qualitative data. However, these opportunities and benefits are also hindered by practical, ethical and epistemological challenges. To address these challenges and accelerate qualitative data sharing, we outline enabling conditions and suggest actions for researchers, institutions, funders, data repository managers and publishers.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	81-88
Number of pages	8
Journal	Nature Sustainability
Volume	3
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0434-8
State	Published - Feb 1 2020

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Global and Planetary Change
Food Science
Geography, Planning and Development
Ecology
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Urban Studies
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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10.1038/s41893-019-0434-8

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Alexander, S. M., Jones, K., Bennett, N. J., Budden, A., Cox, M., Crosas, M., Game, E. T., Geary, J., Hardy, R. D., Johnson, J. T., Karcher, S., Motzer, N., Pittman, J., Randell, H., Silva, J. A., da Silva, P. P., Strasser, C., Strawhacker, C., Stuhl, A., & Weber, N. (2020). Qualitative data sharing and synthesis for sustainability science. Nature Sustainability, 3(2), 81-88. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0434-8

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abstract = "Socio–environmental synthesis as a research approach contributes to broader sustainability policy and practice by reusing data from disparate disciplines in innovative ways. Synthesizing diverse data sources and types of evidence can help to better conceptualize, investigate and address increasingly complex socio–environmental problems. However, sharing qualitative data for re-use remains uncommon when compared to sharing quantitative data. We argue that qualitative data present untapped opportunities for sustainability science, and discuss practical pathways to facilitate and realize the benefits from sharing and reusing qualitative data. However, these opportunities and benefits are also hindered by practical, ethical and epistemological challenges. To address these challenges and accelerate qualitative data sharing, we outline enabling conditions and suggest actions for researchers, institutions, funders, data repository managers and publishers.",

author = "Alexander, {Steven M.} and Kristal Jones and Bennett, {Nathan J.} and Amber Budden and Michael Cox and Merc{\`e} Crosas and Game, {Edward T.} and Janis Geary and Hardy, {R. Dean} and Johnson, {Jay T.} and Sebastian Karcher and Nicole Motzer and Jeremy Pittman and Heather Randell and Silva, {Julie A.} and {da Silva}, {Patricia Pinto} and Carly Strasser and Colleen Strawhacker and Andrew Stuhl and Nic Weber",

note = "Funding Information: S.M.A., K.J., R.D.H., N.M. and H.R. were supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) under funding received from the National Science Foundation DBI-1052875. S.M.A. was also supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. S.K. and N.W. were supported, in part, by an Alfred P. Sloan Grant (2018-11217). J.A.S. was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (BCS-1042888; BCS-0746528; BCS-1413999) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNX13AB72G). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, Springer Nature Limited.",

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Alexander, SM, Jones, K, Bennett, NJ, Budden, A, Cox, M, Crosas, M, Game, ET, Geary, J, Hardy, RD, Johnson, JT, Karcher, S, Motzer, N, Pittman, J, Randell, H, Silva, JA, da Silva, PP, Strasser, C, Strawhacker, C, Stuhl, A & Weber, N 2020, 'Qualitative data sharing and synthesis for sustainability science', Nature Sustainability, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 81-88. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0434-8

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AU - Alexander, Steven M.

AU - Jones, Kristal

AU - Bennett, Nathan J.

AU - Budden, Amber

AU - Cox, Michael

AU - Crosas, Mercè

AU - Game, Edward T.

AU - Geary, Janis

AU - Hardy, R. Dean

AU - Johnson, Jay T.

AU - Karcher, Sebastian

AU - Motzer, Nicole

AU - Pittman, Jeremy

AU - Randell, Heather

AU - Silva, Julie A.

AU - da Silva, Patricia Pinto

AU - Strasser, Carly

AU - Strawhacker, Colleen

AU - Stuhl, Andrew

AU - Weber, Nic

N1 - Funding Information: S.M.A., K.J., R.D.H., N.M. and H.R. were supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) under funding received from the National Science Foundation DBI-1052875. S.M.A. was also supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. S.K. and N.W. were supported, in part, by an Alfred P. Sloan Grant (2018-11217). J.A.S. was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (BCS-1042888; BCS-0746528; BCS-1413999) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNX13AB72G). Publisher Copyright: © 2019, Springer Nature Limited.

PY - 2020/2/1

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N2 - Socio–environmental synthesis as a research approach contributes to broader sustainability policy and practice by reusing data from disparate disciplines in innovative ways. Synthesizing diverse data sources and types of evidence can help to better conceptualize, investigate and address increasingly complex socio–environmental problems. However, sharing qualitative data for re-use remains uncommon when compared to sharing quantitative data. We argue that qualitative data present untapped opportunities for sustainability science, and discuss practical pathways to facilitate and realize the benefits from sharing and reusing qualitative data. However, these opportunities and benefits are also hindered by practical, ethical and epistemological challenges. To address these challenges and accelerate qualitative data sharing, we outline enabling conditions and suggest actions for researchers, institutions, funders, data repository managers and publishers.

AB - Socio–environmental synthesis as a research approach contributes to broader sustainability policy and practice by reusing data from disparate disciplines in innovative ways. Synthesizing diverse data sources and types of evidence can help to better conceptualize, investigate and address increasingly complex socio–environmental problems. However, sharing qualitative data for re-use remains uncommon when compared to sharing quantitative data. We argue that qualitative data present untapped opportunities for sustainability science, and discuss practical pathways to facilitate and realize the benefits from sharing and reusing qualitative data. However, these opportunities and benefits are also hindered by practical, ethical and epistemological challenges. To address these challenges and accelerate qualitative data sharing, we outline enabling conditions and suggest actions for researchers, institutions, funders, data repository managers and publishers.

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JO - Nature Sustainability

JF - Nature Sustainability

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Qualitative data sharing and synthesis for sustainability science

Abstract

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