See my post on LinkedIn (replicated below) and join the discussion there:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/antlerboy_rough-draft-systemscomplexitycybernetics-activity-7246779585235664896-64Xz
pdf: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/85zlt0t6ph8qarx7d7gic/2024-09-27-rough-draft-systems-thinking-reading-list-v1.1BT.pdf?rlkey=3rfavacsy4n6sl8j0pyedph1q&st=qagh1418&dl=0
Commentable Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tt8GgQQj4Qw4HnR7DxKeF370o_HlDlpv/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115526108239573817578&rtpof=true&sd=true
How do you get into systems | complexity | cybernetics?
Here’s my rough reading list.
There are a lot of answers to the question, many of them connecting with some kind of disjointing break from ‘normal’ ways of seeing and being. Anything from being bullied at school to being dyslexic. Being in an outsider group. Naively applying thinking from one domain to another. Studying a technical problem long enough to suddenly see it in a completely different light – then either have your breakthrough celebrated or rejected.
It isn’t some mystic thing and it doesn’t require to you break from polite society. But it is one of the richest, weirdest, most diverse and challenging, inspiring and confounding, confronting and validating things you can study.
I’m often asked for a reading list for people interested in the field, and I usually suck my teeth. Some of the books are engaging, insightful, humorous, relevant. Others are dry as old twigs but less likely to kindle a spark.
Really, it depends on you and your context – as David Ing says, it’s better to talk of the thinkers and their individual constellations of interests, history, learning, and personal tendencies than it is to talk of schools and fields and separate places.
And even presenting this reading list, I’d say that I’d recommend Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Ursula K Le Guin, Italo Calvino, Jorge Luis Borges, Star Trek, old 20th Century Sci-Fi and Apartheid-era South African writing, art movies and music more – if you happen to be a bit like me. You’ll find your thing, if you’re interested.
But. The books are there – and many of them are *really good*. Top ones I’d recommend came out this decade
- Hoverstadt’s Grammar of Systems
- Jackson’s Critical Systems Thinking: A practitioner’s Guide
- Opening the box – a slim little thing from SCiO colleagues
- Essential Balances by Velitchkov
The attached list is a bit systems-practice focused. It is also too long and incomplete and partial simply for lack of time and energy.
There are *so many* flavours of systems thinking / complexity / cybernetics – do yourself a favour and don’t flog through stuff that doesn’t work for you, find things that bring your mind alive. Start with the articles and skim through.
But do start, because you will find in here the thinking and tools to find better ways of doing things for organisations, societies, the ecosystem, for people – and a lot of fun.
Tip: to save the pdf, hover over the image of the first page and find the rectangle bottom right – click that and it should go full screen. Top right you’ll have a download option, which when clicked will then resolve into a download button… (which might then open in your browser, but at least as a proper pdf you can save).
So… deep breath… what would you recommend? What do you think is missing?
Dates: 24–26 March 2026
Location: Hull University
Booking: Places are now available – 
Dear ReadersWelcome to the first newsletter of 2026 from the Centre for Systems Studies at Hull. As we step into this new year, we do so with optimism and purpose.We find ourselves in the middle of several interconnected challenges in the world that demand nothing less than a fundamental shift in how we think and act. Systems thinking offers not just hope, but practical pathways forward. By understanding relationships, feedback loops, and emergent properties, we can move beyond fragmented interventions toward integrated solutions. Most importantly, systems thinking encourages multiple perspectives and allows us to challenge our boundaries. Systems practice enables the platforms and tools for us to convene stakeholders, surface issues, implement solutions, and feed the learning back into our thinking.In this spirit, we called our CSS conference in March Systems thinking, Systems Practice. The conference will be a pivotal gathering for academics, practitioners, policymakers, and changemakers. This conference embodies our commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practice — a gap that has historically limited the transformative potential of systems approaches.Practice is not merely the application of theory; it is the crucible where theory is tested, refined, and reimagined. Real-world interventions generate insights that laboratories and classrooms cannot. Through our conference, let us embrace the complexity before us with intellectual courage and practical wisdom. Through systems thinking and systems practice, we can help shape a world that is more resilient, equitable, and sustainable.We have a host of other upcoming news and events that we have covered in the newsletter. As we go ahead with this year, it will be our endeavour to bring to you exciting thought pieces and updates that educate and inspire.Warm regardsMatt and RajMatt Lloyd – 
The start of the 2026 is bringing many interesting and relevant projects for our Systemic community. Our main event is the 2026 Systems Conference, which we are hosting in Hull in conjunction with SCiO, the ISFR and the OR Society-SIG.Our aim is to share with attendees what the systems community has to offer for practitioners and the wider community amid the current wave of renewed interest in system thinking from different areas of activity in the public and private sectors. Each stream of systems thinking bring its own valuable insights, and this conference will serve as a forum for presenting our latest work—showcasing how our efforts in different areas support decision-makers at all levels in addressing the challenges they face in their daily activities.This year, we are also joining the global celebration of the centenary of Stafford Beer’s birth. His contributions and influence on systems thinking remain profound and of utmost importance. Several events will be held throughout the year to honour Stafford’s life and work, and we at the CSS are planning a series of special activities, including expert-led sessions, interviews, and a dedicated podcast.In addition, we are developing new academic programmes, knowledge-exchange initiatives, and research projects that are already taking shape. It has been some time since the last systems-focused master’s degree programme was offered in Hull; however, we are now close to launching a new postgraduate programme in collaboration with several partners, designed to provide a practical, hands-on approach to systems thinking. Watch this space for more details and opportunities to collaborate.Finally, our academic collaborations with partners in China, India, Mexico, Colombia, the USA, Canada, and Spain enabled us to host the PhD Colloquium last November. We plan to repeat this event this year, alongside a Summer School on Systems Thinking and Innovation. These collaborations have also led to visits from academic staff from our partner institutions, generating new projects and ideas for future research.From all of us at the Centre for Systems Studies, we wish you a fantastic 2026 and look forward to welcoming you to Hull in March.Kind regardsRoberto Palacios Rodriguez – 
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