Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Exploring the implications of critical complexity for the study of socialecological systems
Ecology and Society, Volume 18, No. 3, Article 12, Year 2013
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
The complexity of social-ecological systems is well recognized (Berkes et al. 2003, Norberg and Cumming 2008). However, in the study of such systems, it is often the uncertainty that results from nonlinear interactions that forms the focus of discussion. Here, the normative implications of complexity for our knowledge of such systems are emphasised, by drawing largely on the work of Cilliers (1998, 2005a), who introduced the term "critical complexity". This perspective on complexity is distinct in bringing the value-based choices that frame our knowledge generation strategies to the fore. It is from this view that we investigate the implications of complexity for social-ecological systems research. Based on these implications, we propose a set of five key questions to guide the incorporation of insights from critical complexity into such research. We end with a brief application of the questions proposed to the National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPA) project in South Africa, to illustrate their potential use in the context of resource management. © 2013 by the author(s).
Authors & Co-Authors
Audouin, Michelle
South Africa, Pretoria
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Preiser, Rika
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Nienaber, Shanna
South Africa, Pretoria
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Downsborough, Linda
Australia, Clayton
Monash University
Lanz, Johann
South Africa, Ulundi
University of Zululand
Mavengahama, Sydney
South Africa, Ulundi
University of Zululand
Statistics
Citations: 64
Authors: 6
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.5751/ES-05434-180312
e-ISSN:
17083087
Study Locations
South Africa