disciplinessciences

Disciplinessciences is a term used in some meta-science and science-studies contexts to refer to the study of scientific disciplines themselves. It can denote either a general umbrella for scholarly work that analyzes disciplines or a coined label for a field dedicated to understanding how disciplines are formed, structured, taught, and governed. The term is not widely standardized and tends to appear in exploratory or theoretical discussions rather than as a settled academic label.

Scope and focus areas typically include the historical development of disciplines, the social organization of research communities, and the epistemic norms and methods that distinguish fields. Other topics involve peer-review and publication practices, the processes by which researchers are trained and certified, and the dynamics of interdisciplinarity. The role of journals, conferences, and professional societies in shaping disciplinary boundaries is also a common concern, as are how disciplines recruit, nurture, and evaluate talent.

Disciplinessciences overlaps with science and technology studies, the sociology and philosophy of science, and discipline-based education research. It often employs methods such as bibliometrics, historical analysis, ethnography, and policy analysis to compare how different fields generate and validate knowledge, and to explore how funding, governance, and institutional structures influence disciplinary trajectories.

Examples of questions and case studies might include the emergence of data science as a distinct discipline, the standardization of norms in clinical research, or the evolution of theoretical physics. Methodologies frequently used are historical narratives, interviews with researchers, mapping of scholarly networks, and comparative analyses of research policy.

Because the term is not universally used, definitions of disciplininessciences can vary, and some scholars prefer more established terms such as the history and philosophy of science or science studies.