Transdisciplinarity: reimagining improvisation, creativity and complexity

Anchored in complex thought and emphasizing the importance of imagination, this article examines compartmentalized and fragmented knowledge while highlighting both knowledge itself and the interrelations among knowing, doing, being, and relating, as well as recognising the nature of those relationships. Transdisciplinarity is presented as a methodological approach for developing conceptual frameworks within complex systems, allowing fluid movement between, across, and beyond disciplinary boundaries. The article references Nicolescu's three axioms: (i) levels of reality—acknowledging that reality exists on multiple interconnected levels; (ii) the logic of the included third—moving beyond binary thinking to account for paradox and contradiction; and (iii) complexity—addressing uncertainty. Furthermore, we discuss the recognition of the nature of the relations among various disciplines and perspectives and discuss the tension between innovation and tradition. The role of creativity and transdisciplinarity in contemporary social sciences' paths of knowledge, where improvisation plays a central role in navigating complexity and changes in an ever more uncertain world is highlighted.