1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910172241703321

Autore

Byrne D. S (David S.), <1947->

Titolo

Complexity theory and the social sciences : an introduction / / David Byrne

Pubbl/distr/stampa

London ; ; New York, : Routledge, 1998

ISBN

1-134-71473-4

0-203-00391-8

0-203-15842-3

Edizione

[1st edition]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (312 pages)

Disciplina

300/.1/5118

Soggetti

Social sciences - Mathematical models

Chaotic behavior in systems

Social sciences - Research

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. 189-197) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Book Cover; Title; Contents; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Understanding the complex; The reality of the complex: the complexity of the real; Complexity and the quantitative programme in social science; Analysing social complexity; Complex spaces: regions, cities and neighbourhoods in a complex world; The complex character of health and illness; Complexity, education and change; Complexity and policy: the limits to urban governance; Conclusion; Glossary; Notes; Bibliography; Inde

Sommario/riassunto

For the past two decades, ‘complexity’ has informed a range of work across the social sciences. There are diverse schools of complexity thinking, and authors have used these ideas in a multiplicity of ways, from health inequalities to the organization of large scale firms. Some understand complexity as emergence from the rule-based interactions of simple agents and explore it through agent-based modelling. Others argue against such ‘restricted complexity’ and for the development of case-based narratives deploying a much wider set of approaches and techniques. Major social theorists have been reinterpreted through a complexity lens and the whole methodological programme of the social sciences has been recast in complexity terms.In four parts, this book



seeks to establish ‘the state of the art’ of complexity-informed social science as it stands now, examining:the key issues in complexity theory the implications of complexity theory for social theory the methodology and methods of complexity theory complexity within disciplines and fields.It also points ways forward towards a complexity-informed social science for the twenty-first century, investigating the argument for a post-disciplinary, ‘open’ social science. Byrne and Callaghan consider how this might be developed as a programme of teaching and research within social science. This book will be particularly relevant for, and interesting to, students and scholars of social research methods, social theory, business and organization studies, health, education, urban studies and development studies.