essay on discipline wikipedia

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Essay on Discipline: Sample Essays of 100, 200 & 400 Words

• Updated on  
• Apr 24, 2024

Discipline is something that assists in keeping a person in control. According to Merriam-Webster ‘Discipline is control gained by enforcing order or obedience ‘. It also refers to orderly conduct or pattern of behaviour. Discipline motivates a person to progress and eventually achieve success. Hence, it is important. There are two types of discipline- induced discipline and self-discipline. An essay on discipline is usually given as a task in a school. Hence, we have provided sample essays on discipline in 200 words, 300 words, and 400 words. Keep reading to know more about the same.

To improve your essay writing skills, here are the top 200+ English Essay Topics for school students.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Discipline (100 Words)
• 2 Essay on Discipline (200 Words)
• 3 Essay on Discipline (400 Words)
• 4 Short Essay on Discipline
• 5 10 Lines on Discipline
• 6 Quotes on Discipline in Students Life

Essay on Discipline (100 Words)

Master the art of essay writing with our blog on How to Write an Essay in English .

Essay on Discipline (200 Words)

Also Read: Essay on Christmas: 100 – 150, 250, and 500 Words

Also Read: Essay on Politics in 500 Words

Essay on Discipline (400 Words)

Short Essay on Discipline

10 Lines on Discipline

Also Read: Essay on Neeraj Chopra in English for School Students

Quotes on Discipline in Students Life

While writing the essay on disciple a student can include popular quotes. It can make their essays stand out. Moreover, reading quotes on discipline can inspire a student to be disciplined in their life, 

• What lies in our power to do, lies in our power not to do.”– Aristotle
• Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”– Jim Rohn
• “There is no magic wand that can resolve our problems. The solution rests with our work and discipline. ”Jose Eduardo dos Santos
• “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.”– Abraham Joshua Heschel
• “For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories. ” Plato

Also Read: Essay on Technology

An essay on discipline talks about the importance of discipline in a person’s life. A disciple is something that keeps each person in control. It motivates a person to achieve success in their life.

Discipline means being consistent, and following the set rules or order. AA disciplined person will follow the written and unwritten rules. There are several unwritten rules in schools. A disciplined student will follow the written and unwritten rules.

A school discipline essay contains the introduction, body, and conclusion, A student needs to include the importance of discipline while writing the essay.

Check out our Popular Essay Topics for Students

Discipline refers to an orderly conduct or pattern of behaviour. It involves following the rules in a school or an organization. Self-discipline is also important for success in life.

For more information on such informative essay topics, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

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Essay on Discipline

Here we have shared the Essay on Discipline in detail so you can use it in your exam or assignment of 150, 250, 400, 500, or 1000 words.

You can use this Essay on Discipline in any assignment or project whether you are in school (class 10th or 12th), college, or preparing for answer writing in competitive exams. 

Topics covered in this article.

Essay on Discipline in 150-250 words

Essay on discipline in 300-400 words, essay on discipline in 500-1000 words.

Discipline is an essential aspect of life that plays a crucial role in shaping our character, behavior, and overall success. It refers to the practice of following rules, regulations, and codes of conduct in a consistent and orderly manner.

Discipline is the foundation of personal and professional growth. It helps us develop self-control, responsibility, and the ability to make sound decisions. It instills a sense of order and structure in our lives, enabling us to manage our time, resources, and commitments effectively.

Discipline is particularly important in educational settings. It helps students stay focused, attentive, and committed to their studies. It promotes regular attendance, punctuality, and completion of assignments. Students who embrace discipline are more likely to achieve academic success and develop a strong work ethic.

Discipline is also crucial in personal relationships and professional environments. It fosters respect, accountability, and teamwork. It allows individuals to work together harmoniously, resolve conflicts, and achieve common goals. Discipline enables individuals to maintain integrity, adhere to ethical standards, and demonstrate professionalism.

In conclusion, discipline is an indispensable virtue that contributes to personal growth, academic achievement, and success in various aspects of life. By cultivating discipline, individuals can develop self-control, responsibility, and a sense of order. It is a quality that helps us navigate challenges, maintain focus, and achieve our goals. Embracing discipline paves the way for a more fulfilling and purposeful life.

Discipline is a fundamental aspect of personal and societal development. It refers to the practice of adhering to rules, regulations, and codes of conduct, both in our personal lives and in the larger community. Discipline instills a sense of order, responsibility, and self-control, and it plays a crucial role in shaping our character, behavior, and overall success.

In personal life, discipline enables individuals to lead a well-organized and purposeful existence. It helps us manage our time effectively, prioritize tasks, and set and achieve goals. Discipline ensures that we follow a routine, maintain good health habits, and make conscious choices that align with our long-term objectives. It fosters self-control, enabling us to resist temptations and make wise decisions.

In educational institutions, discipline is essential for creating a conducive learning environment. It promotes regular attendance, punctuality, and completion of assignments. Students who practice discipline are more likely to stay focused, attentive, and committed to their studies. They develop effective study habits, demonstrate academic integrity, and engage in active learning, leading to higher academic achievement.

Discipline is also vital in professional settings. It fosters productivity, professionalism, and accountability. Employees who exhibit discipline adhere to work schedules, meet deadlines, and demonstrate a strong work ethic. They follow ethical guidelines, respect company policies, and contribute to a harmonious and productive work environment. Disciplined professionals are more likely to achieve career success and earn the respect and trust of their colleagues and superiors.

Moreover, discipline is crucial for the smooth functioning of society. It ensures that individuals respect the laws, regulations, and norms that govern social behavior. Discipline encourages citizens to be responsible, law-abiding members of society, promoting social harmony and stability. It fosters a sense of civic duty, encouraging individuals to actively participate in community activities, volunteerism, and initiatives that benefit society as a whole.

In conclusion, discipline is a vital virtue that contributes to personal growth, academic success, professional excellence, and a well-functioning society. By practicing discipline, individuals develop self-control, responsibility, and a sense of order. It enables us to lead purposeful lives, make wise choices, and achieve our goals. Discipline is an essential aspect of personal development and plays a significant role in shaping the progress and well-being of our communities and society as a whole.

Title: Discipline – The Path to Success and Personal Growth

Introduction :

Discipline is a virtue that encompasses self-control, adherence to rules, and the ability to maintain order and focus in various aspects of life. It is a fundamental characteristic that plays a significant role in personal development, academic achievement, and professional success. Discipline enables individuals to cultivate self-discipline, responsibility, and a sense of purpose, leading to enhanced productivity and personal growth. In this essay, we will explore the importance of discipline, its impact on different areas of life, and strategies for developing and maintaining discipline.

The Importance of Discipline

Discipline is vital for personal growth and success. It serves as the foundation for achieving goals, managing time effectively, and making wise choices. By practicing discipline, individuals develop self-control, which enables them to resist distractions, temptations, and impulsive behavior. Discipline helps individuals prioritize tasks, set realistic goals, and work towards them systematically. It fosters a sense of responsibility, ensuring that commitments are fulfilled and tasks are completed on time. Without discipline, it becomes challenging to stay focused, maintain motivation, and accomplish objectives.

Discipline also plays a crucial role in academic achievement. Students who practice discipline are more likely to attend classes regularly, submit assignments on time, and engage actively in their studies. They develop effective study habits, manage their time efficiently, and utilize resources effectively. Disciplined students show commitment to their education, leading to improved academic performance, enhanced learning outcomes, and a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

In the professional realm, discipline is a key attribute for success. It allows individuals to maintain professional standards, adhere to work schedules, and meet deadlines. Disciplined professionals demonstrate a strong work ethic, take ownership of their responsibilities, and work efficiently. They show dedication, consistency, and professionalism, which enhances their reputation, increases opportunities for growth and advancement, and earns the respect of their peers and superiors.

Strategies for Developing Discipline

Developing discipline requires conscious effort and practice. Here are some strategies to cultivate discipline in various areas of life:

Set Clear Goals: Define clear and specific goals for yourself. Establishing goals provides direction and motivation, making it easier to stay focused and disciplined.

Create a Routine: Establish a daily routine that includes specific time slots for various activities, such as work, study, exercise, and leisure. Following a routine helps in managing time effectively and ensuring tasks are completed without procrastination.

Prioritize Tasks: Identify and prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. This helps in avoiding distractions and ensures that important tasks are given appropriate attention and completed on time.

Practice Self-Control: Develop self-control by consciously making choices that align with your goals and values. Practice resisting immediate gratification and impulse behaviors that may hinder progress.

Break Tasks into Manageable Chunks: Large tasks can be overwhelming, leading to procrastination. Break them down into smaller, manageable chunks and tackle them one at a time. Celebrate small accomplishments along the way to stay motivated.

Create a Supportive Environment: Surround yourself with people who encourage discipline and share similar values. Seek accountability partners or join study or work groups to stay motivated and inspired.

Eliminate Distractions: Minimize distractions that can hinder discipline and focus. Turn off notifications on your devices, create a designated study or work area, and establish boundaries to protect your time and concentration.

Practice Time Management: Develop effective time management skills by setting realistic deadlines, prioritizing tasks, and allocating specific time slots for different activities. Use productivity tools, such as calendars and to-do lists, to stay organized and on track.

Practice Self-Care: Prioritize self-care activities, such as exercise, proper nutrition, and sufficient sleep. Taking care of your physical and mental well-being improves focus, energy levels, and overall discipline.

Stay Motivated: Find ways to stay motivated and inspired. Set rewards for accomplishing tasks or milestones, seek inspiration from role models and remind yourself of the long-term benefits of discipline.

Conclusion :

Discipline is a vital attribute that contributes to personal growth, academic success, and professional achievements. It enables individuals to develop self-control, responsibility, and a sense of purpose. By practicing discipline, individuals can effectively manage their time, make wise choices, and achieve their goals. Cultivating discipline requires conscious effort, perseverance, and the implementation of various strategies. However, the rewards of discipline are immense, leading to enhanced productivity, personal growth, and a path to success. Embracing discipline as a way of life can bring about positive changes and open doors to new opportunities.

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Argumentative Essay: The Importance of Discipline

Discipline is something that we have all experienced personally in different forms, seen used on others, and is also something that many of us will go on to use later in life, both in the form of self-discipline and as something to keep children and even employees in check. It is essential to life as we know it, and we need it in its many different forms in many different situations.

The first reason that discipline is so important is that we all need to exercise self-discipline to be successful in life. Self-discipline can mean very different things to different people; for students, for example, self-discipline is often about motivating yourself and making yourself concentrate on your studies and get your assignments in on time. For working people, it can be as simple as getting up on time every morning, however tired you may be and how much you may hate your job, getting to work on time and doing your job. Without this kind of self-discipline, people would not be able to enjoy academic success, or be successful in their careers either.

Self-discipline is also required for dieters and anyone doing regular exercise, because given the chance, most of us would prefer to be lazy rather than get up and exercise, and eat burgers and fries rather than healthy food. Without it, even more people would be fat and unhealthy, and a lack of self-discipline in some people certainly contributes to the obesity crisis.

Discipline is also something that needs to be used on others where necessary. If parents didn’t discipline their children when they were naughty, children wouldn’t grow up knowing right from wrong, or be able to become productive members of society who contribute to the system. Equally, schoolteachers need to be able to dish out punishments to children who don’t behave themselves. Without discipline in the classroom, there would be a great deal of disruption and nobody would ever learn anything. Indeed, teachers who struggle to command the respect of students and who fail to use discipline effectively will often have trouble even making themselves heard in a classroom.

In the workplace, discipline is also essential to maintaining a hierarchy and dealing with employees who do not follow company policies and procedures, regularly arrive late or not at all, or treat their co-workers unfairly. Then, you have to consider that without discipline, there would be no law enforcement. Murderers would be roaming the streets and everybody would be stealing from each other, because there would be no consequences for their actions.

Discipline acts as a vital deterrent to stop children being naughty, people from missing work, and even potential criminals from stealing and killing, and for this reason it is vital in human society.

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Short Essay: Discipline

Writing a short essay on “Discipline” involves exploring the concept’s multifaceted nature, its significance in various aspects of life, and the benefits it brings. Discipline is a broad topic, often viewed as the backbone of success and personal development. Here’s a structured guide to help you draft a concise and impactful essay on this subject.

Table of Contents

Title and Introduction

Title:  Choose a concise and engaging title that reflects the essence of your essay, such as “The Power of Discipline: A Key to Success.”

Understanding Discipline

Definition and Scope:  Clearly define what discipline means. It can be self-regulation, adherence to a set of rules, or the training that corrects and molds the mental faculties or moral character. Discuss its scope by mentioning different areas where discipline plays a crucial role, such as academic achievement, sports, personal finance, and professional development.

Historical and Cultural Perspectives:  Briefly touch on how the concept of discipline has been viewed in different cultures or historical periods. This can provide depth to your essay, showing that the interpretation and implementation of discipline can vary widely.

The Importance of Discipline

In Academic Settings:  Illustrate how discipline is crucial for academic success. Explain how structured study times and adherence to guidelines and deadlines are vital for excelling in educational endeavors.

Challenges and Strategies

Wrap up your essay by summarizing the key points discussed. Reinforce how discipline is integral to personal and professional success and overall well-being. Conclude with a final thought or call to action, encouraging readers to reflect on their own levels of discipline or to take steps to improve it.

Discipline Essay Example #1

There are different types of discipline, including positive discipline, negative discipline, and restorative discipline. Positive discipline involves rewarding good behavior to encourage its repetition. For instance, a teacher may reward a student who consistently completes their homework on time with a certificate or a prize. Negative discipline involves punishing bad behavior to discourage its repetition. For example, a parent may ground their child for misbehaving or not following the rules. Restorative discipline involves repairing harm caused by bad behavior and restoring relationships. For instance, a mediator may bring together two parties in a conflict to resolve their differences and restore their relationship.

Discipline Essay Example #2

Discipline is a crucial aspect of personal and societal development. It refers to a set of rules and regulations that govern behavior and promote order, responsibility, and self-control. In this essay, we will explore the definition and importance of discipline, types and methods of discipline, and the consequences of lack of discipline. By the end of this essay, we will have a better understanding of the role of discipline in promoting personal and societal growth.

The consequences of lack of discipline are significant, both for individuals and society as a whole. Lack of discipline can lead to social problems such as crime, drug abuse, and academic failure. For example, individuals who lack discipline may engage in criminal activities, which can harm others and disrupt social order. Lack of discipline can also lead to academic failure, as individuals who lack self-control may not be able to focus on their studies. To promote discipline in individuals and society as a whole, strategies such as education, counseling, and mentorship can be employed. These strategies can help individuals to develop self-control and respect for authority, which are essential in promoting personal and societal growth.

Discipline is a crucial aspect of personal and societal development. It promotes order, responsibility, and self-control, which are essential for individuals to achieve their full potential. There are various types and methods of discipline, and the effectiveness and appropriateness of each depend on the situation. Lack of discipline can lead to social problems such as crime, drug abuse, and academic failure. To promote discipline in individuals and society as a whole, strategies such as education, counseling, and mentorship can be employed. By promoting discipline, individuals and society can achieve their full potential and contribute to the growth and development of their communities.

Discipline Essay Example #3

Definition and Importance of Discipline is the practice of training oneself or others to follow a set of rules, guidelines, or principles. It is a crucial aspect of personal and professional growth as it helps individuals develop self-control, responsibility, and accountability. Discipline is essential in promoting desirable behavior and eliminating negative behavior, which can lead to success in personal and professional life. For instance, an athlete who practices discipline by following a strict training regimen and adhering to a healthy diet is more likely to achieve success in their sport. Moreover, discipline is vital in achieving personal goals. It helps individuals stay focused and committed, even in the face of challenges and setbacks. For example, a student who practices discipline by studying regularly and managing their time effectively is more likely to excel academically.

Discipline plays a critical role in various settings, including the classroom, workplace, and home. In the classroom, discipline is essential in maintaining order, promoting learning, and creating a safe and respectful environment for students. Teachers use a combination of positive and negative discipline to promote desirable behavior and eliminate negative behavior. In the workplace, discipline is crucial in promoting productivity, professionalism, and a positive work environment. Employers use a range of disciplinary measures, such as coaching, counseling, and progressive discipline, to promote desirable behavior and eliminate negative behavior. In the home, discipline is essential in shaping behavior, promoting responsibility, and creating a safe and respectful environment for children. Parents use a range of disciplinary measures, such as positive reinforcement, time-out, and consequences, to promote desirable behavior and eliminate negative behavior.

In conclusion, discipline is a critical aspect of personal and professional growth. It helps individuals develop self-control, responsibility, and accountability, and promotes desirable behavior. There are different types of discipline, including positive, negative, and restorative discipline, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Discipline plays a vital role in various settings, including the classroom, workplace, and home, and is essential in maintaining order, promoting productivity, and shaping behavior.

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Essay On Discipline

Table of Contents

Short Essay On Discipline

Discipline is a concept that refers to the practice of training people to follow rules and regulations in order to achieve specific goals or objectives. It is the foundation of good behavior, character, and success in both personal and professional life.

Discipline requires self-control, determination, and the ability to delay gratification in pursuit of long-term goals. It involves setting boundaries, following routines, and practicing good habits. Whether it is in the form of personal habits, such as waking up early and exercising regularly, or in the workplace, such as adhering to deadlines and following protocols, discipline is essential for success.

Discipline also plays an important role in child development. Children learn discipline through positive reinforcement and constructive criticism from their parents, teachers, and other adults. A disciplined upbringing helps children develop self-esteem, self-confidence, and a strong sense of responsibility.

In the classroom, discipline helps create an environment conducive to learning. When students are disciplined and well-behaved, teachers can focus on teaching, and students can focus on learning. On the other hand, a lack of discipline in the classroom can lead to disruptions, which can distract both students and teachers, and hinder the learning process.

In conclusion, discipline is a crucial aspect of our lives and helps us achieve our goals, whether personal or professional. It requires perseverance, self-control, and determination, and can be fostered through positive reinforcement, constructive criticism, and setting clear boundaries and routines. By developing and maintaining a disciplined approach to life, we can achieve greater success and happiness.

Long Essay On Discipline

Discipline is an important value in any successful life. It is the foundation upon which good habits are built and a sense of responsibility is cultivated. In this essay, we will discuss why discipline is necessary and how it can be used to achieve greater success in our lives. We will also look at ways to foster self-discipline and examine its importance in developing a strong work ethic and maintaining healthy relationships.

Introduction to Discipline

Discipline is the most important thing in life. It is the key to success, and it is the foundation of a happy and fulfilling life.

Without discipline, we would not be able to achieve our goals or reach our potential. We would be like a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly through life.

Discipline gives us focus. It helps us to stay on track and achieve our objectives. It gives us direction in life, and it keeps us from getting sidetracked or distracted.

Discipline also teaches us self-control. It helps us to control our thoughts, our emotions, and our actions. We learn to control ourselves when we are disciplined.

And finally, discipline brings about peace of mind. When we are disciplined, we are less likely to worry or stress about things that are out of our control. We know that we can handle whatever comes our way because we have developed the inner strength and resilience that comes with discipline.

What is Discipline and Why is it Important?

Discipline is the practice of making people obey rules or follow a particular code of behavior. It is often thought of as a negative concept, but it can also be thought of as a tool for shaping positive behavior.

There are many different types of discipline, but they all share the common goal of helping people to behave in ways that are deemed acceptable by those in authority. Different types of discipline may be used in different situations, but the ultimate goal is always to encourage positive behavior and discourage negative behavior.

There are many reasons why discipline is important. Perhaps the most obvious reason is that it helps to maintain order and control in society. Without rules and penalties for breaking them, society would quickly degenerate into chaos.

In addition to maintaining social order, discipline is also important for promoting individual safety. For example, traffic laws are designed to keep drivers safe by preventing them from engaging in dangerous behaviors like speeding or drunken driving. Workplace safety regulations are another example of how discipline can protect individuals from harm.

Finally, discipline is important because it helps people to learn and grow. In schools, students are expected to adhere to certain rules of conduct in order to create an environment conducive to learning. At home and in the workplace, people who display self-discipline tend to be more successful than those who do not. They are able to set goals and stick to them, which leads to personal and professional growth.

Types of Discipline

There are many different types of discipline that can be effective in managing children’s behavior. The most common type of discipline is verbal or physical punishment, which is usually delivered in the form of scolding or spanking. Although this type of discipline may be effective in the short-term, it can often lead to long-term problems such as resentment, anger, and behavioral issues.

Other types of discipline include positive reinforcement, which rewards good behavior, and negative reinforcement, which involves removing privileges after bad behavior. Both of these methods can be effective in teaching children proper behavior without causing undue stress or anxiety.

Whatever type of discipline you choose to use, it’s important to be consistent with it and apply it fairly. Children need to know what behaviors are acceptable and what isn’t, and they need to know that there will be consequences for their actions. With a consistent and fair disciplinary system in place, you can help your child learn how to behave properly and avoid difficult situations.

Benefits of Discipline

There are many benefits of having discipline in your life. One benefit is that you will be able to achieve your goals. When you have discipline, you are able to stay focused on what you want to achieve and not get sidetracked. Another benefit is that you will be able to overcome obstacles. If you are disciplined, you will be able to stay the course even when things get tough. Finally, discipline can lead to success. When you are disciplined, you are more likely to achieve your goals and reach your full potential.

Ways to Cultivate Discipline in Your Life

There are many ways to cultivate discipline in your life. One way is to set goals and work towards them consistently. Another way is to be mindful of your thoughts and actions and make sure they align with your goals. You can also develop discipline by practicing self-control, staying focused, and being organized. Lastly, you can cultivate discipline by setting boundaries for yourself and sticking to them.

Examples of How Discipline Has Helped People Succeed

Discipline has helped people succeed in many different ways. For example, it can help them stay focused on their goals, overcome challenges, and persevere through difficult times.

Without discipline, it would be very difficult to achieve success in any area of life. It is a crucial ingredient for achieving any sort of meaningful accomplishment.

There are countless examples of people who have succeeded thanks to their disciplined approach to life. One well-known example is the story of Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine. Prefontaine was extremely disciplined in his training regimen, and as a result, he became one of the most successful runners in history.

If you want to achieve success in anything you do, you need to be willing to put in the hard work and discipline required. There are no shortcuts to success – only hard work and dedication will get you there.

Challenges with Disciplining Yourself

There are many challenges that come with disciplining yourself. Perhaps the most difficult challenge is staying motivated. It can be easy to start off strong and then fizzle out after a week or two. This is why it’s important to find ways to keep yourself motivated, whether it’s setting small goals, reward yourself for meeting those goals, or finding a support system to help you stay on track.

Another common challenge is dealing with distractions. It can be hard to stay focused when there are so many things vying for your attention. One way to combat this is by setting limits on your distractions. For example, if you know you have trouble focusing when you’re watching TV, then set a rule for yourself that you can only watch TV for 30 minutes per day. This will help you focus on other tasks and not get distracted by the TV.

Finally, another challenge people face when disciplining themselves is procrastination. It can be hard to get started on a task when you’re feeling overwhelmed or just don’t want to do it. One way to deal with this is by breaking the task down into smaller, more manageable pieces. For example, if you’re writing an essay, break it down into smaller steps like brainstorming ideas, doing research, writing a rough draft, and editing your final draft. By taking small steps, you’ll make progress on your goal and eventually reach your deadline.

Discipline is a virtue that should be inculcated in everyone from childhood to adulthood. It helps us stay focused, achieve our goals and lead an orderly lifestyle. If we all keep the values of discipline in mind and implement them into our daily lives, we will certainly realize its immense benefits that it has to offer. Discipline can help us create better relationships with others while also helping us become more successful individuals. Thus, proper discipline should be encouraged at home, school as well as work places for creating healthy societies filled with motivated and hardworking people who are always striving for success!

Manisha Dubey Jha is a skilled educational content writer with 5 years of experience. Specializing in essays and paragraphs, she’s dedicated to crafting engaging and informative content that enriches learning experiences.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Discipline — The Role of Discipline in Achieving Success

The Role of Discipline in Achieving Success

• Categories: Discipline Overcoming Challenges Success

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Words: 688 |

Published: Aug 31, 2023

Words: 688 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Defining discipline and success, the role of self-control and consistency, time management and productivity, resilience and overcoming challenges, goal setting and focus, professional development and career advancement, healthy lifestyle and personal growth, discipline in relationships and interactions.

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Article contents

Interdisciplinarity: its meaning and consequences.

• Raymond C. Miller Raymond C. Miller Department of International Relations, San Francisco State University
• https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.013.92
• Published in print: 01 March 2010
• Published online: 20 November 2017
• This version: 27 August 2020
• Previous version

Interdisciplinarity is an analytically reflective study of the methodological, theoretical, and institutional implications of implementing interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and research. Interdisciplinary approaches in the social sciences began in the 1920s. At a minimum, they involve the application of insights and perspectives from more than one conventional discipline to the understanding of social phenomena. The formal concept of interdisciplinarity entered the literature in the early 1970s. The scholars responsible all shared the thought that the scientific enterprise had become less effective due to disciplinary fragmentation and that a countermovement for the unification of knowledge was the proper response. However, not all interdisciplinarians believe that the unification of existing knowledge is the answer.

There are many ways of differentiating between types of interdisciplinary approaches. One classification distinguishes between multidisciplinary, crossdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches. Multidisciplinary approaches involve the simple act of juxtaposing parts of several conventional disciplines in an effort to get a broader understanding of some common theme or problem. Crossdisciplinary approaches involve real interaction across the conventional disciplines, though the extent of communication; thus, combination, synthesis, or integration of concepts and/or methods vary considerably. Transdisciplinary approaches, meanwhile, involve articulated conceptual frameworks that seek to transcend the more limited world views of the specialized conventional disciplines. Even though many believe that interdisciplinary efforts can create innovative knowledge, the power structure of the disciplinary academy resists interdisciplinary inroads on its authority and resources.

• academic discipline
• area studies
• interdisciplinary approaches
• interdisciplinarity
• interdiscipline
• multidisciplinary
• cross-disciplinary
• transdisciplinary

Updated in this version

Updated references; major revisions throughout.

Introduction

As early as the 1920s, the US Social Science Research Council (SSRC) recognized that, in only several decades after its invention, the departmental/disciplinary structure of the university was becoming an obstacle to effectively addressing comprehensive social problems. Especially in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, the Rockefeller Foundation and then the Ford Foundation worked with the SSRC to fund interdisciplinary research and teaching in US higher education. In the early Cold War era, area studies programs were major recipients of that funding. As a consequence, international studies during this period were often conceptualized as interdisciplinary (Calhoun, 2017 ). At the founding of the International Studies Association (ISA) in 1959 , its mission statement explicitly states that the ISA “promotes interdisciplinary approaches to problems that cannot fruitfully be examined from the confines of a single discipline” ( International Studies Perspectives , May, 2007 , back cover).

The first section of this essay is a historical survey of selected professional literature on interdisciplinary studies, beginning with the classic 1972 OECD Report on its Paris conference (Apostel, 1972 ). It was the first major book entitled Interdisciplinarity . To achieve some conceptual clarity on the many varieties of interdisciplinary activity in the academy, basic terms were defined and a typology proposed. The second major part of this essay is structured by that typology of multidisciplinary, crossdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches. Since all of these categories rely on disciplines as the core ingredient, discipline is also defined.

In recent years, the concept interdisciplinarity has become popular among scholars. Many books and articles have it in their titles. Books on interdisciplinary approaches vary from those promoting interdisciplinarity (Farrell, Lusatia, & Vanden Hove, 2013 ) to those denigrating it and praising the superior qualities of the disciplines (Jacobs, 2014 ). Furthermore, the widespread discussion of interdisciplinarity does not mean that it has politically succeeded in the academy. By and large the conventional disciplines have maintained their power over the university and funding bureaucracies. The last section of this essay discusses the varying fortunes of interdisciplinary approaches in the academy, especially in reference to international relations.

Historical Survey of Select Literature

The noun interdisciplinarity made its professional debut in a 1972 publication from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The report, entitled Interdisciplinarity: Problems of Teaching and Research in Universities (Apostel, 1972 ), was sponsored by OECD’s Parisian-based Centre for Educational Research and Innovation. The Report had chapters written by scholars from six different European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Though there were many differences between them, they all shared the thought that the scientific enterprise had become less effective due to disciplinary fragmentation, and that a counter movement for the unification of knowledge was the proper response. The problem was “how to unify knowledge and what the many implications of such unity are for teaching and research in the universities …” (Apostel, 1972 , p. 11). Unification “means the integration of concepts and methods in these disciplines” (pp. 11–12). A number of unifying schemas were proposed, including mathematics, linguistic structuralism, Marxism and general systems. Although the authors had different “transdisciplinary” proposals, they all agreed that “interdisciplinarity is a way of life. It is basically a mental outlook which combines curiosity with open mindedness and a spirit of adventure and discovery. . . .” It is practiced collectively. . . . It teaches that there can be no discontinuity between education and research” (Apostel, p. 285).

In addition to a number of important theoretical articles, the OECD report had a major emphasis on the design and implementation of interdisciplinary universities. The authors of that section, Asa Briggs of Sussex University and Guy Michaud of the University of Paris, gave as their sample model an interdisciplinary university with a special emphasis on international relations. They believed that because the field of international relations had the most complex connections, it necessarily involved the study of many methods, disciplines, issues, languages, and geographical areas. All students of their proposed university were expected to be familiar with the basic approaches and concepts of anthropology, politics, economics, international law, ecology, geography, history, sociology, and ethno-psychology (Apostel, 1972 , pp. 253–257).

Chronologically, the next major book that addressed the general issue of interdisciplinarity in the university setting was entitled Interdisciplinarity and Higher Education . It was published in 1979 , and its editor was Joseph Kockelmans, the Director of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Program at Pennsylvania State University. Possibly because he was European-educated, his orientation was similar to the authors of the OECD Report. He argued that only through “philosophical reflection” can the society’s intellectuals approach the “totality of meaning.” To overcome the fragmented worlds that they have created, they need to reach agreement not only on the position of the sciences, but also on “religion, morality, the arts and our sociopolitical praxis” (Kockelmans, 1979 , pp. 153–158). However, Kockelmans was opposed to using a pre-existing framework, such as the ones listed above in the OECD Report, or the logical positivism of the Unification of Science movement spearheaded by the Vienna Circle in the 1930s. None of them fulfilled the comprehensive vision that Kockelmans advocated.

In October of 1984 , OECD, in collaboration with the Swedish National Board of Universities and Colleges, decided to hold a conference to revisit the concept and experience of interdisciplinarity. More than half of the participants were from Sweden, and almost half of them were from one university, Linköping. Linköping University was especially interested in the topic because it had instituted a doctoral program based on four interdisciplinary themes (technology and social change, water in environment and society, health and society, and communication). The proceedings of the conference were published under the title Interdisciplinarity Revisited: Re-Assessing the Concept in the Light of Institutional Experience (Levin & Lind, 1985 ). Essentially the conferees agreed that the early enthusiasm for an interdisciplinary revolution was dampened by the realities of societal and institutional politics. Interdisciplinary research and teaching were still happening, but they were easier to accomplish if the participants did not boldly label them as such. The advisability of keeping a low profile was due to the fact that the “magical slot” from the mid 1960s to the early 1970s, in which interdisciplinary innovation had flourished, was replaced by a more conservative period in which disciplines reasserted their authority. George Papadopoulos of the OECD concluded that, “interdisciplinarity, even when it succeeds in unscrambling existing curricula, remains a hostage to the disciplines” (Levin & Lind, 1985 , p. 208).

The first major work on interdisciplinarity by an American-educated scholar was published in 1990 by Julie Thompson Klein, professor of humanities at Wayne State University. Her book is entitled Interdisciplinarity: History, Theory and Practice . Rather than making an argument for a particular approach, Klein provided a compilation of all the existing literature across all fields of knowledge. She concluded her extensive survey by observing:

Interdisciplinarity has been variously defined in this century: as a methodology, a concept, a process, a way of thinking, a philosophy, and a reflexive ideology. It has been linked with attempts to expose the dangers of fragmentation, to reestablish old connections, to explore emerging relationships, and to create new subjects adequate to handle our practical and conceptual needs. Cutting across all these theories is one recurring idea. Interdisciplinarity is a means of solving problems and answering questions that cannot be satisfactorily addressed using single methods or approaches. Whether the context is a short-range instrumentality or a long-range reconceptualization of epistemology, the concept represents an important attempt to define and establish common ground. (Klein, 1990 , p. 196)

Nowhere in Julie Klein’s extensive bibliography (97 pages long) is there mention of the term international relations or international studies , although she does have a section on area studies.

In 1997 , the Academia Europaea and the European Commission organized a conference in Cambridge, England around the topic “Interdisciplinarity and the Organisation of Knowledge in Europe.” The conference proceedings were published in 1999 under the same title (Cunningham, ed.). There were 24 contributors from 11 countries with most (9) coming from the United Kingdom. Several contributors referred back to the seminal article by Erich Jantsch in the 1972 OECD pioneering publication. Collectively they agreed that modern disciplines were a product of the scientific revolution of the 19th century . The specialized research entities of the University of Berlin seem to have been the origin of the disciplinary structure of knowledge. “Focusing scholarly attention on the essence or nucleus of the individual subject led inevitably to the putting-up of barriers” (Rüegg, 1999 , pp. 34–35). The division into insular, specialized disciplines was seen by sociologists as an almost inevitable outcome of the differentiation associated with the process of industrialization. John Ziman argued that the impetus toward greater and greater specialization had to do with the scholarly requirement for originality. It’s easier to be a “big frog in a small pond” (Ziman, 1999 , pp. 74–75). He concluded his essay by contending that “disciplines stand for stability and uniformity,” whereas “interdisciplinarity is a code word for diversity and adaptability” (pp. 81–82).

In the United States, some of the young scholars in international relations observed the disciplinary narrowing of the field and decided to publish a book in 2000 entitled Beyond Boundaries: Disciplines, Paradigms, and Theoretical Integration in International Studies (Sil & Doherty, 2000 ). A review (Miller, 2001 ) appearing in the newsletter of the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies observed that the book does not deliver on its promise to meaningfully discuss disciplines, paradigms, and theoretical integration; however, it does juxtapose different theoretical positions while calling for international relations scholars to be tolerant and willing to cross boundaries between disciplines and schools of thought.

In 2002 , an English academic, Joe Moran, published a book that he simply entitled Interdisciplinarity . Though broad in comprehension, it focuses on English and cultural studies. He argued that the institutional implications of openly pursuing interdisciplinary approaches are inevitably political, both in the hierarchy of knowledge and in the allocation of material resources (Moran, 2002 ). Oxford University Press decided to enter this academic realm by publishing the Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity (Froderman, Klein, & Mitcham, 2010 ). None of the 37 chapters are primarily on international studies, though one of the chapters uses area studies as an example (Calhoun & Rhoten, 2010 ). In 2017 , the Handbook came out in a second edition (Froderman). Its 46 chapters address many issues, ranging from funding to pedagogy. However, there is still no chapter dedicated to international studies. The philosopher and editor Robert Froderman argued that “interdisciplinarity is the bridge between academic sophists (disciplinarians) and the rest of society” (p. 7).

In 2009 , Pami Aalto of Tampere University in Finland embarked on a major project to discuss and showcase interdisciplinary approaches in international studies. Two books emerged from the project. The first was International Studies: Interdisciplinary Approaches (Aalto, Harle & Moisio, 2011 ), and the second, Global and Regional Problems: Towards an Interdisciplinary Study (Aalto, Harle, & Moisio, 2012 ). Aalto and his fellow editors argue, “We want to assert that International Studies—as a wider field of studies than International Relations—must necessarily be more interdisciplinary than International Relations ever was during its golden era from the 1950s onwards” (Aalto et al., 2011 , p. 3). They observed that, in the inter-war period, international studies was an interdisciplinary field with materials and perspectives drawn from many fields and disciplines. They noted that this sense of the field was spelled out in the 1939 League of Nations publication University Teaching of International Relations (Zimmern) as well as Quincy Wright’s magnum opus The Study of International Relations ( 1955 ). Despite Wright’s extraordinary effort to synthesize over 20 fields into the study of international relations, his influence over the subsequent development of the field has been minimal. International relations, especially in the United States from the 1950s on, has become more and more embedded in political science. A key reason for this evolution was the focus on the cold war power conflict. Ironically, a major intellectual force in this development was Quincy Wright’s colleague at the University of Chicago, Hans Morgenthau. However, with the end of the Cold War era, Aalto and his fellow editors were hoping for the emergence of a broader, more diverse, interdisciplinary approach to international studies (Aalto et al., 2011 , pp. 11–19).

In 2013 , two European-based scholars, Andrew Barry and Georgina Born, published a book in which they claimed to rethink what is meant by interdisciplinarity, entitled Interdisciplinarity: Reconfigurations of the Social and Natural Sciences . For instance, the authors challenge the conventional statement that interdisciplinary activity is about combining and integrating knowledge from existing disciplines. They believe that interdisciplinarity is about gathering knowledge from all available sources, not just disciplines. They point to community-based knowledge, local experience, and indigenous knowledge, among other sources. Also, they start with the premise that neither disciplinary nor interdisciplinary activities are monolithic or unchanging. Disciplines do have the political advantage in the academy because they usually control the curriculum and the budgets that include faculty hiring. Thus, the disciplines have considerable control over the conditions that determine the degree of receptivity to interdisciplinary research and teaching in any particular university setting. In Barry and Born’s opinion, truly interdisciplinary activities have qualities that differentiate them positively from the disciplines. These three qualities are accountability, innovation, and ontology. Accountability means being more responsive to societal needs. Innovation means being more practical about the problems that are addressed. And ontology means that interdisciplinary activities are more likely to be relational, holistic, and to view humans as being embedded in nature. Also, they respect the participation of the public in the discovery and application of knowledge. But interdisciplinary programs come and go. Some have staying power and become established interdisciplines, even new disciplines. Some get absorbed, whereas others disappear altogether. “The chapters in this book attest to the heterogeneity that characterises both disciplines and interdisciplines and the necessity of probing the genealogies of particular interdisciplinary problematics” (Barry & Born, 2013 , p. 41).

The American Political Science Association noted the increasing popularity of interdisciplinary rhetoric and practice, and in 2007 , they established a Task Force to study it. The report of the Task Force was published under the title Interdisciplinarity: Its Role in a Discipline-Based Academy (Aldrich, 2014 ). The report is interesting because of the obvious tension that permeates the document between proponents of disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity. The first chapter reiterates the value of disciplines. The Task Force Chair, John Aldrich, argued that disciplines are the foundation of knowledge and the academy. In his view, interdisciplinary efforts often lack valid and reliable measures for judging scholarship and teaching, and thus are inherently inferior. Nevertheless, in a subsequent chapter, four pioneers of interdisciplinary scholarship argued for the superior merits of interdisciplinary approaches. The four are David Easton (systems), R. Duncan Luce (cognitive science), and Susanne and Lloyd Rudolph (area studies). In fact, Easton stated, “I don’t see anything that can possibly be exciting and not be interdisciplinary. I think the disciplines have sort of exhausted their contributions to our understanding of politics” (Aldrich, 2014 , p. 55). Lloyd Rudolph concluded his interview by offering this reflection: “I realize that it is not only that I value interdisciplinarity but also that I value being allowed to think out of the box of disciplinary methods. New concepts reveal new realities” (Aldrich, 2014 , p. 72).

In 2013 and 2015 , two books were published that had both “interdisciplinary” and “international relations” in their titles. The first was Interdisciplinary Perspectives on International Law and International Relations: The State of the Art , edited by Jeffrey Dunoff and Mark Pollack ( 2013 ). A more accurate title would have been “interdisciplinary perspectives on the historical relationship between international law and international relations.” The authors noted that during the inter-war period, scholars in the two fields worked very closely together. However, with the advent of World War II and the rise of realism as the dominant theory in international relations, the study of law was considered irrelevant, as unenforceable international law does not affect the behavior of nation-states. Furthermore, normative law was considered too non-scientific for the post-World War II behavioralists/positivists political scientists. It’s worth noting that the editors consider international relations a discipline and that they seem to use it interchangeably with political science. With the rise of other theories in international relations that challenged the dominance of realism, international law became a more acceptable ingredient of international relations scholarship in the 1990s and thereafter. However, instead of a more equal relationship between two disciplines, international law was often considered a subject rather than a discipline. Or as the editors put it, “the intellectual terms of trade were asymmetrical” (Dunoff & Pollack, 2013 , p. 649). The interdisciplinary perspective of the editors and their fellow authors is reflected in their call for more pragmatic, eclectic theoretical approaches drawn from both international relations and international law. “Our call therefore is not for token inclusion of international law approaches, but rather for an interdisciplinary version of the pragmatic, analytically eclectic, tool-kit approach” (p. 653).

The second book, edited by Patrick James and Steve Yetiv, was Advancing Interdisciplinary Approaches to International Relations (Yetiv & James, 2015 ). Their advancement illustration is the application of many perspectives from different disciplines and interdisciplines to the topic of conflict studies. These include history, political science, psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, gender studies, technology studies, demography, and systems analysis (p. 324).

In 2016 , the British Academy published a report on its investigation of interdisciplinary research and teaching in higher education in the United Kingdom. It is entitled Crossing Paths: Interdisciplinary Institutions, Careers, Education and Applications . The working group was chaired by David Soskice of the London School of Economics. In his preface, he recognized the need to promote interdisciplinarity. According to him, this was necessary because the universities, the research councils, the journals and publishers were organized along disciplinary lines. “The incentive structures set up by the interplay of these institutions militates against interdisciplinarity” (p. 5). Then, paradoxically, Soskice went on to argue, as did the group report, that the best way to promote interdisciplinarity is the support of “strong disciplines” (Soskice, 2016 , p. 6). This seems like a strategy that would perpetuate the problem they have identified. The group recommended that junior faculty should first make their reputations in a home discipline. Only then would it be safe to venture into interdisciplinary territory (p. 9). However, once socialized in the discipline’s world view, it’s less likely that faculty will venture into interdisciplinary territory.

The British Academy report recognizes that getting a credible and fair evaluation of interdisciplinary research is very difficult in a discipline-controlled environment. Nevertheless, the working group recommended “evaluating the whole and not just disciplinary parts of any interdisciplinary output. The quality of interdisciplinary work lies in the way that it brings disciplines together” (Soskice, 2016 , p. 10). The evaluation chapter provides a set of guidance questions for research-review panels for evaluating interdisciplinary research proposals. One of the questions asks whether the proposal shows “an understanding of the challenges of interdisciplinary integration, including methodological integration, and the human side of fostering interactions and communication.” Therefore, it is not surprising that the chapter ends with the statement, “a focus on interdisciplinarity revives a sense of the academy as a holistic intellectual and social organism, integrated into the wider community, in which multiple flows and exchanges between all of its parts ensure its vitality” (Soskice, 2016 , p. 70).

In 2019 , Issues in Interdisciplinary Studies dedicated an entire issue to the work of the most prolific American scholar of interdisciplinarity, Julie Thompson-Klein (Augsburg, 2019 ). Her newest book is scheduled to be published in 2021 with the title Beyond Interdisciplinarity: Boundary Work, Communication, and Collaboration in the 21st Century . The book focuses on a full range of sector-crossing, including not only academic disciplines, but also occupational professions, interdisciplinary fields, public and private spheres, local communities, project stakeholders, and countries and cultures across the globe, wherever knowledge production is occurring. This new book is an update and extension of her earlier work, Crossing Boundaries: Knowledge, Disciplinarities, and Interdisciplinarities (1996) .

Academic Discipline

Disciplines are the basic units in the structure of knowledge that have been “historically delineated by departmentalization. Within each discipline there are rational, accidental, and arbitrary factors responsible for the peculiar combination of subject matter, techniques of investigation, orienting thought models, principles of analysis, methods of explanation and aesthetic standards” (Miller, 1982 , p. 4). They constitute the bureaucratic subcultures of the modern university. The modern disciplinary system was established at the turn of the 19th into the 20th century .

Many scholars have tried their hand at the task of explicating the characteristics of an academic discipline, but the list provided by Arthur King and John Brownell ( 1966 ) in The Curriculum and the Disciplines of Knowledge still seems among the clearest and most comprehensive. Below is this author’s version of their original list:

Field of demarcated study (subject matter boundaries, inclusions and exclusions).

Shared set of underlying premises (basic assumptions about how the world works).

Shared set of concepts (jargon).

Shared set of organizing theories/models (explanatory frameworks).

Shared set of truth-determining methods (what counts as data—how to make sense of them—i.e. research protocols).

Shared set of values and norms (preferred approaches to the material field that is studied by the discipline—e.g. economists prefer the approach of the free market; also preferred conduct by the practitioners of the discipline).

These six qualities cumulatively come together as a unique perspective—a coherent world view—a disciplinary paradigm or matrix.

Community of scholars who share this world view (professional identity—academic tribes ).

Shared set of literature and great scholars in the discipline.

Agreement on what to teach (structure and content of the basic texts and curriculum from the introductory course to the advanced graduate seminars).

Means of reinforcing the professional standards (graduate training, hiring and tenure control, associations, conferences, peer-reviewed journals, and grant-making processes).

Departmental home in a college/university (bureaucratic recognition, resource allocation and territorial ownership).

Ideal-type conceptualizations of this nature have great heuristic value, but applying them in the “real world” becomes problematic. After all, every group of faculty organized around a defined academic interest that has aspirations for permanence, wish to be known, at least eventually, as a discipline. Recognition as a discipline means more prestige and the prospect of more dependable institutional support. A working solution to this definitional problem is to limit the designation of discipline to those departmental groupings that appeared at the beginning of the 20th century and have institutionally solidified their presence in the academy over the past 100 plus years. John Ziman called them the “Grand Old Disciplines” ( 1999 , p. 73). Thus, in the social sciences, the conventional and building-block disciplines would be Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology. Without some kind of limitation on the use of the designation discipline, even the distinction between discipline and interdisciplinary can become meaningless. Nevertheless, the solution proposed is admittedly an arbitrary one, but the historical process that created these disciplinary conglomerates in the first place was also a relatively arbitrary process. Eric Wolf argued that the field of classical political economy was divided into the specialized disciplines of economics, political science, sociology and anthropology in a process that lost touch with the real world.

Ostensibly engaged in the study of human behavior, the various disciplines parcel out the subject among themselves. Each then proceeds to set up a model, seemingly a means to explain “hard,” observable facts, yet actually an ideologically loaded scheme geared to a narrow definition of subject matter. (Wolf, 1982 , p. 10)

The establishment of these specialized disciplines at the beginning of the 20th century has been called the “academic enclosure” process (Becher, 1989 ). In a few decades, these disciplines had enclosed themselves in departmental organizations that gave them long-term bureaucratic protection. Yet these disciplines, according to Weingart and Stehr, are “the eyes through which modern society sees and forms its images about the world, frames its experience, and learns, thus shaping its own future or reconstituting the past” (Weingart & Stehr, 1999 , p. xi). Stephen Turner argued that “disciplines are shotgun marriages . . . and are kept together by the reality of the market and the value of the protection of the market that has been created by employment requirements and expectations (Turner, 1999 , p. 55). Turner believed that the disciplines’ animosity toward interdisciplinary initiatives was primarily driven by protectionism (p. 50).

The seventh disciplinary characteristic notes that the first six qualities come together in a world view that is unique to each discipline. Comparing world view components is a useful method for both disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholars. The concept has German origins and has been productively utilized in many academic and non-academic venues for 150 years. This author was introduced into the way anthropologists use the world view method by Robert Redfield ( 1956 ). According to Redfield, every culture or sub-culture has a world view, its embedded “mental map.” It provides guidance on the nature of the world, how we know the truth about it, what is right and wrong behavior, and what emotionally matters the most. Cognitive linguist George Lakoff contended that “World views are complex neural circuits fixed in the brain. People can only understand what fits the neural circuitry in their brains. Real facts can be filtered out by world views” (Lakoff, 2017 ). Critical psychologist Michael Mascolo noted “the concept of world view is founded on the epistemological principle that observation of the physical and social world is a mediated rather than a direct process” (Mascolo, 2014 , p. 2086). He reaffirmed Redfield’s point that a complete world view has an ontology, an epistemology, and a normative belief system.

Table 1. Post-World War II Macro Social Sciences: Comparative Attributes

Source : Miller, R. C. ( 2018 ). International political economy: Contrasting world views (2nd ed., p. 17). London, UK: Routledge.

This author has used world view as the comparative method in understanding the different schools of thought in international political economy (Miller, 2018 ). One step in this process was identifying the comparative attributes of the basic contributing disciplines. A summary of that analysis is in Table 1 : Post World War II Macro Social Sciences: Comparative Attributes. Economics, political science, and sociology are compared in six fundamental dimensions: core subject matter, central concepts, explanatory strategies, normative orientation, data collection, and data analysis.

Interdisciplinary Approaches

Interdisciplinary approaches in the social sciences involve, at a minimum, the application of insights and perspectives from more than one conventional discipline to the understanding of social phenomena. Interdisciplinarity , on the other hand, is an analytically reflective study of the methodological, theoretical, and institutional implications of implementing interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and research. Strictly speaking, interdisciplinarians are those who engage in the scholarly field of interdisciplinarity, though there are many faculty and others who participate effectively in interdisciplinary projects without being reflexive about its methods, theories, and institutional arrangements. On the other hand, interdisciplinary participants are more likely to be aware of their underlying world views than disciplinarians.

There are many ways of differentiating between types of interdisciplinary approaches, and in fact, of defining the basic term, interdisciplinary. For instance, the National Academies of Science propose that:

“Interdisciplinary research is a mode of research by teams or individuals that integrates information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge to advance fundamental understanding or to solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice.” (National Academy of Sciences, 2005 , p. 39)

This definition privileges the process of “integration” as well as identifying “disciplines” as the primary source of the ingredients to be integrated. Lisa Lattuca, in her faculty-interview study Creating Interdisciplinarity ( 2001 ) argued that post-structuralists, like herself and all the humanities professors and most of the social science professors in her study, reject both of these privileging assumptions. They argue that integration presumes harmonious order, whereas reality may be full of oppositions and contradictions, and that using disciplines as the basic raw material legitimizes their monopoly over knowledge. However, all of the natural scientists in her study were comfortable with the type of definition proposed by the National Academies (Lattuca, 2001 , p. 104). The Political Science Task Force Report also accepted it. Nevertheless, interdisciplinary approaches could be broadened to include the processes of juxtaposition, application, synthesis, and transcendence as well as integration.

By utilizing this broader definition of interdisciplinary approaches that includes processes other than integration, the logic of the original OECD typology retains its efficacy. That typology divided interdisciplinary approaches into multidisciplinary, crossdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary. What follows is this author’s version of that typology.

Multidisciplinary Approaches

Multidisciplinary approaches involve the simple act of juxtaposing parts of several conventional disciplines in an effort to get a broader understanding of some common theme or problem. No systematic effort is made to combine or integrate across these disciplines. This is the weakest interdisciplinary approach, and it actually enhances the stature of the participating disciplines because their identities and practices are not threatened. They do not need to change any of their protocols, yet they can claim their openness to interdisciplinary cooperation. Cafeteria-style curricula, team-taught courses, ad hoc research teams, and conference panels could be examples of this approach.

Crossdisciplinary Approaches

Crossdisciplinary approaches involve real interaction across the conventional disciplines, though the extent of communication and thus combination, synthesis or integration of concepts and/or methods varies considerably. Since the variety of crossdisciplinary approaches is so great, this author has created a further six-fold typology. The six sub-categories of crossdisciplinary approaches are: (a) topics of social interest, (b) professional preparation, (c) shared analytical methods, (d) shared concepts, (e) hybrids, and (f) shared life experiences (Miller, 1982 ). Hundreds of crossdisciplinary combinations have been created over the course of the last 100 years. Some of these combinations have been ephemeral, some long lasting, but poorly articulated, and some have developed an institutionalized coherence that rivals the conventional disciplines. The latter in this author’s taxonomy are the interdisciplines . David Long, one of the authors in Aalto’s first book called them “neodisciplines” (Long, 2011 , pp. 52–59).

Transdisciplinary Approaches

Transdisciplinary approaches, according to Jantsch’s classic essay ( 1972 ), involve articulated conceptual frameworks that seek to transcend the more limited world views of the specialized disciplines. These frameworks are holistic in intent. In the 1972 OECD volume, the transdisciplinary approaches mentioned were general systems, structuralism, Marxism, and mathematics. The 21st century transdisciplinary movement in Europe believes that the broader public should be involved in providing, testing, evaluating, and implementing knowledge across all fields. Academic disciplines, therefore, are only a part of the picture.

Social Topics

Important social topics frequently attract members from several disciplines. They start out as multidisciplinary groupings, but over time continuous communication creates a new crossdisciplinary field of study. Examples would include environmental studies, cognitive science, gerontology, labor studies, peace studies, and urban studies. The study of geographical regions, area studies, is an interesting topical example because of its close relationship to international relations.

Professional Preparation

Another organizing principle for crossdisciplinary combinations is relevant knowledge for professional preparation . Examples include business management, diplomatic studies, education, public administration, health services, and policy studies. There are undoubtedly more students, faculty, and practitioners in this professional category than in any of the other categories, but the self-conscious attention to their interdisciplinary nature is very limited. Nevertheless, there are exceptions; for instance, Donald Schön ( 1983 ) in his book The Reflective Practitioner observed that the professions are split between the rational technocratic view of the more theoretical and conventional perspective vs. the more particularistic uncertainty of the actual field situations. He tried to find a middle ground between these extremes by proposing a reflexive approach that combines theory and practice. He argued that professionals should be aware of the frames within which they operate so that they are open to critiquing the one they are using and even shift to another if the situation requires it. Schon’s proposed approach is similar to the interdisciplinary method of comparative world views or multi-perspective analysis (Miller, 1982 ).

Policy studies, a growing field in recent years, manifest this internal tension rather dramatically. In the early 1950s, Harold Lasswell expressed his belief that through a rational and scientific process the best policy options could be identified and implemented toward the betterment of democratic objectives. Some of the analytical methods he advocated, such as benefit/cost analysis, are still being applied today. However, his approach has been criticized as being undemocratic, that is, “scientists know better,” and incredibly unrealistic as the political decision-making process is anything but rational. Studying the “different perspectives that underlie conflict in public policy arenas . . . is more illuminating and ultimately more practical than quixotically tilting at scientific windmills” (Smith & Larimer, 2009 , p. 18).

Shared Analytical Methods

Similar research methods, especially the quantitative ones, are often shared across the disciplines. They provide a basis for bringing methods-oriented faculty members together in more permanent crossdisciplinary associations. These groups have conferences, journals, and even academic programs. Examples of these shared analytical methods include statistics, computer modeling, game theory, and information theory (Miller, 1982 ). However, despite the potential cost savings, conventional disciplinary departments are usually unwilling to replace their own methods courses with the more generic ones from these crossdisciplinary programs.

Shared Concepts

There are some major concepts that appear in many disciplines that have the potential for crossdisciplinary integration. Classic examples of shared concepts include energy, value, flows, role, evolution, development, and cycles (Abbey, 1976 ). George Homans, a sociologist in Harvard’s crossdisciplinary Social Relations Department in the 1960s and 70s used exchange as his main integrating concept. The source of his inspiration was rational exchange theory from the discipline of economics (today it would be called rational choice theory). He made an explicit effort to use benefit/cost exchange as the basis of a theory of human behavior that could integrate across disciplines. Homans argued that although the specifics of exchange relationships may vary across different types of human experience, their overall interactive form may be quite similar (Homans, 1974 ).

The concept of development was dominant in the social sciences in the 1950s and 1960s under the crossdisciplinary umbrella of modernization theory. Modernization theory grew out of the need to achieve some degree of coherent coordination between the different and sometimes contradictory development strategies proposed by the separate social science disciplines. Economists argued that development would occur if sufficient amounts of capital investment are made and markets are developed. Political scientists argued that development requires modern bureaucracies, effective governance, and political participation. Sociologists argued that modern social institutions such as factories, schools, and mass media are key components in any development plan. Anthropologists argued that the residents of poor countries had to change their traditional cultural values into modern ones if development were to occur. Psychologists argued that individual personality development is the key, shifting the orientation from ascription to achievement. Modernization theory tried to bring all of these diverse perspectives together. It was the central organizing theory of the crossdisciplinary field of development studies.

The most widely recognized type of crossdisciplinary approach is undoubtedly the hybrids . Hybrids combine parts of two existing, related disciplines to form interstitial new crossdisciplines that attempt to bridge perceived gaps between disciplines (Miller, 1982 ). Well-known examples include social psychology, political economy, biogeography, and historical sociology. Sometimes the hybrid crossdisciplinary fields generate new theories whose promise is so great that they are borrowed back into their constituent disciplines. Social psychology’s symbolic interaction theory is a case in point. In fact, Dogan and Pahre ( 1990 ) argue that hybrid activity is the most likely source of innovative advances.

One of the most important hybrids in the interdisciplinary realm of international relations is political economy, especially in the form of international political economy (IPE). IPE uses the multi-perspective approach mentioned above. It juxtaposes the competing explanatory perspectives of the market model from economics, institutionalism from political science and sociology, and historical materialism from classical Marxist political economy (Miller, 2018 ). The differing perspectives provide a rich treasury of insights, understandings, critiques, and research strategies.

Shared Life Experiences

The basic premise in crossdisciplinary programs based on shared life experiences is that certain groups have shared a common experience of oppression that gives them a shared identity, a shared rejection of mainstream knowledge that reinforces this oppression, and a shared political agenda to replace the unjust social conditions with an egalitarian society. Three major examples of this category are women’s studies, ethnic studies, and post-colonial studies. These crossdisciplinary fields entered the academy as outgrowths of the social movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They started out as multidisciplinary challengers to the disciplinary/departmental power structure of the university, yet over the past four decades women’s studies and ethnic studies have evolved increasingly into discipline-like programs, in other words, interdisciplines. According to some observers, one of the costs of this institutional acceptance was the loss of one of the early objectives of these movements, social change activism in the community (Messer-Davidow, 2002 ).

Virtually all of the over 700 women’s studies programs in the United States teach feminist theory, an integrating perspective that focuses on socially constructed gender systems and standpoint analysis. Standpoint theory contends that how one perceives any human condition depends on the position that one occupies in the society. Those who are being oppressed are going to see things very differently than those who are doing the oppressing.

According to Ann Tickner, feminism challenges the neo-positivist and state-centric orientation of international relations in the United States. The unequal relationships that pervade the world are socially constructed and vary from place to place, with women suffering universally from male-dominated exercises of power. Furthermore, dichotomies such as those that “separate the mind (rationality) from the body (nature) diminish the legitimacy of women as ‘knowers’” (Tickner, 2014 , p. 86). Knowledge should not be pursued for its own sake or for the benefit of the state but in order to facilitate the emancipation of the oppressed (Tickner, 2014 , pp. 176–77).

Theorists in African-American or Africana studies have made a deliberate effort to incorporate the perspective of women in their key concept, Afrocentricity . The meaning of Afrocentricity is somewhat contested within the interdiscipline, but there is no doubt about what it opposes, namely Eurocentrism. Among the specified features of Eurocentrism are reductionism, individualism, and domination over nature, whereas Afrocentricity is associated with holism, community, and harmony with nature (Azibo, 2001 , p. 424). Karanja Keita Carroll ( 2008 ) contended that the “Afrikan worldview” has embedded within it an African culture-specific axiology, epistemology, logic, cosmology, ontology, teleology, and ideology that necessitate a research methodology that is consistent with these components. Instead of the Eurocentric approach that emphasizes objective detachment, separation between the knower and the known, material reality as primary, either/or logic, and knowledge for knowledge’s sake, the Afrikan worldview emphasizes full engagement, the blending of knower and known, the spiritual essence of reality as primary, both/and logic, and knowledge for the betterment of African peoples. Africana research is about participation, relationships, interdependence, and the liberation of Africana people (Carroll, 2008 , pp. 4–27).

Advocates for transdisciplinary approaches often directly challenge the efficacy of conventional disciplines, claiming that they are part of the problem rather than the solution, especially when the objective is the mitigation of complex social problems. Proponents of transdisciplinary approaches frequently accuse the hegemonic conventional disciplines of protecting the status quo rather than promoting progressive change. The framers of some transdisciplinary approaches see them as providing alternatives to the world views of the conventional disciplines that they would replace. Examples of discipline-replacement transdisciplinary approaches would be general systems theory, Marxism, cultural studies and sustainability studies. Examples of transdisciplinary approaches that could supplement rather than replace conventional disciplines would be symbolic interactionism, rational choice theory, and gender theory (Miller, 1982 ).

General systems theory, the transdisciplinary approach that Jantsch favored, contends that nature is a hierarchy of similar structures up through the whole succession of physical, biological, and social systems. There are similar developmental patterns throughout nature, but there are different paths that can lead to the same destination. Through the organization of energy from the environment (negative entropy) and communication with the environment (negative feedback), systems seek to maintain dynamic equilibria. This theory conceives of nature as a holistic set of relationships that thrives on diversity.

David Easton introduced systems thinking to political science in the 1950s and 1960s because he felt the discipline was too narrow. “I am not a political scientist but rather a social scientist interested in political problems” (Aldrich, 2014 , pp. 52–53). Currently, Carolyn and Patrick James continue Easton’s systems approach with their application of “systemism” to foreign policy analysis. However, in their view, systemism moves away from Easton’s bias toward homeostatic proclivities and emphasis on the macro level. Systemism includes both the macro and the micro and all forms of interaction between them (James & James, 2015 ).

Since the 1960s, general systems theory has been the main transdisciplinary approach of environmental or ecological studies (Costanza, 1990 ). Today, this field is most likely to be called sustainability studies. In a major conference on transdisciplinarity held in Switzerland in 2000 , sustainability was put forward not only as the major reason for the necessity of transdisciplinarity, but also as a transdisciplinary approach in itself (Klein et al., 2001 ). However, Egon Becker argues that sustainability studies is a “transdisciplinary field” that is more of a “conceptual and heuristic framework” than a general theory ( 1999 , pp. 284–285).

The lack of an agreed-upon general theory for engaging in the intellectual process of integrating across disciplines led William Newell to search for the most comprehensive and functionally effective transdisciplinary theory. He decided on general systems. But the first difficulty that Newell faced was deciding on which version of general systems theory to embrace. He identified eight possibilities: chaos, complex systems, fractal geometry, nonlinear dynamics, second-order cybernetics, self-organizing criticality, neo-evolutionary biology, and quantum mechanics (Newell, 2001 ). After studying them all, he chose complex systems as the preferred approach. Newell ( 2001 , p. 7) explains: “Specifically, the theory of interdisciplinarity studies that I am advocating focuses on the form of complexity that is a feature of the structure as well as the behavior of a complex system, on complexity generated by nonlinear relationships among a large number of components, and on the influence of the components and relationships of the system on its overall pattern of behavior.” Newell presented his preferred theory to a panel of well-known interdisciplinarians for their reactions. None of the six respondents agreed with his suggestion, primarily because they did not believe that the range and diversity of interdisciplinary possibilities could be captured within one theoretical framework (Issues in Integrative Studies 19, 2001 , pp, 1–148)

One of the respondents to Newell’s proposal, Richard Carp ( 2001 ), took issue with his basic premise, namely that the knowledge to be integrated via complex systems theory comes exclusively from existing disciplines. Carp insisted on widening the knowledge sources. He stated that we should stop thinking of “the disciplines as unique sources or resources for knowledge and thought” (Carp, 2001 , p. 74). Carp argued that we should “learn from multiple knowledge formations” (p. 75). Disciplines should not be the “gatekeepers.” The universities are just one of the many institutions in society that not only possess knowledge but can also create it. We should not be talking about interdisciplinary studies but “knowledge formations” (p. 75).

In Europe, the transdisciplinary movement has taken several different directions. The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences conference in 2000 promoted a process form of transdisciplinarity that transcended not only disciplinary boundaries, but also the boundary between the scientific establishment on the one hand and the users of the results of scientific research on the other hand. Users include government agencies, businesses, non-profit organizations, and members of the general public. Since all of these groups are stakeholders in the solution of the societal problems that science has an obligation to address, they should all be present at the table in the research process. In fact, the more stakeholders involved, the more “robust” the research. “We take the contributions to the informing and the rationalizing of actions in their societal context to be the main performance of problem-oriented research, and by implication, also of transdisciplinary research” (Zierhofer & Burger, 2007 , p. 57). In other words, according to the Swiss school, the purpose of transdisciplinary research is to seek and facilitate the implementation of solutions for societal problems, such as violence, poverty, and global warming, that serve the common good (Pohl & Hadorn, 2008 ). Norwegian professor Willy Ostreng, in his major book on interdisciplinary research, agrees and adds that as transdisciplinarity traverses the boundaries between science and stakeholder expertise it creates a new science, a “post-normal” science (Ostreng, 2010 , pp. 29–33).

Another European school of transdisciplinarity is centered around Basarab Nicolescu, a French academic. His group is organized around the International Center for Transdisciplinary Research. The movement’s objective is the achievement of the totality of meaning across all the sciences, art, religion, and cultural perspectives. That endeavor involves the search for relations and isomorphisms across all realms. The French school’s epistemology is explicitly non-Aristotelian in that it wishes to go beyond lineal and binary logic. They recognize different levels of reality in which different modes of understanding prevail. They start with the differences between classical physics and quantum physics, between reason and intuition, between information and consciousness, and between linear and non-linear logics. Non-linear logic is explained as the unity of oppositions, the inclusion of the excluded middle, and the evolutionary process of ever more comprehensive syntheses. Manfred Max-Neef calls this epistemology “strong transdisciplinarity.” He sees some of it in the natural sciences, especially in quantum physics and complexity theories. However, he does not see any of it in the social sciences. He sees economics as the most retrogressive and therefore one of the biggest obstacles to a unified, spiritually evolved, sustainable future (Max-Neef, 2005 , pp. 5–16).

There are some interesting analogies between “strong transdisciplinarity” and the field of cultural studies, for which many claim transdisciplinary status. Both approaches are strongly critical of the excessive reliance on rationality and analytic reductionism, as well as of the fragmented specialization of the structure of knowledge. The location of cultural studies at the interface of the humanities and the social sciences enables its practitioners to bring together their different concepts of culture and then to add the additional dimension of everyday meanings and practices present among the broader population (Moran, 2002 ).

It is generally agreed that the institutional origin of cultural studies was at Birmingham University in 1964 . The founders had an anti-establishment orientation informed by Italian neo-Marxist Antonio Gramsci and French post-structuralist Michel Foucault. The Birmingham group wished to understand and challenge the power over the general population that the cultural elites exercised through the mass media and the power that the intellectual elites exercised through their control of the structure of knowledge, that is, the departmental/disciplinary structure of the academy. When cultural studies diffused to the United States, the field lost some of its political agenda; however, it retained its emphasis on popular culture. Numerous academic fields are identified as contributing to cultural studies, including cultural anthropology, textual criticism, art and social history, linguistics, sociology, aural and visual culture, philosophy of science, political economy, communication studies, psychology, and feminism. These multiple sources led Joe Moran ( 2002 , p. 50) to comment, “Cultural studies could be said to be synonymous with interdisciplinarity itself.” It is both ironic and instructive then that the founding enclave of cultural studies, the Birmingham Centre, was shut down by the higher education authorities of the United Kingdom in 2002 , presumably because of the “low quality of its research production” (Klein, 2005 , pp. 52–53).

Consequences

Advocating explicitly for interdisciplinary approaches in a discipline-controlled environment can be risky. It can be politically risky for administrative units and personally risky for faculty, especially for junior faculty. Interdisciplinary approaches do have implications for the structure and politics of knowledge. They have implications for International Relations, especially if the study of international relations is considered an interdisciplinary field. A 2002 publication assessing the field came to this conclusion:

While there seems to be little problem in designating international relations as a “field,” the symposium left unclear whether this field is most properly a subfield of political science, a subfield of several disciplines, an amalgam of the subfields of multiple disciplines or an academic discipline in its own right. (Puchala, 2002 , pp. xvi–xvii)

The dominant location for International Relations in the United States is as a subfield of Political Science (Aldrich, 2014 , p. 5). In the United Kingdom, however, the field of International Relations is more often treated as a separate discipline (Waever, 1998 ). How the field is conceptualized and institutionalized does have implications for its intellectual strategies, the identities of its practitioners, and its access to resources, both on and off-campus. David Long has argued that “it matters whether IR is considered a discipline in its own right or not. It matters in teaching and research not only by what is cut off, but what is encouraged” (Long, 2011 , pp. 59–60). Rudra Sil warned that “inflexible disciplinary structures may very well come to constitute a hindrance to whatever ‘progress’ is possible in our collective efforts to understand aspects of international life” (Sil & Doherty, 2000 , p. 6). Nevertheless, American political scientists are firmly committed to keeping international relations within their fold. A 2002 doctoral dissertation tells the tale of how, in 1986 , the Political Science Department at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) successfully absorbed the multidisciplinary graduate program in International Relations. It is an interesting tale of money and powerful personalities, and it would probably be more accurately described as a hostile takeover (Plantan, 2002 ).

Even though the author of the dissertation, Frank Plantan, used the language of interdisciplinarity, he did not employ the conceptual distinctions presented above. That is partly because the graduate program of International Relations at Penn was just a multidisciplinary collection of volunteer faculty members from 10 different departments with no separate, dedicated financial support. By centering his analysis on the Penn case study, Plantan limited the operational meaning of interdisciplinary to this loose arrangement of multidisciplinary specialists, an unstable and vulnerable setup. Yet in his discussion of the intellectual development of the field he mentioned several integrating strategies that have crossdisciplinary and even transdisciplinary qualities. His examples included realism, functionalism, behavioralism, neoliberal institutionalism, rational choice, and constructivism. However, in his historical analysis Plantan saw these theoretical perspectives as ideas to fight over rather than as integrating strategies. In his experience, the competitive departmental environment triumphed over interdisciplinary cooperation. Plantan ( 2002 , pp. 374–375) concluded, “The hefty sunk costs of an existing tenured faculty and staff, and a historic mission (however dubious) in the colleges or university’s broader curriculum, accords them a staying power, an inertia, that no interdisciplinary program can hope to achieve whatever its intellectual merit.”

When Robert Axelrod, the President of the American Political Science Association, established a Task Force in 2007 on Interdisciplinarity, he argued that interdisciplinary research is borrowing across disciplinary boundaries, both importing and exporting, but especially exporting (Axelrod, 2008 ). The Task Force Report (Aldrich, 2014 ) argued that interdisciplinary work begins with faculty who are prepared with accumulated deep knowledge in a discipline. To insure that interdisciplinary teaching and research do not endanger the institutional power of the conventional disciplines, the Report placed a major emphasis on discipline-based peer review. They contended that peer review is the preeminent means by which “the value of scientific knowledge can be established,” and peer review is only credible if it comes from an established discipline (Aldrich, 2014 , pp. 13–23). They continued, “Disciplinarity has not yet been successfully transcended as a means to address key values of scholarship—particularly to resolve contested claims about knowledge, to anchor peer review and the authority it carries with it to protect academic freedom, or to manage the labor market” (p. 23).

Interdisciplinarians would find this reasoning self-serving at the very least. After all, one of the main reasons for engaging in truly innovative interdisciplinary activity is to break free of the narrow, restrictive and presumably inadequate contexts of the established disciplines. The National Academies Report ( 2005 ) argues that there are four “drivers” for interdisciplinary research: inherent complexity of nature and society, need to explore areas that are not confined to a single discipline, need to solve societal problems, and the power of new technologies (p. 40). This Report gives several examples, but the most comprehensive is the case of climate change. Research on this complex and vital issue involves 10,000 scientists in 80 countries from more than 20 disciplines, including agricultural scientists, archeologists, atmospheric chemists, biologists, climatologists, ecologists, economists, environmental historians, geographers, geologists, hydrologists, mathematicians, meteorologists, plant physiologists, political scientists, oceanographers, remote sensing scientists, and sociologists (p. 31).

The established disciplines have been attacked by the post-structuralists for being Eurocentric, sexist, racist, pseudo-objective, status quo-protective and structured in a way that is disconnected from reality. To this group of critics both the ontologies and epistemologies of the conventional structure of knowledge are unacceptable (Moran, 2002 ). Paradoxically, some of the academics who espouse these views have managed to find an institutionalized niche in the university in departments or centers of cultural studies, ethnic studies, post-colonial studies, and women’s studies. However, in the process of institutionalization, they seem to have followed the advice of the Political Science Task Force Report: if interdisciplinary projects want to be successful—that is, achieve bureaucratic recognition with regular budgets and assigned faculty positions—you need to behave like an established discipline (Messer-Davidow, 2002 ). Besides those interdisciplines that have successfully entered the university structure since the 1960s, there were many generic interdisciplinary programs that also evolved into departments even though they were founded as challengers to the disciplinary/departmental system. Evidently, the generic-interdisciplinary departments were perceived by the established departments as the most threatening as well as the most vulnerable. As a consequence, whenever conventional departments found sympathetic administrators they embarked on a campaign for their abolition. In the Politics of Interdisciplinary Studies the stories of several of these program eliminations are told. They include programs at Wayne State, Miami of Ohio, Appalachian State, and San Francisco State, among others. (Augsburg & Henry, 2009 ).

The Political Science Task Force Report also describes how the discipline-based peer-review process works in the federal grant-making process, the largest source of extramural funding in the United States. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is probably organized the most pervasively around the conventional or established disciplines. Therefore, disciplinary criteria are used to evaluate most grant proposals submitted to the NSF. There are small programs within NSF that seem to facilitate interdisciplinary projects: The Measurement, Methodology and Statistics Program and the Human and Social Dynamics Program.

Although the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is organized functionally, its reviewing process also relies largely on disciplinary faculty and their criteria for quality. Federal funding agencies reflect and respect disciplinary boundaries, though they do seek ways to attack new problems through interdisciplinary efforts (Aldrich, 2014 , pp. 101–111). However, the ostensibly integrative interdisciplinary projects they fund frequently end up as merely multidisciplinary.

A group that studied the grant-making experience of the Academy of Finland from 1997–2004 discovered, to their surprise, that almost half of the grants (42%) had some degree of interdisciplinarity despite the disciplinary orientations of the review boards. The solution of the study authors to the disciplinary/interdisciplinary divide is to consider all research interdisciplinary. They reason that since disciplinary boundaries are so amorphous and so frequently permeated that maintaining these distinctions is artificial and inhibitive of creativity in research (Bruun, Hukkinen, Huutoniemi, & Klein, 2005 , p. 169). However, ignoring disciplinary boundaries and their associated departmental bureaucracy seems not only unrealistic about the confining power of the disciplinary structure of knowledge, but also politically naive as well.

A further interesting dimension of the International Studies Association (ISA) is the relationship between its many crossdisciplinary sections and the dominant Political Science discipline. Of the 29 sections ( 2019 ), 22 seem crossdisciplinary in nature. Examples include interdisciplinary studies, human rights studies, environmental studies, peace studies, feminist theory and gender studies, and global development studies. For years the leadership of the ISA seemed merely to presume, despite the organization’s claim to interdisciplinarity, that all the section program chairs could gather at the annual Political Science Convention to review the draft program of the upcoming ISA Convention. The implicit assumption in this past ISA practice was that the section program chairs were most likely political scientists who would be attending the annual Political Science Convention. This assumption always struck this author as problematic, especially in light of the organization’s mission statement and its interdisciplinary membership. The greater efficiency of the Internet facilitated the discontinuance of this practice.

The history of the relationship of area studies to International Relations is a fascinating one in itself. The ISA section sponsoring this contribution, the Interdisciplinary Studies Section, was originally established by area studies scholars according to Fred Riggs, one of its founders. In the 1970s, area studies scholars were contemplating founding a separate umbrella organization for all area studies programs, but they were persuaded to stay within the ISA as an independent section. Area studies centers were established in elite universities after WWII as part of a national Cold War strategy. They were “among the most far-reaching interdisciplinary projects in American higher education” (Aldrich, 2014 , p. 89). Their responsibility was to provide information on the geographic regions of the world in support of the national interests of the United States. Participating faculty came mostly from language, literature, anthropology, history, and political science (international relations) departments. The centers, despite their holistic aspirations, were multidisciplinary in form and particularistic in methodology. Money and guidance ostensibly came from private sources, such as the Ford Foundation and the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), but they actually came from the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency (Cumings, 2002 ).

In the first few decades after World War II, the study of international relations was significantly oriented to area studies because the money flowing into the universities supported area studies type of knowledge. The legacy of that emphasis is reflected in a 2006 Teagle Foundation survey that found in the responses of 109 Liberal Arts Colleges, half of the top ten interdisciplinary majors were in area and international studies. Since the end of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, extramural teaching and research support has dwindled significantly for area and international studies. Lloyd Rudolph comments, “after the close of the Cold War, the disciplines and the ‘methodists’ succeeded in attacking and defeating the area studies orientation of Ford and via Ford the SSRC” (Aldrich, 2014 , p. 70). Area studies programs have had to endure criticism from those who see them as a “colonial enterprise” (faculty in post-colonial and ethnic studies programs), while many in the disciplines see them as lacking any theoretical coherence and methodological rigor. From the perspective of conventional disciplinarians, their region-centric particularism and their multidisciplinary structures make them the poster examples of what ails interdisciplinary programs (Miyoshi & Harootunian, 2002 ; Szanton, 2004 ).

Nevertheless, despite the continuing identity crises in area studies, they have managed to survive. Their latest restoration positions them as part of the internationalization of the academy, presumably made necessary by the knowledge demands of globalization and regional hot spots such as the Middle East. However, the continuing viability of area studies remains uncertain. As one observer noted, the different area studies faculties are as separated from each other as the members of disciplines are from each other. “By and large, the world area studies tribes inhabit relatively watertight intellectual domains” (Lambert, 1991 , p. 184). This observation is consistent with the author’s experience. As an administrator in charge of curriculum development, he suggested that the area studies programs could share a core course in which the common methodological principles of area studies could be explored. The area studies faculty, however, were not interested. Nevertheless, David Szanton hopes that participation in area studies programs have helped to “deparochialize” disciplinary faculty, though it does not seem to have lowered the heights of the disciplinary walls. Maybe by being one of the first interdisciplinary programs to use identity as one of its key concepts, area studies may have prepared the way for ethnic studies, women’s studies and post-colonial studies (Szanton, 2004 ).

The case of international political economy (IPE) also raises a number of interesting interdisciplinary issues. In its reincarnation over the last four decades or so, it fits in the category of crossdisciplinary hybrids. IPE’s location in the structure of knowledge is as confused as International Relations. The disciplines of Economics, Political Science and Sociology all claim IPE as a subfield. However, Marxists, in the tradition of classical political economy, see political economy as an overarching, holistic frame in which cultural, economic, political, and social dimensions are inter-related subsets. According to Marxists, the establishment of the specialized disciplines around these dimensions is a part of the hegemonic strategy of capitalism to obfuscate the oppressive nature of the capitalist system.

The late British political economist Susan Strange, a non-Marxist, complained about the lack of knowledge sharing across disciplinary boundaries. She was especially critical of the way in which economists and political scientists ignored each other and their respective knowledge domains. She accused American scholars of International Relations of being too narrowly connected to state-centric political models that did not include serious economic analysis. In fact, she argued, “Far from being a subdiscipline of international relations, IPE should claim that international relations are a subdiscipline of IPE” (see Strange, in Lawton, Rosenau, & Verdun, 2000 , p. 412). Susan Strange is among the “Magnificent Seven” that Benjamin Cohen singled out in his intellectual history of international political economy (Cohen, 2008 , p. 8). She was the leader of the “British School,” which is more holistic, interdisciplinary, and explicitly normative in contrast to the “American School,” which is more positivistic in orientation. Cohen continued his geographic schools of thought analysis of IPE in a 2014 publication, Advanced Introduction to International Political Economy . In response to criticism of the limitations of his original dichotomy, he added schools of thought based in continental Europe, Latin America, and China. He also recognized “leftist” or “heterodox” schools in the United States and the British Commonwealth. However, his geographic schools of thought approach focused primarily on national/regional and cultural differences, rather than theoretical.

Members of all schools of international political economy would probably be comfortable having their field identified as an “interdiscipline” (Underhill, 2000 ). An interdiscipline is a crossdisciplinary field that approximates the characteristics of an academic discipline, but it does not qualify as a 20th century conventional discipline. In fact, maybe International Relations would also best be characterized as an “interdiscipline.” However, that identification still leaves unanswered where International Relations fits in the power hierarchy of knowledge.

According to Barry Buzan and Richard Little, members of the English or British School of International Relations, the widespread placement of International Relations in the United States as a subfield of Political Science has significantly limited its theoretical potential. Buzan and Little ( 2001 ) argued that American International Relations is dominated by an ahistorical, Eurocentric, Westphalian, political/military model. One of the consequences of this approach is the preference for “fragmentation into the anarchy of self-governing and paradigm-warring islands of theory rather than integration into the imperial or federative archipelago of theoretically pluralist grand theory” (Buzan & Little, 2001 , p. 31). Margaret Hermann, in her 1998 ISA presidential address, expressed seemingly similar sentiments about fragmentation: “The field has become an administrative holding company rather than an intellectually coherent area of inquiry or a community of scholars” (Hermann, 2002 , p. 16). However, her solution is a respectful dialogue that builds a “mosaic of multiple perspectives” around problems that are issues of “world politics” (pp. 31–33). She does not seem to be recommending “grand theory” nor going beyond Political Science. Thus, hers is an intra-disciplinary rather than an inter-disciplinary solution. On the other hand, Hermann does seem to embrace the “interdisciplinary mental outlook” advocated by the authors of the pioneering OECD Report (Apostel, 1972 ).

Understanding the different types of interdisciplinary approaches and their differentiation from disciplinary approaches gives one deeper insight into the knowledge production and transmission process. If International Relations is to be a truly independent, interdisciplinary field that can take full advantage of multiple perspectives and methodologies in order to deal more effectively with global problems, it needs to liberate itself from the embrace of confining disciplines, especially Political Science.

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank the following for helping to improve this article: Stanley Bailis, Felicia Krishna-Hensel, Renee Marlin-Bennett, Tina Mavrikos-Adamou, Anja K. Miller, and Julie Thompson-Klein.

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Essay on Importance of Discipline in Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance of Discipline in Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Importance of Discipline in Life

Introduction.

Discipline is a key to success in life. It is a way of living that promotes order and self-control.

Role of Discipline

Discipline helps maintain a harmonious lifestyle. It aids in achieving goals and keeps chaos at bay.

Discipline in Education

In education, discipline is crucial. It aids in effective learning and fosters respect for rules.

Discipline in Personal Life

In personal life, discipline aids in maintaining health, managing time, and fostering relationships.

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250 Words Essay on Importance of Discipline in Life

Discipline, often regarded as the cornerstone of success, plays a pivotal role in our lives. It is not just about adhering to rules and regulations, but also about self-control and perseverance.

Discipline: A Key to Success

Discipline is the key to success. It enables individuals to remain focused on their goals, reducing the likelihood of diversion or procrastination. It is through discipline that one can cultivate perseverance, which is essential for overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

Discipline and Personal Growth

Discipline plays a significant role in personal growth. It fosters a sense of responsibility, punctuality, and respect for others. It also helps in developing resilience, a quality that allows us to bounce back from failures and disappointments.

Discipline in Academic Life

In the academic sphere, discipline is indispensable. It helps students to manage their time effectively, enhancing their learning capabilities. Regular study schedules, punctuality in class, and respect for teachers are all manifestations of discipline in academic life.

Discipline in Professional Life

In conclusion, discipline is a fundamental aspect of life that transcends all areas, be it personal, academic, or professional. It is the bedrock upon which character is built and success is achieved. Embracing discipline is not just about conforming to rules, but about shaping a life of purpose, productivity, and progress.

500 Words Essay on Importance of Discipline in Life

Discipline is a fundamental aspect of life, often perceived as a set of rules and regulations that govern our actions. However, discipline is much more than just a stringent framework of dos and don’ts. It is a way of life that shapes our character, controls our behavior, and guides us towards the right path.

The Essence of Discipline in Personal Life

Disciplined individuals are often more focused, organized and efficient in their work, which leads to higher productivity. They are better at managing their time and resources, which in turn reduces stress and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, discipline fosters resilience, a critical skill for overcoming adversities and achieving long-term goals.

In the realm of academics, discipline plays an equally significant role. It is not merely about adhering to the school or college rules but also about developing a learning discipline. It involves regular study, completion of assignments on time, active participation in class, and respect for teachers and peers.

Discipline in Social Life

Social life is another sphere where discipline plays a pivotal role. It is about respecting social norms, maintaining decorum in public places, and behaving responsibly. It is about understanding and fulfilling our roles and responsibilities towards our family, society, and nation.

Discipline in social life ensures harmony, mutual respect, and cooperation among individuals. It promotes a sense of community, inclusivity, and social justice. Furthermore, it fosters civic sense, environmental consciousness, and respect for diversity, which are crucial for a peaceful and sustainable society.

In conclusion, discipline is the backbone of a successful and fulfilling life. It is a guiding principle that helps us make the right decisions, overcome challenges, and strive for excellence. It is a virtue that transcends personal, academic, and social life, shaping us into responsible, respectful, and resilient individuals. Therefore, the importance of discipline in life cannot be overstated. It is a lifelong journey of learning, growth, and transformation.

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Essay on Discipline

The first and the most important lesson in life is getting disciplined. It is not tough if the lesson of discipline starts from the very childhood, but if it starts late it can be the toughest lesson to learn in life. To get perfect self-control one requires hard discipline and dedication. Good discipline can bring the best of ourselves and we can best serve society and will be up to the expectation of the people around us. To achieve success in life one needs to be disciplined right from the beginning. Only through discipline, we can stay focused on our goal in life. Discipline involves understanding the value of time, showing respect to humanity, and showing gratitude to nature. The first step towards success is discipline.

Being disciplined is one of the important and toughest lessons to learn in life. It requires the utmost dedication and hard work to practise self-control and conduct ourselves in a way that best serves the society and lives around us. Only when a person is disciplined, he or she is able to achieve success in life. Discipline plays a key role in keeping us focused. 

There are different ways of practising discipline but the most important thing is to be consistent and value time. By practising a task consistently, by respecting humanity and nature and by valuing time, one can learn to walk in the right direction in life. This is the fundamental reason why successful people around the world preach the need for discipline.

Necessity of Discipline

When a person leads his life without any rule or discipline, his life tends to become dull and directionless. His lack of understanding of the need for discipline makes him lazy. This eventually makes him pessimistic. People such as this are unable to handle crises and often tend to create an irreparable amount of mess in their life. However, if you are not among these groups of people and want to achieve something in your life, you must focus on being disciplined. If you do not have a plan or strategy then first make a plan that suits your lifestyle and accordingly, set your routine. 

Then next is implementing the plan in your day-to-day life. It is said that when an activity is done for 3 weeks straight then it automatically becomes a habit. Therefore, always try to incorporate positive changes into your routine and based on your plan, continue doing that for 21 days. It is expected that after 21 days the implemented activity will become a part of your life. A lot of people in the world are often bogged down by failures and do not tend to make any changes in their life towards positivity. 

Being a disciplined person does not only help you to achieve your dreams but also makes you feel positive in and out. Studies show that disciplined people are more likely to find ways in which they can be happier and change their course of life than the undisciplined ones. Moreover, being disciplined makes a person calm and composed. This quality helps a person to overcome hurdles and to achieve success. They also create a significant impact on others' lives.

Forms of Discipline

It is important to mention that there are two forms of discipline- the first being the induced discipline and second, the self-discipline. The former is the kind of discipline that others teach us or we adapt by seeing others. While on the other hand, the later form of discipline is the one that comes from within. It is the tougher form of discipline as it requires patience, focus, and motivation from others. 

The level of discipline a person achieves may vary depending on his willpower and living condition. Children and parents will have different views on discipline but they must incorporate it into their lives to have a positive influence on each other. Last but not the least, it is the discipline that helps an individual to evolve and become a better version of themselves. 

FAQs on Discipline Essay

1. What is the necessity of Discipline in our lives?

Discipline makes a life successful and worth living. Without discipline the person becomes aimless and soon finds his life boring and directionless. A person without discipline cannot understand the value of punctuality and hence loses many opportunities in life and gradually gets pessimistic. They ultimately end up with a messy, useless life. Being punctual and consistent towards a perfect aim in life makes life livable. Discipline alone can bring you respect and love from each and everyone in society. It can bring you not only success but also peace in life. Discipline can make a person happy and content. It brings inner peace and calmness and this can help to overcome any hurdles in life.

2. How to learn discipline?

To learn discipline first try to follow the right approach every day for at least 21 days and soon that will become your habit. You don’t have to stress yourself over strict rules of discipline. Never stop inculcating positive habits in you. The sooner the best. Never let negative things rule you and try to stand up with perfect approach and discipline even after a great failure. To learn discipline one needs patience, dedication and motivation from others. Strong willpower can only make a person disciplined. You can learn more about discipline and importance by downloading PDF format from Vedantu website.

3. How can a disciplined person get happier than the undisciplined ones?

Only with discipline can a person evolve and make a better version of their lives. A disciplined person earns respect from society and love from all the people around. The disciplined person is calm and sober and so, draws the attention of everyone in the society and makes his path to success smoother than the undisciplined persons. Disciplined people have a perfect goal in their lives and they can cross the hurdles on the path of achieving the goals in a composed way thereby ultimately making their life worthy and happier. They never lose anything in life because of being punctual.

4. How to teach discipline to a child?

Discipline is a very delicate lesson that the parents and teachers can give or pass to a child. One should never be too strict to implicate discipline on a child. Rather they should be taught discipline gradually making them able to understand its importance in life. Children need to be rewarded every time they maintain discipline and follow the right approach to life. Parents and teachers should themselves follow discipline in front of children then only the children can follow it properly. Discipline should never be imposed on them but the advantages of discipline are what they should be able to understand right from early childhood.

5. What are the main disciplines to be followed?

The main disciplines to be followed in life are to discipline your:

Thoughts: You have to have control over your mind. If you are able to master your mind you have won half of your life's battle.

Goals: A proper goal in life and the right approach to achieve this can make your path of life smoother.

Environment: Try to love the environment and never fail to show gratitude towards nature. 

Relationship: Maintain discipline in every relationship. Show respect to every relation irrespective of age and gender.

Friendship: Maintain discipline while doing friendship and never cross your limits in it.

Consumption: Consume that much you need. A disciplined eating habit can train your mind and body for a better and healthier life.

Desires: Put a limit on your desires. Maintain discipline in what you want and what you can

Addictions: Learn how to stay away from any form of addiction or otherwise all your other disciplines will get ruined in front of this addiction.

Progress: A consistent progress towards positivity is a much needed good discipline

Time: The most important discipline is punctuality. Time is the most valuable thing and never underestimate this in life or else you will end up losing many opportunities in life.

Inner Happiness: Find your inner happiness yourself with a positive approach and the right discipline.

More From Forbes

Jocko willink: the relationship between discipline and freedom.

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Jocko Willink

I spoke to Jocko Willink, author of " Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual ", about the connection between discipline and freedom, some of the mental and physical disciplines he practices, some strategies for conquering weaknesses, how technology can help or hurt relationships and how he transformed his life after creating a discipline.

Willink  was a Navy SEAL for 20 years, rising through the ranks to become the commander of Task Unit Bruiser―the most decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War. After retiring, Jocko continued on the disciplined path of success, co-founding Echelon Front, a multi-million dollar leadership and management consulting company, writing the #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership , the children's book Way of the Warrior Kid , and creating one of the top-ranking podcasts, JOCKO PODCAST.

Dan Schawbel: What is the connection between discipline and freedom? How does this build off your previous book, Extreme Ownership?

Jocko Willink: While Discipline and Freedom seem like they sit on opposite sides of the spectrum, they are actually very connected. Freedom is what everyone wants — to be able to act and live with freedom. But the only way to get to a place of freedom is through discipline. If you want financial freedom, you have to have financial discipline. If you want more free time, you have to follow a more disciplined time management system. You also have to have the discipline to say “No” to things that eat up your time with no payback—things like random YouTube videos, click-bait on the internet, and even events that you agree to attend when you know you won't want to be there. Discipline equals freedom applies to every aspect of life: if you want more freedom, get more discipline.

It builds off of the last chapter in Extreme Ownership, when I briefly explained my personal operating system and how it tied into leadership. Discipline Equals Freedom Field Manual gets granular in explaining the implementation of personal discipline in life. It explains how to get on the path of discipline — and stay there.

Schawbel:   Can you talk about some of the mental and physical disciplines you practice on a daily basis?

Willink:   No one wants to hear this, but step number one is to wake up early. That is where it starts. It does take discipline to get out of bed early, but that sets the tone and the pattern of discipline for the rest of the day.

The next thing to do is exercise — do something physical. Again, that takes discipline, but it gives you momentum in the right direction. Exercise also has real physiological impacts on the body and mind that pay dividends all day.

One of the best mental disciplines for people to implement is simply putting together a schedule or a task list and actually executing it. Write the list or the schedule the night before, and then do what you said you would do. Life becomes much better when you do that.

Schawbel:   What are some strategies for conquering your weaknesses and potentially turning them into strengths?

Willink:   Step number one is not to run from them. We all have a tendency to avoid our weaknesses. When we do that, we never progress or get any better.

Instead of avoiding weaknesses, try attacking them. Don’t like running? Go run. Uncomfortable speaking to groups? Volunteer to teach a class at work. Afraid to email your boss on that tough topic? Send the email.

Although all these actions will be uncomfortable at first, you will get more comfortable over time. As you continue to spend time attacking your weaknesses, over time, they will become strengths.

Schawbel:   What are some disciplines for using technology less and focusing on deep personal relationships more?

Willink:   I am not anti-technology at all. I don’t think technology hurts relationship in business or in life. In fact, it can help—as long as the technology is used to augment relationships and doesn’t become the main conduit of interaction.

I text message and email with friends and clients all the time. There is nothing wrong with that. But it is also important to know that texts and emails have limits. There are situations where a phone call or a face-to-face visit are needed.

Also, there are times where technology can hurt a relationship. Obviously, talking to a person that is staring at their phone doesn’t build anything but annoyance and frustration. Even constantly checking your phone is not good. Who is it that you think is calling or emailing or texting you that absolutely MUST hear from you RIGHT NOW? The President? Elon Musk? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? Sorry to break it to you, it’s not them. In fact, your phone buzzing probably isn’t even a person—it's a robocall from a solar installation company trying to drum up business.

So. Don’t look at your phone every three seconds. Instead, try looking at the person that is talking to you.

Schawbel:   Can you share an example of how you transformed your life after creating a discipline and sticking to it?

Willink:   Basically everything positive in my life has come from discipline. I didn’t make it through SEAL Training based on my natural athletic abilities; no, I had the discipline to train hard in preparation and then work hard during the training. My career in the SEAL Teams was not based on some intrinsic gift, but rather on the willingness to do what needed to be done, and to do that day after day. I did well in college not because of some supreme intellect, but because I had the discipline to study hard. When I was inspired to write books, that inspiration didn’t sit down and start typing for hundreds of hours; no, it was the discipline that actually put the words on paper.

And that is the real message: If you want to transform your life in a positive way, that transformation will not happen by itself. You need to make it happen. You need to do the work. You need to put in the hours, the days, the weeks, the months, and the years. You need to get on the path and stay on the path—the path that leads to the positive transformations, the path that leads to a better you, the path that leads to freedom.

And that path is the hard path. The tough path. The relentless path. It is the path of Discipline. And the path of Discipline is the only way. Discipline Equals Freedom.

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Punctuality Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on punctuality.

Punctuality refers to the habit of a human being completing their tasks on time. We can say that punctuality is a great habit which surely results in success . All the leaders have punctuality in common as the habit is such. In other words, when you are on time, you will maintain the discipline and order in your life. It will, in turn, help you achieve your goals faster within a set time period.

Moreover, it also makes you a man of habit. This creates a very good impression in front of others. Punctuality is an etiquette which encourages us to complete our work in a timely fashion. It also makes us realize the importance of time . A person who is punctual will always know how to respect their time and others as well.

Importance of Punctuality

Punctuality is of great importance, it is truly underestimated and must be given utmost importance. When a person becomes punctual, everything else falls into place. You get discipline in life and also earn the respect of the others.

Subsequently, a punctual person works on time without any hindrance. The people who are employed in armies and navies are given rigorous training to become disciplined and punctual. They pay no heed to any circumstances be it rain or thunder, they care about their punctuality.

Furthermore, punctuality pushes the person to achieve success at faster rates than others. We must develop this quality in children from an early age which will make it easy for everyone to lead a better life. When a person is punctual, they get utmost respect and admiration by society and reach greater heights than an unpunctual person.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Key to Success

We can now safely say that punctuality is definitely the key to success. As we know everything else falls in order when we become punctual, likewise, success will too. When you become successful, you know that you can arrive at your destination easily.

This may only happen when a person works on time and achieve their time goals. In addition to punctuality, hard work is also important. If you ask all the successful people of the world, you will see that it is their secret to success as well.

Why so? Because a successful person knows very well how to make use of their time and act accordingly. Similarly, everyone must adopt this habit to reach great heights in life. It is correctly said that ‘time and tide wait for none’, thus we must remember it well.

We cannot stop time or turn it back, every second is precious. That is why it is important to be punctual in life at all times, so you never miss out on opportunities. Moreover, you will also become happier when you get punctual.

Therefore, we see how punctuality plays a major role in anyone’s life. If we are not punctual, we cannot be as successful as others. In addition, this competitive world demands punctuality so that all of us can be successful in life.

600+ Words Essay on Punctuality

Punctuality implies to be on time. Punctuality benefits an individual in all aspects of life. It also helps an individual to build up his/her character and creates a positive impression on society. If one is not punctual, then his/her life fills with friction in whatever he/she does. Without being punctual, an individual feels that he/she is wasting time and where and how the time flies, one can never estimate. A punctual person can manage all the household chores and other tasks at the right time.

Door to Success

It is evident that Punctuality is one of the key aspects to attain success in life. One who understands and values time can easily become a Punctual individual and in lieu become successful. It helps one to understand the value of time. And as we all know time is the most precious thing in our life. Time once lost, can never come back. We cannot make and get back to the lost time. It is the habit of punctuality which makes us understand and learns us to respect the value of Time. Becoming a successful person in life implies achieving ones’ goals in time with proper planning and dedication, which can again only be attained by being punctual in life. Knowing the value of time-aware an individual to utilize the time in the best way. And to utilize time in the best way is the definition of being Punctual.

Punctuality in the Student’s life

For a student, punctuality is the stepping stone towards discipline and being sincere. It is utmost important for a student to be punctual to attain success during his/her school life. It is the base on which the student’s life during school and afterward shapes up. A student being punctual is considered having one of the noblest virtue. It helps them to cultivate the habit of completing their tasks in due time. Punctuality proves the great saying, “A stitch in time, saves nine” meaning completing ones’ task in due time and avoiding troublesome.

It is the virtue of punctuality which makes the students more discipline and responsibility. A sense of responsibility is attained by the virtue of punctuality. Being punctual a student can always be at the right time whether be it in school, in the lab, in class, at home, in the examination hall, at the playground, etc. The teachers and parents of other students highly appreciate the students who are punctual.

Advantage of Punctuality

Punctuality leads to a happy mind. It is a key to happiness and having a healthy mind. Therefore, any person having this quality would always feel comfortable while doing his/her work. He/She wakes up early in the morning and always feel energetic to do more tasks. Punctuality brings positivity in our mind and heart. One is clear about his/her thoughts, plan and activities, which is also an essential element to move forward in life.

Punctuality is not being practiced only by human beings but also the nature around us. Every day, the sun rises in the morning, sets in the evening. After the day, comes the night. Each of the seasons follows their timeline. All these natural phenomena encourage us to be punctual in our life to attain a goal and have a peaceful mind. Thus, Punctuality is the essence of life. It is very important for us to develop such quality from a very young age and lead ourselves and our country to a greater high. The rate of growth of the Human Development Index is bettered in a country where everyone knows and understands the value of time by being punctual. It ultimately helps in the growth of the country. Therefore, punctuality is not only a key to success for an individual but also for the entire community, nation, globe.

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Essay on Discipline

An essay is a piece of writing that revolves around a particular theme and contains the academic opinions of the person writing it. A basic essay mainly consists of three parts: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.

Discipline is obedience to rules formed by society for the good of all. In this post, you will find a brilliant Essay on Discipline.

Essay on Discipline (550+ Words)

Discipline is about following well-defined rules and is necessary for dutifulness, self-control, and expertise. It is a prerequisite for a civilized society, and its absence leads to decay. As Aristotle said, “Discipline is obedience to rules formed by society for the good of all.”

Think of the solar system , which is governed by specific regulations to maintain harmony and equilibrium. Without this order, there would be chaos. Similarly, talents thrive only in disciplined individuals. Therefore, discipline is essential for self-awareness, cultural success, and public success. Without it, there can be no regulated system, no scientific advancements, and no innovative accomplishments.

Discipline is crucial for any army to stand strong against its enemy. This is why they have specific rules in place that demand loyalty to the nation and superior officers. It creates a sense of partnership and hierarchy, essential for dealing with any crisis. Lack of discipline in such situations can lead to disastrous outcomes.

Similarly, discipline holds great importance in a student’s life as well. Since it is taught in school, it is vital to learn it during those formative years. Neglecting discipline can have severe consequences, affecting both career and character building.

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However, many students tend to ignore the importance of discipline in their work. Their procrastination and laid-back attitude can lead to disappointment and frustration. As a result, they fail to utilize their full potential, hampered by the lack of discipline.

We have witnessed the success of many great personalities who achieved their goals through a disciplined approach. Mahatma Gandhi, Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekananda, and Pandit Nehru meticulously planned their strategies and followed them rigorously. They have become an inspiration to an entire generation, while those who lacked discipline have faded away.

In sports, an umpire or referee ensures that the game is played by the rules. Every player must strictly adhere to the rules, and lack of discipline even in off-field activities can determine a player’s fate. The perfect example is Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli. They started playing together in school, and experts considered them equally talented. However, the result is clear. Sachin has become the world’s highest run-getter and century-producer in both ODI and test cricket, while Vinod’s career ended abruptly despite a good start. It is evident that Kambli could not handle his priorities in a disciplined manner.

Purity is a crucial aspect of the discipline. Physical purity involves engaging in good deeds, while good thoughts lead to a pure mind and sharp intellect. According to Gandhiji, brahmacharya is the discipline that involves controlling all senses in thought, speech, and action.

Another important component of discipline is practicing restraint in all activities. Although freedom is a cherished value in our society, it cannot be absolute. Discipline involves limiting freedom for the benefit of society. The state enforces regulations to ensure justice and equal opportunities for all, and discipline plays a vital role in achieving this.

In conclusion, discipline is not only desirable but also essential. In the absence of discipline and guidelines, moral and material decay ensues. A disciplined person is less likely to fall into bad habits. Children raised in disciplined and happy households grow up to be responsible adults. The rise in crime rates can be attributed to the lack of discipline in society.

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Essay on Discipline

List of essays on discipline.

• Essay on Discipline – For Kids (Essay 1 – 150 Words)
• Essay on Discipline – For Children (Essay 2 – 250 Words)
• Essay on Discipline – In School (Essay 3 – 250 Words)
• Essay on Discipline – In Student Life (Essay 4 – 250 Words)

Essay on Discipline – For Kids (Essay 5 – 250 Words)

• Essay on Discipline – Written in English (Essay 6 – 500 Words)
• Essay on Discipline – For School Students (Essay 7 – 600 Words)
• Essay on Discipline (Essay 8 – 750 Words)
• Essay on Discipline – Types, Principles and Challenges (Essay 9 – 1000 Words)

We all have come across the word discipline some time or the other in our life. This word is more apparently heard during our school life.

Our teachers constantly try to drive us towards discipline, whether it is coming to school on time, wearing a proper uniform, doing our classwork and homework in a neat and tidy manner, behaving appropriately in school or a host of other things.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for kids, children and school students.     

Essay on Discipline – For Kids (Essay 1 – 150 Words )

Discipline is one of the powerful words in our life. Discipline means doing work orderly according to the rules & regulation, being punctual and regular. Discipline word contains so much value in our life and its importance can be seen anywhere and everywhere. But can you imagine, if we forget about discipline? Will this world be able to move forward without discipline? The answer is an absolute ‘No’.

Everything in our life, starting from being on-time to school, completing our daily tasks, to sticking to our values, all are based on discipline. It is a basic need of our life to maintain and move towards success. In today’s life, discipline is more important in our normal life rather than soldier’s because an undisciplined action can destroy our whole life. It is like the limits according to which we lead our life and this makes us disciplined and capable of living in the society. Discipline is the only mantra of human beings to be successful in life.

Essay on Discipline – For Children (Essay 2 – 250 Words )

What is discipline? It is not just an act of obedience to rule, but it is a controlled attitude of various parameters, by not disturbing the social fabric of the society and also not spoiling the personal relationship of one another. When we say, discipline is a part of obedience to the civil rule and regulation, it is true to an extent and we consider it as a good conduct part of compliance. But contrary to our thoughts we can find that the same logic what was accepted as discipline can never be the yardstick of obedience in some other part of the world. When we keep discipline in the right frame, our actions will not hurt others.

Discipline doesn’t mean that you succumb to the unethical demand of your peers or superiors. You can become a successful person if you can lead a disciplined life. It is a balancing act of good and evil. For example, when you have enough money, instead of spending it impulsively, you can use it systematically in a much-disciplined manner. So, when we consider systematically spending money, with a planned calculation, we can say it is part of your personal discipline.

Similarly, in every walks of our life, you can apply the theory of discipline. Being disciplined does not mean that you are scarifying your liberty. You can keep your individuality, and in the meantime you can be a disciplined person in your life. A person with a disciplined attitude can live in a community harmoniously by keeping individual liberty.

When we take a closer look at the universe, we can find that the entire system co-exists by supporting each other. It is the way of nature’s disciplined life, and you can see the same discipline animals and plants.

The spirit of discipline we can find in every walks of our life. Since human beings are social animals, we are bound to live within the rules and regulations of society. We accept the rules and regulations, as we respect the importance of discipline. If there is no rule and regulation, then there will be chaos everywhere. When there is anarchy everywhere, there will be no peace of mind. Without discipline, there will be no success in life.

Essay on Discipline – In School (Essay 3 – 250 Words )

Discipline in school means going to school on time, following all the rules and regulations of the school, completing all the given tasks within the deadlines, etc. Many people do not like to be told what to do and they most definitely do not like to be told what to read. This fact is one of the reasons the school systems have such trouble educating some students. The thing is life is not here to give us all the things we want and if we do not have enough luck to be born extremely rich or extremely gifted our best solution is to have discipline at school. But this can be a problem, mostly because the things they teach us in school tend to be suited for one type of student and it happens to be the rarest one.

Discipline at school is not something that you have to do the conventional way, the thing is you can trick the system if you know how to approach the problem. You know what tasks you have and you can calculate how much time it can take you to do it then you just split that time into manageable segments. After you do the calculations you can spread the segments through the day so you do not even notice them and you will find that you can do much more then if you sat every day for a couple of hours in a row. The solution is simple as that and when you implement it in your daily life you will have discipline in school in no time just be patient and stick with the plan even if it has a lot of room for spontaneity.

Essay on Discipline – In Student Life ( Essay 4 – 250 Words )

Discipline in student life is the art of obeying certain set of rules that help us to live a life of order. It is the conduct that respects laws of the community one lives in. Without discipline there is only chaos and unruliness. Discipline is observed in everything around us. Nature exhibits great discipline in its workings. All the planets rotate around the sun in their orbits without going off course. The sun has been rising in the east and setting in the west for millions of years and so is the case with every process of nature.

Discipline at School:

Schools provide the building blocks for a child’s life and it is extremely important to observe discipline in student life there. Inside classrooms, for education to be possible, it is essential for every student to be silent and focused on the subject being taught. In playgrounds, every sport comes with a set of rules which need to be followed for ensuring smooth and successful play. These rules mold students in working towards achieving their dreams.

Discipline at Home:

Discipline in student life at home also plays an important role. Right from the start of the day when we have to get ourselves ready to begin the day, to the end of the day when timely dinner and early to bed is required, discipline is needed. It helps in the smooth functioning of our everyday life.

Conclusion:

Discipline in student life plays a pivotal role in determining the success of a person. It is necessary that every child is taught discipline at school and at home so that they grow up into responsible members of the community.

Since our childhood, we grow up listening to the importance of discipline. As kids, we learn the importance of discipline at home, by waking up early in the morning, washing our face, brushing the teeth, and taking a bath every day.

When we start going to school, teachers show us the importance of discipline by inculcating in us, the habits of punctuality, daily assembly, homework, and hygiene maintenance, etc. Discipline comes with practice. That is why it is essential for the students and adults to understand the importance of discipline and exercise it in their daily lives.

We can all learn about valuing the importance of discipline from our mother nature. Look around and you’ll see how the sun rises and sets every day on time. Flowers bloom in their seasons. Birds chirp and leave for their search of food at dawn. This is nature’s way of showing the universal importance of discipline to us.

Indiscipline is the root cause of any failure. An absence of punctuality, lack of routine and seriousness toward a goal, are all the different forms of indiscipline. Rejecting the idea of the importance of discipline pushes us back and counts as one of the major reasons for our downfall.

People like Newton, Einstein, Martin Luther King, always respected and valued the importance of discipline and followed a strict routine every day. If you wish to be successful, never underestimate the importance of discipline and hard work, as these virtues will keep you ahead of others.

Essay on Discipline – Written in English (Essay 6 – 500 Words )

The word discipline is very often thrown around and used but not quite really understood. The word discipline has a lot of meanings and interpretations, so it would be right to examine the different meanings of the word. Discipline on one hand can be said to be expectations required by the authorities in place including societies, self, fields and so on. It can also be said to mean any form of training that is meant to yield a particular character or behavioural pattern. It can be inactions or actions regulated so that they are in accordance with a particular method or way of governance. Discipline is known to help increase order it is employed to regulate the behaviour of human and also animal.

There are a few techniques that can be utilised to entrench discipline. Time management is an example of such techniques of discipline that uses time as a regulator and employs the time observance as a governor. The goal is the efficient use of time and this helps get the most out of time by setting limits to the time an activity can take. Another technique is discipline that is based on responsibility; the technique helps the individual understand solutions to problems in a particular organisation.

Physical punishment of an individual is a technique of discipline that is debated widely because it involves slapping, spanking and also hitting the individual with object employing varying degrees from mid to quite extreme force. The objective of this is to imbibe the understanding that there are consequences for every action in the individual. Punishment can achieve immediate results as it serves a big reminder that there are punishments when laws and rules are broken.

Discipline is primarily moral obligation that is rampant among a lot of people. Behaviour of discipline is demanded by certain laws and some other legal responsibilities. Corporations and businesses also put some tough requirements of discipline in place for the duration of a contract or agreement. For examples, customers in a store and passengers on a flight have to abide by some set rules. The instruction and education of children to use waste disposal bins can also be seen as a type of education in discipline that is needed in some societies. It is believed that discipline in an adult starts from childhood as a child who has not being educated on the little things that form discipline will grow up and not become disciplined.

Also, discipline can be seen in the military through efforts superiors make to meet out punishment to a serviceperson. In academic institutions, discipline is simply the efforts and also responses of the educator to punish erring students. Discipline plays a very vital role in the lives of individuals; it helps reveal the true face of a person.

It is important that a person demonstrates his discipline to first his family then also his country. It is quite essential that discipline is enshrined in family life; discipline is a very important quality that every human should have.

Essay on Discipline – For School Students (Essay 7 – 600 Words )

Discipline is compliance to rules and regulations framed for smooth running of a system for a purpose, like students’ behaviour in school, inculcating cultural values in children, living in harmony in society etc.

What is Discipline?

Discipline means order, regularity and duty. Discipline is all about doing right things the right way at right time and is most important in everyone’s life to lead a smooth life. Discipline can be in the form of rules & regulations, guidelines, customs, code of conduct, traditions or practices. Discipline is also defined as the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour that specify punishment for being undisciplined.

Importance of Discipline:

We all follow various types of discipline in our daily lives – at home, at work, in market etc. For any system or institution to function smoothly, be it family, education, workplace or society, discipline must be maintained. For example, discipline in a society means that all members follow certain defined rules and regulations. Discipline at the workplace implies that all people in the office, work and maintain the defined code of conduct. We need discipline in many ways like how we talk, dress up, walk, behave etc. So it is good to practice discipline from the childhood. Discipline is very necessary for all to live a successful, smooth and happy life. Lack of discipline or not following discipline causes problem, disorder or conflict.

Discipline in Early Life:

Discipline training starts from the early stage of life. Both, at school and at home, children are taught to follow set rules of discipline. Parents and teachers have significant role to play in early life. Starting with school, student life is a period of learning. As students, we learn to be disciplined – sincere, dedicated, confident, punctual, respect elders, and follow rules. Discipline in student life plays significant role in shaping the personality and molding the character. The discipline learned in student life, the formation period of life, lays the foundation of the habits and manners.

Healthy Life & Discipline:

One should be healthy and fit for life and for this strict discipline must be practiced from early life. It is well known that a healthy body has a healthy mind. One who is disciplined rises high in life. We have several examples of great men in history like Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Rama Krishna, Albert Einstein, all were successful in their lives because they lived a disciplined life.

Essay on Discipline (Essay 8 – 750 Words )

Discipline – What we understand:

Discipline, as soon as you search about it, you can get a host of meanings in the dictionary. We have so often heard about it, that many people, in fact, have just learnt about it by listening to others without having referred to its actual meaning in the dictionary. In proper terms, it means the enactment of something as per the governed principles.

Importance of Being Self-Disciplined:

Self-discipline is a standout amongst the most essential and helpful abilities everybody ought to have. This aptitude is basic in everyday issue, and however the vast majority recognize its significance, but not much is done to accomplish it or to reinforce it. As opposed to normal conviction, self-discipline does not mean being cruel towards oneself or carrying on with a constrained, prohibitive way of life. Self-discipline implies restraint, which is an indication of internal quality and control on yourself, your activities, and your responses. Self-discipline enables you to adhere to your choices and finish them, without altering your opinion, and is accordingly, one of the vital prerequisites for accomplishing objectives. The ownership of this aptitude empowers you to continue on with your choices and plans until the point that you achieve them. It likewise shows as inward quality, helping you to defeat addictions, stalling and apathy, and to finish whatever you do.

Advantages of Being Disciplined:

There are several advantages of inculcating discipline in life. For instance, it helps you remain more focused on what you intend to do. A person who is disciplined is more focused and keeps up to work on time in the regular day to day activities. Bad habits usually stay away from disciplined people and the person is able to keep his mind concentrated on his work or objectives staying away from mental unsettling influences.

Another advantage of being disciplined is that a disciplined person earns more respect in the society as compared to his counterparts. At the start, one may find it difficult to lead a disciplined life. But once, you are through, you tend to become a role model for others to follow. For example, if you decide that you shall not break the law, no matter how small it is, you won’t even be tempted to cross an intersection until signaled green.

Examples from History:

There have been several examples from history where our leaders have shown us how to be disciplined in life. The recent example is of Steve Jobs. In 1985 Steve Jobs was expelled from Apple PCs. Being deprived of intensity and constrained from the organization that he made, Jobs didn’t battle back with lawful activity or a smear crusade, which he could have without a doubt managed. Rather, Jobs concentrated on what he could control – his activities. He established NeXT Computer, was involved in Pixar’s prosperity and sharpened his aptitudes more than 12 years to end up as the CEO of Apple again in 1997. Another recent example is of our Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. He not only taught self-restraint but also preached the importance of discipline in one’s life.

Dating back to the oldest of records, one can find mention of discipline in the Ramayana as well. Lord Ram is referred to as Maryada Purushottam Ram or a perfect / disciplined man. His moral conducts towards life and model behaviour towards others are preached as the standards a man should set for himself even today. He taught us how to remain disciplined and try to be the perfect human being we all can actually be.

Discipline is the most imperative thing in everybody’s life. Without discipline, it is not possible to carry on a meaningful life. It is the demonstration of living with a few standards and directions. Discipline is everything which we do on the correct route and in perfect time. It drives us towards the correct way of doing things. We as a whole should definitely follow a disciplined life in order to live a structured yet happy and peaceful life.

Essay on Discipline – Types, Principles and Challenges (Essay 9 – 1000 Words )

Introduction:

Discipline is probably one of the most mentioned word you heard while growing up. It never gets old because discipline is required in all stages of life. Being disciplined sounds like a very heavy thing but it is simply the act of obeying the rules set for you as a guide for behaviour. Guides for behaviour are mostly used in schools and organizations. At home, being disciplined is basically following the right thing and displaying acceptable behaviour according to morals. Consequences of indiscipline at school and at home were severe such that children opted to be in their best behaviour. Teachers have a hard task in shaping the behaviour of children and they had to be “bad cops” every time in order to ensure discipline of students. In professional lives, discipline and code of conduct for employees is controlled by leaders and managers. It is really hectic when it comes to discipline in adults because the forms of punishment as consequences of indiscipline are hard to apply on people you respect especially those who are older than you. As a manager, it is important that discipline is maintained.

Types of Discipline:

There are three types of discipline based on behaviour modification. These types of discipline are aimed at correcting misbehavior. Misbehavior is any behaviour that is inappropriate according to the guidelines for behaviour that are set for a specific area.

The first type of discipline is preventive discipline. This type of discipline focuses on preventing certain type of behaviour from being displayed by the subjects. It actually diverts them from misbehaving and cause improvements in that area. It has been used in most schools to prevent absurd behaviour among students due to the restrictions put in place by the guide for behaviour.

The other type is supportive discipline. This type of discipline is aimed at supporting the virtues in an individual like self-control and it helps them get back on track easily. It is supportive through provision of positive feedback to the subjects, showing interest in the activities of the subjects and helping the subjects whenever they have difficulties so as to encourage good behaviour.

The third type of discipline is corrective discipline. This discipline is involved with the problem and deals with it directly. This type of discipline is known to be uncomfortable and intimidating and so people try to avoid sing it. Despite the discomfort and intimidating effects, it is a very effective type because the subject will have to go through the consequences of their misbehavior. It has been used to cease disruptive behaviour among students and its effectiveness has been realized.

Principles of Discipline Management:

Discipline is not just performed by anyone in whichever way they like, it should follow the principles of discipline in order for it to be effective. Discipline should search for a balance between finding disciplinary action and its long term effects. As a parent or a teacher, it is upon you to discipline your child but how you do it matters because the child may end up having feelings of hate towards you, which leads to more inappropriate behaviour. The reason why teachers tend to quit their jobs within the first years of practice is the lack of finding a balance while controlling behaviour of a child.

Another principle is the use of affective approach in discipline. According to the theories by Freud Sigmoid and Carl Rodgers, behaviour, implications of how adults discipline children were felt differently and that is why an effective approach is preferred.

Behavioral approach to discipline is a principle that is vital in controlling behaviour. According to a behaviorist theory by Skinner, there is classical conditioning and operant conditioning, both aimed at controlling behaviour. Through positive and negative reinforcements, behaviour can be corrected and that makes the disciplining act successful.

Cognitive approach to discipline was developed due to the cognitive developmental theories. Controlling behaviour is highly dependent on the cognition because thought processes influence behaviour. Using the psychological approach to change someone’s thinking will result in change of behaviour. This approach works for all ages because cognitive development is for all stages of life.

Challenges Facing Discipline Management:

Management of discipline is affected by factors which challenge the process. One factor is the lack of effective communication. When the guide for behaviour has not clearly been communicated to the subjects, incidences of misbehavior may be noted. It would be inappropriate to discipline the subject because they had no idea it was a wrong thing to do. In order for discipline to be effective, clear communication of the required behaviour should be communicated.

Lack of respect to authority. As time goes by, we realize that respect diminishes especially in schools. In the olden times, teachers received utmost respect from the students, some were even feared. Nowadays, respect has deteriorated and most of the teachers are young. Discipline management in situations where leaders are not respected is sort of impossible.

Economic difficulties also contribute to ineffective discipline managements. Due to increase in population, management of discipline is hard because misbehavior incidences increase due to poverty and discipline management is compromised through these economic hardships. There are also less resources to use in discipline management.

Disruptive behavior of the leader causes ineffective discipline management. Disruptive behaviour of leaders is in the form of lack of interest in the activities of the subjects and the lack of commitment in improving the behaviour of their subjects. Leadership and management roles involve disciplining but that cannot be possible in situations where the leaders and managers lack interest in their subordinates. Leaders and managers should always take part in improving the behaviors and personalities of their subjects so that working with them become easier.

To conclude, discipline is actually the art of shaping behaviour. The management of discipline requires specific regulations through principles to enhance its effectiveness. The challenges facing discipline management are situational and can be avoided. As a leader or a manager, the role of discipline should be under your control at all times in order to gain respect from your subordinates.

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How a woman, Angela Solomon, is leading the Groves JV football team with a focus on discipline

When Calvin Wells took over as the head football coach at Groves in 2022, the former Savannah State standout realized that one of the struggling program's biggest needs was discipline.

He decided to go with an unconventional route to help shore up that weakness as he hired Angela Solomon, a longtime head football coach at Myers Middle School, to work with the Rebel linemen on the varsity level, while serving as the head coach of the junior varsity.

"I had the pleasure of getting her athletes in the past and saw her body of work," Wells said. "She demands excellence, and if she doesn't get it, she's going to find a way. Her whole approach is all about discipline, and we needed that presence and perspective with our team. She understands how kids learn and adapt, and she does a great job coaching ― and making sure the boys understand what we're asking from them."

Solomon describes herself as an Army brat who grew up in New Jersey where she was a basketball star and also a standout in track and field where she won a state championship in the shot put for Overbrook High. She earned an athletic scholarship and played both sports at Rowan University in New Jersey.

She coached a variety of sports at Myers Middle School including boys and girls basketball during 23 years at the school, including 12 years as the head football coach. She won a Middle School City championship in 2013.

"You have to have a different approach when you're coaching girls and boys," said Solomon, 53, who also coaches the Rebel volleyball team and helps with the basketball program. "Girls can be more sensitive, but I never try to make it about gender. I'm a firm, stern coach and sometimes boys are more receptible to it, but girls need that stability and discipline sometimes too. I'm very competitive and we're trying to change the program at Groves."

The Rebels JV squad improved to 2-0 on the season on Monday with a 30-13 win over Beach at Savannah High. Solomon's impact on the sideline was evident from the start. She made sure her squad was attentive and into the game as she told her players she was ready to rock and roll as they came on to the field. Then she told them to stay right behind her as the action started. "Everyone get on Big Mama's hips," she said.

When one of her players on the sideline said something to one of his teammates on the field, Solomon let him know who was in charge.

"I like your enthusiasm, but nobody should be talking to our players from the sideline except for our coaches, we need to let them do their jobs," Solomon said.

After falling behind early, Grove came back by scoring 30 straight points in a 30-13 win. Ke'Mari Wright ran back a kickoff for a score and had a rushing touchdown for the Rebels.

"I already knew about Coach Solomon when I came to Groves," the sophomore said. "Everyone knows she don't play, but she's a hardworking coach who loves us to death. She's like a mother figure and a father figure for us."

Sophomore receiver Erick Tongori said Solomon has a big impact with her players.

"I have a lot of respect for Coach Solomon, she's really competitive and is a phenomenal coach," Tongori said. "She not going to put up with any horse play or tomfoolery, and she keeps us in check when it comes to our school work. She's almost like a mother with a belt, if you do something wrong. But she loves us, and is always encouraging us."

Solomon said she grew up as a Philadelphia Eagle fan, but Ray Lewis was always her favorite player. She has a daughter named Alicia and a son, Andrew, who played football at Johnson. Solomon has a grand daughter from her daughter.

"When my son was playing football in the little leagues I started getting into it, paying more attention and learning everything I could about the game," Solomon said. "I love coaching football because there are so many life skills in the game. You have to be able to think fast on your feet, be on point with your preparation and be aggressive. You have to know your position and be a good teammate ― and those are things that help you in everyday life."

Groves athletic director and boys basketball coach Kevin Evans said Solomon, who teaches health and fitness at the school, has been a great addition to the Rebel community.

"She knows the game really well, especially with the defensive and offensive lines," Evans said. "She does a great job preparing the younger players mentally and physically as they move up to the varsity level. She has that fire and passion that you need for football. She gives our kids that tough love that they need, and she knows how to fire them up."

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at [email protected]. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN