Sustainability. A concept with (humanly) universal appeal. A concept that is, at the same time, beguilingly simple and damnably complex. The simplicity arises in grasping a general meaning, the complexity, in trying to pin down a precise meaning and in tying to address the challenge of its manifestation (humanly speaking) in the 21st century.
In grappling with the complexity, there is a frequent propensity for dividing issues and concerns into smaller, manageable pieces: How else can one possibly deal with the complex, diverse, interconnected structures and processes involved? Yet there is a counter question: How can one possibly deal with the complex, diverse, interconnected structures and processes by breaking them up into pieces, thus losing a sense of the whole? As with many concerns, the most appropriate response likely lies in the murkiness of middle ground: neither approach, on its own, will suffice.
Personally, I believe there is little hope for meeting the challenge of sustainability without the use and application of reductive and integrative approaches – for understanding, for planning and for action. (I am actually not convinced that there is much hope even with such approaches, however, I see no alternative but to try...) Given my sense that reductive approaches dominate, my emphasis has been on integrative work. This has turned me toward systems theory and systems thinking – approaches based on synthesis and holistic thinking. Such approaches provide opportunities for those grappling with sustainability – including ecological economists and other (trans)disciplinarians – by encouraging different ways of thinking, providing different interpretive lenses and (hopefully) leading to the design of different approaches. Emphasizing self-organization, feedback, fundamental uncertainty, interconnectedness and multiple possible states, complex systems approaches often suggest a ‘poly-ocular’ perspective: The multiple understandings that emerge from different ways of conceptualizing the world may strengthen planning for sustainability.
This presentation draws on a unique approach, conceptualizing socioecological systems as complex, self-producing and boundaryless. While boundaries are typically assumed to be essential for defining, understanding and working with systems, this presentation explores implications of relinquishing such an assumption. Rather than draw boundaries, the focus is on identifying the factors involved in the generation and maintenance of complex systems – and on using these as means for conceptualizing the systems of concern and for considering the subsequent implications for manifesting change. Brief explanations of the various factors involved are covered, using abstract descriptions, examples and diagrams. At risk of being inaccurate and misleading, many details and considerations are glossed over in the aid of brevity and completeness. Those intrigued by this rough sketch are encouraged to follow more details at www.sympoiesis.net.
The ideas presented in this hypertext are based on that work, which is my (in-progress) dissertation (hopefully) leading to fulfillment of a PhD in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario.
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assumptions etc. :: sustainability :: new ways of thinking
