A case study in the acceptance of a new discipline

Abstract

What factors contribute to the acceptance of a new discipline? The disciplinary map is not static but not all candidate disciplines find acceptance in the academy. This article presents a case study of the acceptance of a discipline in one university. It argues that a close association with an existing high‐status discipline was fundamental to the acceptance of the new discipline at the case study institution. In contrast, the evolution of the discipline to include lower status applied material was crucial to the emergence of a discipline independent of its parent. In addition, acceptance was influenced by a series of serendipitous factors that are likely to be specific to the case study institution.