Governing Complex Systems: Social Capital for the Anthropocene

by Oran R. Young

An exploration of the need for innovative mechanisms of governance in an era when human actions are major drivers of environmental change. The onset of the Anthropocene, an era in which human actions have become major drivers of change on a planetary scale, has increased the complexity of socioecological systems. Complex systems pose novel challenges for governance because of their high levels of connectivity, nonlinear dynamics, directional patterns of change, and emergent properties. Meeting these challenges will require the development of new intellectual capital. In this book, Oran Young argues that to achieve sustainable outcomes in a world of complex systems, we will need governance systems that are simultaneously durable enough to be effective in guiding behavior and agile enough to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. While some insights from past research on governance remain valid in this setting, Young argues that we need new social capital to supplement mainstream regulatory approaches that feature rule making with an emphasis on compliance and enforcement. He explores the uses of goal setting as a governance strategy, the idea of principled governance, and the role of what is often called good governance in meeting the challenges of the Anthropocene. Drawing on his long experience operating on the science/policy frontier, Young calls for more effective collaboration between analysts and practitioners in creating and implementing governance systems capable of producing sustainable outcomes in a world of complex systems.

279 pages, Hardcover

Published March 3, 2017

Reviews

[Sarah Clement · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is yet another excellent read from Young, confirming his place as one of the best scholars and communicators in the field. I know everyone has their preferences in terms of how information is communicated in their field, and for me Young has exactly the right style. His work is based on decades of scholarship, but he doesn't over complicate it. He presents logical arguments based on solid foundations, and just manages to communicate it so clearly that all the obscurity of most institutional scholarship just falls into place. I don't quite agree that this book is about social capital, but I understand the angle and can see what he is trying to convey. It is a missing piece among this series of books, and he outlines that missing piece clearly, concisely, and in an organised way. I particularly appreciated his concise summary of the research on governance effectiveness, as it is a massive body of literature that he summarises in a matter of pages. A younger scholar probably couldn't get away with summarising this with so few references, but at this stage of his career, he just has a confidence in what he is talking about (and this is indeed merited, based on what has been published in the field). If you are interested in environmental policy and governance, this is particularly useful for those who have a focus on climate change and other international regimes, but the way he communicates is useful for all scholars interested in environmental policy. I highly recommend it if you undertake research in this field, but suggest that if you are new to this area of research you'd be better off starting with his earlier work.

[Leif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young is direct, clear, and well-organized. It is actually stunning to feel how effectively written and conceptualized his books are - this one is no exception!