This is a guest post by Frauke de Weijer (pictured), policy and fragile states specialist at the excellent ECDPM think tank. In a previous post on this blog, Ben explored the potential of complex systems research for thinking about statebuilding and fragility. In this guest post, I would like to take this discussion one step [...]
Archive for the ‘Conflict and peace building’ Category
Taming fragility?
Posted in Conflict and peace building, Evolution, Influence, Innovation, Institutions, Knowledge and learning, Leadership, Networks, Strategy on March 12, 2012 | 6 Comments »
State fragility as a wicked problem?
Posted in Conflict and peace building, Evaluation, Evolution, Leadership, Meetings, Organisations, Public Policy, Strategy on February 15, 2012 | 7 Comments »
Fragile states are growing in importance on the development and humanitarian agenda. One of the most concrete outcomes of last years aid summit in Busan was the New Deal for fragile states. Most major donors are looking to increase their presence and effort in fragile states, and implementing agencies are having to work out what [...]
What are leaders really for?
Posted in Accountability, Campaigns, Conflict and peace building, Evolution, Financial crisis, Innovation, Knowledge and learning, Leadership, Networks, Self organisation on December 7, 2011 | 5 Comments »
A continuing theme on this blog has been the issue of leadership. Many reports and studies call for it, reforms are seen as impossible without it, critical challenges will not be met without it, and we are all ready to point out the lack of it (in others, at least). Despite the fact that leadership [...]
USAID’s Complexity Journey
Posted in Conflict and peace building, Evaluation, Innovation, Leadership, Meetings, Organisations, Public Policy, Strategy on October 17, 2011 | 5 Comments »
Last week saw a remarkable meeting in Washington, bringing together USAID staff with scientists and practitioners working on complex systems. This post reflects on the event and outlines some of the emerging lessons. Background There have been a number of meetings on the topic of complexity and development in different locations around the world in [...]
To build peace, first understand the dynamics of war
Posted in Benoit Mandelbrot, Chaos, Conflict and peace building, Evolution, Knowledge and learning, Networks, Pacifism, Public Policy on January 14, 2011 | 1 Comment »
A fascinating 7 minute TED talk by Sean Gourley.
The globalisation of vulnerability
Posted in Agriculture, Climate change, Conflict and peace building, Economics, Financial crisis, Innovation, Institutions, Knowledge and learning, Natural disasters, Organisations, Public Policy, Resilience on January 11, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Most analysts agree that globalisation has become more intensive and dramatic in recent decades because of advances in technology, communications, science and transportation. While it can be a catalyst for development and progress, globalisation also carries significant and increasing challenges for aid policy makers and practitioners alike. I: The new face of vulnerability? Recent years [...]
Predicting catastrophes – limits and possibilities
Posted in Conflict and peace building, Evolution, Financial crisis, Innovation, Institutions, Knowledge and learning, Natural disasters on November 24, 2010 | 3 Comments »
Tipping points are found in ecosystems, economies and even bodies. But they’re usually recognized in retrospect, when it’s too late for anything but regret. Now a growing body of research suggests there are telltale mathematical signals. If scientists can figure out how to detect them, they may be able to forecast tipping points ahead of [...]
The simplicity on the far side of complexity
Posted in Biology, Conflict and peace building, Knowledge and learning, Networks, Public Policy, Strategy on November 13, 2010 | 3 Comments »
Most readers will know this image, now iconic for all the wrong reasons (and blogged about here earlier this year) We shouldn’t groan when we see such images, we should be excited. A three minute TED talk by ecologist Eric Berlow explains why, using approaches from his work in natural systems. The presentation left me reflecting [...]
Former USAID Afghanistan Chief looks to Complexity Science
Posted in Accountability, Chaos, Conflict and peace building, Evaluation, Innovation, Institutions, Knowledge and learning, Leadership, Organisations, Public Policy, Strategy on October 5, 2010 | 3 Comments »
The most interesting story this week for anyone interested in complexity and aid issues is the news that Bill Frej, head of the United States Agency for International Development’s mission to Afghanistan from May 2009 until June 2010, will be the first ‘development diplomat in residence’ at the Santa Fe Institute, the leading global think-tank [...]
Rethinking Trust (and a Doggy Footnote)
Posted in Conflict and peace building, Facilitation, Institutions, Knowledge and learning, Leadership, Organisations, Public Policy, Strategy on August 19, 2010 | 7 Comments »
For one reason or another, I have been thinking about trust this week. Trust is regularly cited as a critical factor in effective aid organisations, is seen as the essential for partnerships, and creating it is seen as a primary task for aid leadership. But all too often trust is mentioned as if it can simply be [...]
