Agile Actors on Complex Terrains - Graham Room

Agile Actors on Complex Terrains

Transformative Realism and Public Policy

(Autor)

Buch | Hardcover
218 Seiten
2016
Routledge (Verlag)
978-1-138-95921-7 (ISBN)
159,95 inkl. MwSt
This book brings together complexity science, sociological theory and political economy and applies them to empirical areas of public policy. It shows how complexity science can illuminate the non-linear dynamics of the social world, but only if understood by reference to the unequal distribution of power and advantage.
This book assesses the value and relevance of the literature on complex systems to policy-making, contributing to both social theory and policy analysis. For this purpose it develops two key ideas: agile action and transformative realism. The book takes some major themes from complexity science, presents them in a clear and accessible manner and applies them to core problems in sociological theory and policy analysis. Combining complexity science with perspectives from institutionalism and political economy, this book is the first to integrate these fields conceptually, methodologically and in terms of the implications for policy analysis and practice.

Room shows how the models and methods of social and complexity science can be jointly deployed and applied to empirical areas of public policy. He demonstrates how complexity science can provide insight into the nonlinear dynamics of the social world, but why these need to be understood by reference to the unequal distribution of power and advantage. Among the sociological debates with which the book engages are those concerned with causation and explanation, rational action and positional competition, and the place of evolutionary concepts in accounts of social change. Among the policy debates are those concerned with evidence and policy, the dynamics of inequality, and libertarian paternalism.

The book will appeal to final year undergraduates and postgraduate students in social sciences; scholars in social and policy studies broadly defined; policy-makers who want to go beyond conventional discussions of evidence-based policy-making and cross-national lesson-drawing, and consider how to approach complex and turbulent policy terrains; and a wider range of scholars in other disciplines where complexity science is already well developed.

Graham Room is Professor of European Social Policy at the University of Bath. He is author, co-author or editor of twelve books, including Complexity, Institutions and Public Policy: Agile Decision-Making in a Turbulent World, Edward Elgar, 2011. He was Founding Editor of the Journal of European Social Policy and Founding Director of the Institute for Policy Research.

Preface

Introduction

Part I: Transformative Realism

1. Complexity and the Social Sciences

2. Evolution and the Arts of Civilisation

3. Contingent Development and Explanation (with Graham K Brown)

Part II: Agile Actors

4. Rationality, Rationales and Agile Action

5. Positional Advantage: A Three-Dimensional Analysis

6. Navigating Complex Environments

Part III: Public Policy

7. Evidence for Agile Policy-Makers

8. Nudge or Nuzzle? – Improving Decisions about Active Citizenship

9. Unequal Rewards and the Super-Rich

10. Conclusion

Erscheinungsdatum
Reihe/Serie Complexity in Social Science
Zusatzinfo 1 Tables, black and white; 15 Line drawings, black and white; 1 Halftones, black and white; 16 Illustrations, black and white
Verlagsort London
Sprache englisch
Maße 156 x 234 mm
Gewicht 453 g
Themenwelt Sachbuch/Ratgeber Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie
Sozialwissenschaften Politik / Verwaltung Staat / Verwaltung
Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie Allgemeines / Lexika
ISBN-10 1-138-95921-9 / 1138959219
ISBN-13 978-1-138-95921-7 / 9781138959217
Zustand Neuware
Haben Sie eine Frage zum Produkt?
Mehr entdecken
aus dem Bereich
Organisationen steuern, Strukturen schaffen, Prozesse gestalten

von Andreas Gourmelon; Michael Mroß; Sabine Seidel

Buch | Softcover (2024)
Rehm Verlag
38,00
klare Antworten aus erster Hand

von Anna-Lisa Müller

Buch | Softcover (2024)
UTB (Verlag)
19,90