“Diffusion of Complexity Concepts: An Interdisciplinary Mapping” was conducted as an interdisciplinary group research project integrated in the York Cross-Disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis YCCCSA) Summer School 2018.

Complexity (or the study of complex systems) is associated with some key concepts such as feedback, self-organisation and emergence. Many of these concepts have originated in one particular domain of science but have then circulated to other domains. In this process, concepts may have been preserved or transformed, applied directly, used as metaphors or otherwise adapted. The aim of the project is to explore and characterise the diffusion of complexity concepts across domains. The project will entail the use of literature databases and the development/application of co-citation network analysis.  

July to September 2018

Melo, A. T. de, de Melo, A. T., Caves, L. S. D., Dewitt, A., Clutton, E., Macpherson, R., & Garnett, P. (2019). Thinking (in) complexity: (In) definitions and (mis)conceptions. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 37(1), 154–169. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2612

Ana Teixeira de Melo

Leo Caves

Philip Garnett 

Anna Dewitt

Evie Clutton

Rory Macpherson 

This project was awarded funding for three studentships (3 x 4,425.50 GBP= 13 276.5 GPB), integrated in the Summer School ofYork Cross-Disciplinary Centre for Systems Analysis, University of York, United Kingdom.