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

Geography

National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC)
Stockholm University
University of Waterloo
University of British Columbia
Stanford University
University of New Mexico
Dartmouth College
Harvard University
The Nature Conservancy
University of Alberta
University of South Carolina
University of Kansas
Syracuse University
Pennsylvania State University
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Collaborative Knowledge Foundation
University of Colorado Boulder
Bucknell University
University of Washington

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

69 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
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

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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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title = "Qualitative data sharing and synthesis for sustainability science",

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.",

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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

TY - JOUR

T1 - Qualitative data sharing and synthesis for sustainability science

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

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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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EP - 88

JO - Nature Sustainability

JF - Nature Sustainability

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Qualitative data sharing and synthesis for sustainability science

Abstract

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