How can we help each other to make knowledge and social change within "unruly" (heterogeneous, distributed) ecological complexities?

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How can we help each other to make knowledge and
social change within "unruly" (heterogeneous,
distributed) ecological complexities? Peter
Taylor Univ. Massachusetts Boston Critical
Creative Thinking Science, Technology
Values Education for Sustainability peter.t
aylor_at_umb.edu www.faculty.umb.edu/pjt
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What places could someone intervene in these
intersecting processes so as to modify the
future development of this situation?
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II
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What places could someone intervene in this
knowledge-making so as to modify the future
development of this situation?
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III
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What places could someone intervene in this
knowledge-making intersecting processes so as
to modify the future development of this
situation?
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IV
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How can we help each other to make knowledge and
social change within "unruly" (heterogeneous,
distributed) ecological complexities?
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In what situations could you envisage using
mapping to help yourself and others make
knowledge and social change within "unruly"
ecological complexities? What might hinder this
or limit its usefulness?
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V
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What would it mean to take seriously the
creativity and capacity-building that seems to
follow from well-facilitated participation but
not to conclude that researchers should "go
local" and focus all their efforts on one place?
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"flexible engagement" challenge for
researchers in any knowledge-making situation
connect quickly with others who are almost
ready to foster participatory processes through
the experience such processes provide their
participants enhance the capacity of others to do
likewise
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Angles on practice of researchers A. dialogue
with situation studied B. interactions with other
social agents to establish what counts as
knowledge C. affecting social change through
attention to the complexities of both the
situations studied and the researchers own
social situatedness
Formulations 1. simple, well-bounded
systems 2. simple scenarios -gt greater
complexity further work needed in particular
cases 3. work based on dynamics among particular
entities/agents whose actions implicate or span a
range of realms, which develop over time
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Intersecting Processes cut across
scales involve heterogeneous components develo
p over time
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causality agency distributed, not localized
multiple points of engagement to modify the
course of development joint partial
responsibility
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System Intersecting processes

Clearly defined boundaries Boundaries categories problematic IPs involve heterogeneous components incl. unequal agents
Coherent internal dynamics governing development, structure stability, adaptation to external environment Levels scale not clearly separable IPs cut across scales Structures subject to restructuring IPs develop over time , e.g. differentiation among unequal agents historical contingency

External observer position No privileged standpoint
Natural reduction of complexity Control generalization difficult structuredness in IPs not reducible to micro- or macro-determinations
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1. Intersecting processes involve inseparable
dynamics 2. The account represents agency as
distributed across different kinds of agents and
scale. 3. The account has an intermediate
complexity. 4. Intermediate complexity
accounts favor the idea of multiple, smaller
engagements linked together within the
intersecting processes. 5. Intersecting
processes accounts highlight the need for
trans-disciplinary work grounded in particular
locations. 6. Intermediate complexity
preserves a role for some kind of social
scientific generalization.
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scientists establish knowledge and develop their
practices through diverse practical choices the
outcomes of scientific worktheories, readings
from instruments, collaborations, etc. are
accepted because they are aspects of
heterogeneous webs that are difficult to modify
in practice interpretation of scientific work as
heterogeneous construction exposes specific
points at which concrete alternative resources
could be mobilized
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vibrating agency open questions