Exploring the science of complexity: Ideas and implications for development and humanitarian efforts

" ... Ben Ramalingam and his colleagues describe and interpret a world of messy and unpredictable change which corresponds with much experience in the aid sector... With scholarly authority and illustration, they explore the implications [of complexity science] for how we see and think about development and humanitarian work. In doing so, they help to make clearer why so much aid is so problematic, in both conception and execution... ‘Exploring the Science of Complexity’ should provoke and inspire changes in aid thinking and practice..."
From the Foreword by Robert Chambers, January 2008

Complexity science has emerged as a means of understanding dynamic processes of change found in a wide range of physical and biological phenomena. Increasing attention is now being paid to how its ideas and concepts can help researchers and practitioners understand and influence social, economic and political realms. This paper explores and explains ten key concepts of complexity science, then moves on to outline a number of specific implications for humanitarian and development work.

Despite the complexity and interconnectedness of problems faced in humanitarian and development work, they are often approached in an overly simplistic manner, informed by linear ways of thinking. The paper describes how the concepts of complexity science enable better understanding of the mechanisms through which unpredictable and emergent change happens. It argues that such an understanding can enable those thinking about and working on humanitarian and development problems to better understand and adapt to the complexities of the real world. By generating new insights that support both intuition and action, the concepts of complexity science provide a series of useful stepping stones towards a more realistic understanding of the limitations and possibilities of aid.

Whether solutions to longstanding problems can be arrived at using complexity science will become clearer when individuals and institutions working in international aid start consciously and deliberately using the ideas presented here to think about and address these problems. It may be difficult to implement the principles of complexity science comprehensively throughout the aid system. But it is certainly possible, potentially very valuable and - in some cases - necessary to explore and apply them more widely.

Authors:	Ben Ramalingam and Harry Jones with Toussaint Reba and John Young
Date:	February 2008
Full document:	ODI Working Paper 285 ( 1.77 mb)