Complexity theory illuminates the many interactions between natural and socialsystems providing a better understanding of the general principles that canhelp so... » 

Complexity theory illuminates the many interactions between natural and socialsystems providing a better understanding of the general principles that canhelp solve some of todays most pressing environmental issues. Complexitytheory was developed from key ideas in economics physics biology and thesocial sciences and contributes to important new concepts for approachingissues of environmental sustainability such as resilience scaling andnetworks.Complexity Theory for a Sustainable Future is a handson treatment of thisexciting new body of work and its applications bridging the gap betweentheoretical and applied perspectives in the management of complex adaptivesystems. Focusing primarily on natural resource management and communitybasedconservation the book features contributions by leading scholars in the fieldmany of whom are among the leaders of the Resilience Alliance. Theoreticianswill find a valuable synthesis of new ideas on resilience sustainabilityasymmetries information processing scaling and networks. Managers andpolicymakers will benefit from the application of these ideas to practicalapproaches and empirical studies linked to socialecological systems. Chapterspresent new twists on such existing approaches as scenario planning scalinganalyses and adaptive management and the book concludes with recommendationson how to manage natural resources how to involve stakeholders in the dynamicsof a system and how to explain the difficult topic of scale. A vital referencefor an emerging discipline this volume provides a clearer understanding of theconditions required for systems selforganization since the capacity of anysystem to selforganize is crucial for its sustainability over time. «