Hardback
Global Challenges, Governance, and Complexity
Applications and Frontiers
9781788115414 Edward Elgar Publishing
There is an increased interest in integrating insights from the complexity sciences to studies of governance and policy. While the issue has been debated, and the term of ‘complexity’ has multiple and sometimes contested interpretations, it is also clear the field has spurred a number of interesting theoretical and empirical efforts. The book includes key thinkers in the field, elaborates on different analytical approaches in studying governance, institutions and policy in the face of complexity, and showcases empirical applications and insights.
More Information
Contributors
Contents
More Information
Through exploring the application of a complex systems lens on important global challenges, this timely book offers key insights into successful governance in our changing world. It illustrates a number of theoretical and methodological approaches to help understand the role of decision-making, policies, institutions and networks in navigating complexity.
Bringing together leading international scholars, Global Challenges, Governance, and Complexity elaborates important features of complex adaptive systems and their connections to key governmental and political issues. These include: complexity leadership, environmental and sustainability challenges, the role of economics, policy-making, legal and social dimensions of systemic risks, and the effectiveness of polycentricity. Chapters look at novel research in the field, highlighting how a diverse range of disciplinary approaches to governance can improve our understanding of complex global challenges.
Political science and sustainability science scholars, particularly those with a keen interest in environmental politics and sustainability, will greatly benefit from reading this book. The insights offered will also be of use to policy makers wishing to gain a more thorough understanding of the field.
Bringing together leading international scholars, Global Challenges, Governance, and Complexity elaborates important features of complex adaptive systems and their connections to key governmental and political issues. These include: complexity leadership, environmental and sustainability challenges, the role of economics, policy-making, legal and social dimensions of systemic risks, and the effectiveness of polycentricity. Chapters look at novel research in the field, highlighting how a diverse range of disciplinary approaches to governance can improve our understanding of complex global challenges.
Political science and sustainability science scholars, particularly those with a keen interest in environmental politics and sustainability, will greatly benefit from reading this book. The insights offered will also be of use to policy makers wishing to gain a more thorough understanding of the field.
Contributors
Contributors: M.A. Centeno, C. Chambers, M. Cox, A.-S. Crépin, C. Folke, V. Galaz, D. Huitema, A. Jordan, D.M. Katz, R.E. Kim, S.A. Levin, M. Milkoreit, S. Nooteboom, J. Patterson, T. Patterson, B.G. Peters, J. Pierre, R. Preiser, L. Rade, J.B. Ruhl, H. Schmitz, M. Schoon, I. Scoones, G. Teisman, H. van Asselt, M. Woermann
Contents
Contents:
Introduction 1
Victor Galaz
PART I REFLECTIONS AND THEORETICAL APPROACHES
1 The architecture of robustness 16
Simon A. Levin
2 Governing for emergence in social–ecological systems 24
Carl Folke
3 Complexity, philosophy and ethics 38
Rika Preiser and Minka Woermann
4 Sustainability transformations in complex systems:
a political economy perspective 63
Hubert Schmitz and Ian Scoones
5 Adaptive governance from an evolutionary perspective 78
Michael Cox and Michael Schoon
PART II APPLICATIONS
6 Understanding institutional complexity through networks 95
Rakhyun E. Kim
7 Polycentric governance and climate change 124
Dave Huitema, Andrew Jordan, Harro van Asselt and James Patterson
8 Harnessing the complexity of legal systems for
governing global challenges 147
J.B. Ruhl and Daniel M. Katz
9 Complexity, resilience and economics 166
Anne-Sophie Crépin
10 Simple solutions for complexity? 188
B. Guy Peters, Jon Pierre and Victor Galaz
11 The system made me do it? Regulating systemic risk 211
Caitlin Chambers, Luca Rade, Thayer Patterson
and Miguel A. Centeno
12 Leadership and complexity: can individuals make differences
in complex systems? 239
Sibout Nooteboom and Geert Teisman
13 Cognitive capacities for global governance in the face
of complexity: the case of climate tipping points 274
Manjana Milkoreit
Index 303
Introduction 1
Victor Galaz
PART I REFLECTIONS AND THEORETICAL APPROACHES
1 The architecture of robustness 16
Simon A. Levin
2 Governing for emergence in social–ecological systems 24
Carl Folke
3 Complexity, philosophy and ethics 38
Rika Preiser and Minka Woermann
4 Sustainability transformations in complex systems:
a political economy perspective 63
Hubert Schmitz and Ian Scoones
5 Adaptive governance from an evolutionary perspective 78
Michael Cox and Michael Schoon
PART II APPLICATIONS
6 Understanding institutional complexity through networks 95
Rakhyun E. Kim
7 Polycentric governance and climate change 124
Dave Huitema, Andrew Jordan, Harro van Asselt and James Patterson
8 Harnessing the complexity of legal systems for
governing global challenges 147
J.B. Ruhl and Daniel M. Katz
9 Complexity, resilience and economics 166
Anne-Sophie Crépin
10 Simple solutions for complexity? 188
B. Guy Peters, Jon Pierre and Victor Galaz
11 The system made me do it? Regulating systemic risk 211
Caitlin Chambers, Luca Rade, Thayer Patterson
and Miguel A. Centeno
12 Leadership and complexity: can individuals make differences
in complex systems? 239
Sibout Nooteboom and Geert Teisman
13 Cognitive capacities for global governance in the face
of complexity: the case of climate tipping points 274
Manjana Milkoreit
Index 303