Handbook of Research Methods in Complexity Science: Theory and Applications

This comprehensive Handbook is aimed at both academic researchers and practitioners in the field of complexity science. The book’s 26 chapters, specially written by leading experts, provide in-depth coverage of research methods based on the sciences of complexity. The research methods presented are illustratively applied to practical cases and are readily accessible to researchers and decision-makers alike. The Handbook'’s wide range of research methods are clearly illustrated with case studies that demonstrate their practical application. They range from the regeneration of communities to musical performance; from complex governance networks to psychotherapy; from gender dynamics to agent-based modelling; and the appropriate response to pandemics. Some unusual research methods – based on art, psychology and multi-level networks – are also included. Furthermore, the book incorporates discussions on the philosophical aspect of research methods and explores important theoretical concepts, such as exaptation, emergence, self-organisation and co-evolution. This is an ideal resource for academics and researchers in the field seeking and exploring new research methods. For decision-makers and researchers trying to address complex challenges it will be an essential source of inspiration that will arm them with effective state-of-the-art research methods for the future. Contributors include: P. Allen, P. Andriani, S. Banerjee, Y. Bar-Yam, P. Beautement, C.R. Booth, J. Bromley, H.L. Brown, J. Burton, G. Carignani, B. Castellani, G.C. Crawford, C. Day, C.J. Dister, R. Durie, E.G. Eason, K.M. English, J. Fortune, M. Gabbay, J. Goldstein, J.K. Hazy, K. Hopkinson, N. Hupert, E.S. Ihara, H.J. Jensen, J. Johnson, D.G. Kelty-Stephen, W.G. Kennedy, L. Kuhn, B. Lichtenstein, C. Lundy, B. McKelvey, E. Mitleton-Kelly, S. Mockett, G. Morçöl, S. Mukherjee, S.K. Palit, A. Paraskevas, B. Pourbohloul, R. Rajaram, F.A. Razak, K.A. Richardson, J. Rowan Scott, Y. Shapiro, S. Kim, J. Stead, H. Stuteley, A. Tait, C.J. Tompkins, L. Varga, X. Wan, P.R. Wolenski, M.E. Wolf-Branigin, K. Wyatt

Table of Contents:
Contents: Editors’ introduction by Eve Mitleton-Kelly, Alexandros Paraskevas and Christopher Day PART I COMPLEXITY SCIENCE RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY Introduction to Part I by Henrik Jeldtoft Jensen 1. Introduction to the Strategy and Methods of Complex Systems Yaneer Bar-Yam 2. Complex Evolving Social Systems: Unending, Imperfect Learning Peter Allen 3. Information theoretic measures of causality: Music performance as a case study Fatimah Abdul Razak, Xiaogeng Wan and Henrik Jeldtoft Jensen PART II CASE-BASED QUALITATIVE TECHNIQUES Introduction to Part II by Peter Allen 4. Addressing Global Challenges: the EMK Complexity Methodology Eve Mitleton-Kelly 5. Complexity informed social research: from complexity concepts to creative applications Lesley Kuhn 6. From Isolation to Transformation with C2 Hazel Stuteley and Jonathan Stead 7. Using complexity principles to understand the nature of relations for creating a culture of publically engaged research within Higher Education Institutes Robin Durie, Craig Lundy and Katrina Wyatt PART III VISUAL METHODOLOGIES Introduction to Part III by Alexandros Paraskevas 8. The Art of Complexity: Using visual artefacts and dialogue to bridge the gap between strategic plans and local actions in organisations Julian Burton and Sam Mockett 9. Inner Complexity: Using Landscape of the Mind to catalyse change in organisations Kate Hopkinson 10. On the Visualization of Dynamic Structure: Understanding the distinction between static and dynamic network topology Kurt A. Richardson and Andrew Tait 11. Network Text Analysis and Social Network Analysis in Investigating Complex Governance Networks: Applications of AutoMap and ORA Göktuğ Morçöl and Sohee Kim PART IV MODELLING & STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF EMPIRICAL DATA Introduction to Part IV by Bill McKelvey 12. Using maximum likelihood estimation methods and complexity science concepts to research power law-distributed phenomena G. Christopher Crawford and Bill McKelvey 13. Multifractal signatures of intersectionality: Nonlinear dynamics permits quantitative modeling of hierarchical patterns in gender dynamics at the cultural level Hannah L. Brown, Chase R. Booth, Elizabeth G. Eason and Damian G. Kelty-Stephen 14. Modeling Social Complexity in Infrastructures: A Case-based Approach to Improving Reliability and Resiliency Carl J. Dister, Brian Castellani and Rajeev Rajaram 15. Phase Transitions and Social Contagion As Enabling Mechanisms for Coordinated Action in Populations: A Mathematical Framework James K. Hazy and Peter R. Wolenski 16. Applying Complex Adaptive Systems to Agent-Based Models for Social Programme Evaluation Michael E. Wolf-Branigin, William G. Kennedy, Emily S. Ihara and Catherine J. Tompkins 17. Complexity, the Bridging Science of Emerging Respiratory Outbreak Response Babak Pourbohloul, Krista M. English and Nathaniel Hupert PART V MULTI-LEVEL NETWORKS Introduction to Part V by Patrick Beautement 18. Multilevel Systems and Policy Jeffrey Johnson , Joyce Fortune and Jane Bromley 19. Complex Scenarios in Socio-Economic Data: A Comprehensive Analytical study Sanjay Kumar Palit, Santo Banerjee and Sayan Mukherjee 20. Employment of Tools and Models Appropriate to Complex, Real-world Situations Patrick Beautement 21. Leadership Network Structure and Influence Dynamics Michael Gabbay PART VI MIXED METHODS & COMPLEX ANALOGIES Introduction to Part VI by Benyamin Lichtenstein 22. Complex analogy and modular exaptation: some critical clarifications Pierpaolo Andriani and Giuseppe Carignani 23. Emergence and Radical Novelty: From Theory to Methods Jeffrey A. Goldstein 24. Applying the 15 Complexity Sciences: Methods for Studying Emergence in Organizations Benyamin Lichtenstein 25. Mixed methods research: A method for complex systems Liz Varga 26. Dynamical Systems Therapy (DST): Complex adaptive systems in psychiatry and psychotherapy Yakov Shapiro and J. Rowan Scott Index

About the Author :
Edited by Eve Mitleton-Kelly, Director, Complexity Research Group, London School of Economics and Political Science, Alexandros Paraskevas, Chair in Hospitality Management, University of West London and Christopher Day, Senior Research Associate, Complexity Research Group, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

Review :
'The Handbook of Research Methods in Complexity Science is an innovative addition to the literature on complexity theory in social science and policy studies. Many of us appreciate the benefits of a new way of thinking about, for example, complex policy making systems. This book takes the discussion forward by showing how we can research those systems, and use new empirical data to help us improve the way they work. This is an exciting prospects for researchers and practitioners.' --Paul Cairney, University of Stirling, UK