Complexity and the Art of Public Policy: Solving Society's Problems from the Bottom Up

(Paperback)

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Complexity science--made possible by modern analytical and computational advances--is changing the way we think about social systems and social theory. Unfortunately, economists' policy models have not kept up and are stuck in either a market fundamentalist or government control narrative. While these standard narratives are useful in some cases, t

Reviews

"Colander and Kupers reframe the standard public policy debate in terms of complexity theory and describe their approach as evolutionary... The authors provide a strong case that current positions, government control, and market fundamentalism are inadequate to addressing contemporary social problems... Recommended for public policy specialists who seek a qualitative introduction to complexity theory and its application to social issues."--Jennifer M. Miller, Library Journal "[G]roundbreaking."--Sam McNerney, 250 Words "[A]n inspiring new book... Colander and Kupers's book ought to be on every policy maker's reading list."--Mark Buchanan, Bloomberg View "Complexity and the Art of Public Policy is a milestone in the application of scientific knowledge to problem solving in the real world. If it is widely read and applied, it is not an exaggeration to say that the world will become a better place."--David Sloan Wilson, This View of Life "[I]deal for anyone with a serious interest in economics and public policy."--ValueWalk "This is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the potential of a complexity approach for public and economic policy... It is intellectually stimulating and might inspire new research and applications of social simulation as a policy modelling tool."--Flaminio Squazzoni, JASSS

Author Bio

David Colander is professor of economics at Middlebury College and the author of The Making of an Economist, Redux (Princeton). Roland Kupers is an associate fellow in the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford. He is the coauthor of The Essence of Scenarios: Learning from the Shell Experience.