Navigating Complexity in International Development: Facilitating sustainable change at scale

by Danny Burns, Stuart Worsley

International development interventions often fail because development experts assume that our world is linear and straightforward when in reality it is complex, highly dynamic and unpredictable. Things rarely happen in the way that they were planned. The dominance of logical planning models in international development therefore needs to be challenged and replaced by a complexity-based understanding of how change happens. Navigating Complexity in International Development describes three such processes. Firstly it explores processes of ‘participatory systemic inquiry’ which allow complexity to be collectively seen and understood by stakeholders. Then it outlines two approaches to ‘engagement’: the more structured approach of ‘systemic action research’ and the more organic processes of ‘nurtured emergent development’. The design and process of each are described clearly, allowing readers to utilize and quickly adapt the ideas to their own situations. They are illustrated through detailed case studies which range from water resource management in Uganda, to agriculture transformation in Egypt and Kenya, to education of girls in Afghanistan, and community responses to conflict in Myanmar. Each builds a detailed picture of how local people and practitioners were able to respond to complexity. The final section looks at issues of power, participation and policy that arise in emergent development processes. This book is essential reading for planners, practitioners, policy-makers, students, and researchers in international development.

Genres: Nonfiction

198 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2015

Reviews

[Mike Peleah · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can we embrace complexity of social systems, and in the same time pursue sustainable change? This great book offers a solution and a number of case studies. I find it very useful and great addition to my toolkit.

First three chapters look at the failures of large-scale planning models to effectively engage complexity. Next chapter look at two ways of seeing systems and complexity -- stories-based and mapping-based participatory systemic inquiry. It provides both general description/approach and case studies. Following two chapters make a step from analysis to action, discussing Systemic Action Research, and Nurtured Emergent Development process. Power and participation in emergent development are discussed next. The book concludes with five summary points worth to be quoted:
1. Don't treat political issues as technical issues
2. Don't act for people; act with them!
3. Don't make plans; never stop planning
4. Prioritize sustainable change over financial accountability
5. Scale up -- don't roll out