Research of European Union's Common Agricultural Policy: disciplinary boundaries and beyond

Based on the philosophy of science approach and literature analysis, this contribution demonstrates that over time, the focus of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy research has shifted from market distortions to international trade and budgetary decision-making frameworks, as well as broader societal issues, such as food, environment and development. The array of disciplinary approaches has changed accordingly: from (agricultural) economics towards political and social sciences. Some key gaps in the existing research indicate the limits of overly problem-oriented and partial approaches towards science, calling for inter- and trans-disciplinary work when it comes to indivisible layers of the research object.