Interdisciplinary academic work is inherently fraught, and the incentives in most scholarly environments tend to direct efforts toward greater specialization rather than to foster cross- and interdisciplinary collaboration and dialogue. With specialization of focus comes specialization of terminology, and the challenge of overcoming the technical jargon of another discipline is one of the key barriers to genuine interdisciplinary work. My formal academic training in theology, while including formation in different theological specializations—including history, systematics, and ethics—did little to either substantively introduce or materially develop expertise in fields like political science or economics. One of the great blessings of my time working at the Acton Institute has been an ongoing education and formation in economics, public policy, and political philosophy.
Jordan J. Ballor, "Interdisciplinary Dialogue and Scarcity in Economic Terminology," Journal of Markets & Morality 23, no. 1 (2020): 131-137.