Overview

While much recent social science and humanities work has been a revolt against simplification, this volume explores the contrast between simplicity and complexity to reveal that this dichotomy, itself, is too simplistic. John Law and Annemarie Mol have gathered a distinguished panel of contributors to offer - particularly within the field of science studies - approaches to a theory of complexity, and at the same time a theoretical introduction to the topic. Indeed, they examine not only ways of relating to complexity but complexity in practice. Individual essays examine complexity from a variety of perspectives and cover an array of case studies and topics that include market behaviour, medical interventions, aeronautical design, the governing of supranational states, ecology, road-building, meteorology, the science of complexity itself, and the psychology of childhood trauma. Other topics include complex wholes (holism) in the sciences, moral complexity in seemingly amoral endeavours, and issues relating to the protection of African elephants. With a focus on such concepts as multiplicity, partial connections, ebbs, and flows, the collection includes narratives from Kenya, Belgium, Great Britain, Papua New Guinea, the Netherlands, and France, written by anthropologists, economists, philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, and scholars of science, technology, and society.

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9780822328315

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Reviews

There is much here to provoke new thought and insight into the meaning of complexity, and the authors do show how any reduction will inevitably require a focusing that is partial and ultimately problematic. . . . Mol should be applauded for trying to see how her story might have some longer term practical utility. But the overall strength of this book lies in its posing more questions than answers-in a quite deliberate way. It is not an easy read, but then that would be asking for a simplification that would hide the very complex(ity) issues the book is trying to reveal. <br>--Andrew Webster, Interdisciplinary Science Reviews

&ldquo;Extremely timely, important, and well-defined, this book is precisely on target in focusing on heterogeneous studies that treat knowledge as local. The types of science and technology discussed are diverse and well-balanced.&rdquo;&mdash;David Stump, coeditor of The Disunity of Science: Boundaries, Contests, and Power

"“Extremely timely, important, and well-defined, this book is precisely on target in focusing on heterogeneous studies that treat knowledge as local. The types of science and technology discussed are diverse and well-balanced.”—David Stump, coeditor of The Disunity of Science: Boundaries, Contests, and Power ""Complexities would be an excellent supplemental text in upper-division undergraduate or graduate courses in logic, philosophy, political science, global human-resource management, or cultural diversity. The real-world nature of the essays and the lack of clear conclusions make the selections in this book an excellent starting point for class discussions and reflective practice exercises. Used effectively, this book should aid students in demonstrating competence in synthesizing, evaluating, and judging the advantages and disadvantages of courses of behavior."" -- Cheryl Crozier Garcia * International Social Science Review * ""This volume begins to address a theme of increasing importance within sociology. Although it is produced form within the field of science and technology studies, it should have a broader appeal among other social scientists, including those who are interested in social theory, cultural studies, communications, management, and organizational research."" -- Anne Gatensby * Contemporary Sociology *"

“Extremely timely, important, and well-defined, this book is precisely on target in focusing on heterogeneous studies that treat knowledge as local. The types of science and technology discussed are diverse and well-balanced.”—David Stump, coeditor of The Disunity of Science: Boundaries, Contests, and Power ""Complexities would be an excellent supplemental text in upper-division undergraduate or graduate courses in logic, philosophy, political science, global human-resource management, or cultural diversity. The real-world nature of the essays and the lack of clear conclusions make the selections in this book an excellent starting point for class discussions and reflective practice exercises. Used effectively, this book should aid students in demonstrating competence in synthesizing, evaluating, and judging the advantages and disadvantages of courses of behavior."" -- Cheryl Crozier Garcia * International Social Science Review * ""This volume begins to address a theme of increasing importance within sociology. Although it is produced form within the field of science and technology studies, it should have a broader appeal among other social scientists, including those who are interested in social theory, cultural studies, communications, management, and organizational research."" -- Anne Gatensby * Contemporary Sociology *

Extremely timely, important, and well-defined, this book is precisely on target in focusing on heterogeneous studies that treat knowledge as local. The types of science and technology discussed are diverse and well-balanced. -David Stump, coeditor of The Disunity of Science: Boundaries, Contests, and Power

Author Information

John Law is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Centre for Science Studies at Lancaster University in England. Annemarie Mol is Professor of Political Philosophy at Twente University in the Netherlands.

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