Complexity Theory for a Sustainable Future

Informationen zum Autor Jon Norberg and Graeme Cumming Klappentext Complexity theory illuminates the many interactions between natural and social systems! providing a better understanding of the general principles that can help solve some of today's most pressing environmental issues. Complexity theory was developed from key ideas in economics! physics! biology! and the social sciences and contributes to important new concepts for approaching issues of environmental sustainability such as resilience! scaling! and networks. Complexity Theory for a Sustainable Future is a hands-on treatment of this exciting new body of work and its applications! bridging the gap between theoretical and applied perspectives in the management of complex adaptive systems. Focusing primarily on natural resource management and community-based conservation! the book features contributions by leading scholars in the field! many of whom are among the leaders of the Resilience Alliance. Theoreticians will find a valuable synthesis of new ideas on resilience! sustainability! asymmetries! information processing! scaling! and networks. Managers and policymakers will benefit from the application of these ideas to practical approaches and empirical studies linked to social-ecological systems. Chapters present new twists on such existing approaches as scenario planning! scaling analyses! and adaptive management! and the book concludes with recommendations on how to manage natural resources! how to involve stakeholders in the dynamics of a system! and how to explain the difficult topic of scale. A vital reference for an emerging discipline! this volume provides a clearer understanding of the conditions required for systems self-organization! since the capacity of any system to self-organize is crucial for its sustainability over time. Zusammenfassung Complexity theory sheds light on the many interactions between natural and social systems. This book focuses on natural resource management and community-based conservation. It covers scenario planning! scaling analysis! and adaptive management. It emphasizes on understanding the conditions required for systems self-organization. Inhaltsverzeichnis PrefaceIntroductionJon Norberg and Graeme S. CummingIntroduction to Part 1: Diversity and Heterogeneity1. Environmental AsymmetriesGraeme S. Cumming! Grenville Barnes! and Jane Southworth2. Diversity and Resilience of Social-Ecological SystemsJon Norberg! James Wilson! Brian Walker! and Elinor OstromIntroduction to Part 2: Networks3. A Network Perspective on Modularity and Control of Flow in Robust SystemsColleen Webb and Örjan Bodin4: Social Networks as Sources of Resilience in Social-Ecological SystemsThomas Hahn! Lisen Schultz! Carl Folke! and Per OlssonIntroduction to Part 3: Information Processing5. Theoretical Challenges: Information Processing and Navigation in Social-Ecological SystemsJohn M. Anderies and Jon Norberg6. Regime Shifts! Environmental Signals! Uncertainty! and Policy ChoiceWilliam A. Brock! Stephen R. Carpenter! and Marten SchefferIntroduction to Part 4: Practical Approaches7. Participation in Building Scenarios of Regional DevelopmentLouis Lebel and Elena Bennett8. Practicing Adaptive Management in Complex Social-Ecological SystemsLance Gunderson! Garry Peterson! and C. S. Holling9. Scale and Complex SystemsGraeme Cumming and Jon NorbergComplexity Theory for a Sustainable Future: Conclusions and OutlookJon Norberg and Graeme CummingIndex ...

Product details

• Authors: Graeme Cumming, Norberg, Jon Norberg, Jon (EDT)/ Cumming Norberg, Jon (Stockholm University Norberg, Jon Cumming Norberg
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 11.07.2008
• EAN: 9780231134613
• ISBN: 978-0-231-13461-3
• No. of pages: 312
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 13 mm
• Series: Complexity in Ecological Syste; Complexity in Ecological Systems; Complexity in Ecological Syste
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > General, dictionaries; Social sciences, law, business > Business > Economics