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Mountain regions - a research subject - International mountain rese... (2000)
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Mountain research :
The view of a witness

1. Introduction

This text will focus on some selected characteristics of mountain
research which I was invited to observe as a witness during the
International Mountain Research Workshop held in Autrans/Grenoble
in summer 2000. In accordance with my professional background as a
philosopher of science I mainly focussed on methodological and epis-
temological aspects of the topic 1 .
The following remarks are based on four empirical sources :

(a) preparing the workshop, I first analysed the texts of the posters to
find out if any coherence among the scientific disciplines repre¬
sented in the workshop can be found when approaching the topic of
mountains ;

(b) as the workshop started, together with the programme we received
the collection of answers to the three main topics of the workshop
"Specificity, unifying characteristics and diversity of mountain
regions", "Mountains — a product of nature or of history and human
societies?" and "Mountain regions — a laboratory for society and
science?" given by most of the participants. The blue booklet
containing these answers not only gives an insight into how moun¬
tain research is actually operated but also a number of concepts
which guide research activities in various parts of the world ;

(c) after the workshop, an analysis of notes taken during the different
sessions was made to complete early hypotheses ;

(d) concerning the problem of collaboration among scientists with
different disciplinary backgrounds, I drew on experiences in observ¬
ing and coaching two research programs with broad disciplinary
backgrounds in Switzerland.

In the task of giving "an analytical out-look of the workshop" and
considering the space available for this contribution, I can only give a
short and therefore incomplete description of the epistemological
status of mountain research and some remarks on methodological
difficulties which could occur when natural and social sciences have to
collaborate scientifically.

2. The frame setting

Mountain research, like any other scientific activity, is only performed
in a well-defined social and political context. Therefore when analysing
the actual situation of mountain research its context has to be consid¬
ered. It will be shown that there are important inputs from the political
context which therefore influence this kind of research to a certain
degree.

Certainly the 1992 UNCED declaration of Rio is the most important
statement driving the actual mountain research on a global level.
Alongside other ecosystems, paragraph 13 of the declaration specially
emphasises mountainous regions as an ecological system with high
sensitivity for most kind of anthropogenic influences. Hence it is
argued that mountainous regions need special protection and their
development has to be conceptualized in a sustainable way, i.e. any

Philip W. Balsiger

Interdisciplinary Institute for
the philosophy and history
of science.

University of Erlangen-
Nuremberg (Germany)

V I am grateful to Rudolf
Kötter and Werner Batzing
(both Erlangen, Germany),
without their discussions
and advice this paper could
not have been written in its
present form.

lldtnationui Mountain Research Workshop. Autrans 2000 - 109