Reflections on Systemic Change | Louis Klein

April 2019

Contemporary definitions of the notion of resilience highlights the fact that resilience is the capacity of a system, be it an individual, a forest, a city or an economy, to deal with change and transformation. Understanding how systems change remains a challenge in navigating the complexity of the Anthropocene towards resilience and sustainability. Louis Klein, dean of the European School of Governance (www.eusg.eu), challenges our understanding of change and shows ways how and why to organise for purpose and transform social systems based on insights into systemic change, leverage and mind shift. Systems change is not so much about getting things done; it is the art of letting things grow.

Human Systems Dynamics: Foundations, Discipline, Praxis | Glenda Eoyang

July 2017

Glenda Eoyang works with public and private organizations to help them thrive in the face of overwhelming complexity and uncertainty. She is a pioneer in the applications of complexity science to human systems, and she founded the field of human systems dynamics (HSD). Through Human Systems Dynamics Institute (www.hsdinstitute.org), where she serves as founding executive director, Glenda uses her models and methods to help others see patterns in the chaos that surrounds them, understand the patterns in simple and powerful ways, and take practical steps to shift chaos toward coherence. The HSD Associate Network includes 650 scholar-practitioners around the world. They are certified to apply her principles of Adaptive Action and Pattern Logic in diverse sectors including education, health care, government, and philanthropy. Her work relates to human systems at all scales and contexts from individual health and wellness to performance evaluation and international patterns of corruption and conflict. Her recent clients include the Finnish Research Institute (VTT); US Environmental Protection Agency; British Columbia Ministry of Health, Canada; Oxfam International, UK; Yukon Territorial Government, Canada; Family Housing Fund; Catholic Charities of the Twin Cities; the McKnight Foundation; and the Association for Medical Education in Europe. For more information about HSD and Glenda click here. Glenda’s latest book, with co-author Royce Holladay, is Adaptive Action: Leveraging Uncertainty in Your Organization (Stanford University Press, April 2013).

Transforming social narratives into learning transitions | Luke Metelerkamp

September 2019

In South and Southern African, more than half of the young people are ensnared in a complex and intractable unemployment crisis that is being driven, in part, by a transition toward a highly industrialised food system. Luke’s research into the social narratives and learning networks in the South African food system makes a unique contribution to the ongoing national debate around youth employment and food system transitions. Based on empirical data from a combination of narrative inquiries and social network mapping, he will share two central insights from his past and ongoing research. The first, presents youth narratives on agricultural careers as a politically resonant mandate for food system transformation. The second, touches on insights into how the informal and fragmented knowledge within emerging sustainability niches can be wielded more effectively to underpin the skills revolution that a transition to a just food system requires.

Towards a new commons-based economy – Concepts, applications and potential | Prof Gael Giraud

August 2019

Professor Gael Giraud is the Chief Economist of Agency Française de Développement (French Development Bank), a Professor at Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (ENPC)/LISIS, Senior Researcher at CNRS, Professor of Energy and Prosperity and a member of the Steering committee of Campus de la Transition.