Hello and welcome to the end of January mailing from SCiO.  Please check the Events page on the website for updates https://www.systemspractice.org/events.

We welcome a new SCiO chapter in Poland this month. They have already had an initial meeting and are now moving forward – please see below.

COURSES

Introductory offer for SCiO members: half-price for “How to build a digital-twin business model” by Kim Warren:

Follow key principles and detailed step-by-step lessons in 3 hours of short videos and 100+ slides to build a working business model.

Check out the many free preview lessons and get the course here.
Use coupon code SCIOhalf for 50% off – so just £95 (expires on February 4th). 

All courses on the SCiO LMS are discounted 10% to members – use the discount code MEMBER10 when booking.  The courses currently available are here.

No new courses have been added over the last month, but four more are in final preparation stages and will be up soon. Please remember that if your organisation is interested to use any or all of these, substantial discounts are available.

CONFERENCE INVITATION

We’re pleased to invite you to attend the 2026 Conference: Systems Thinking Systems Practice, taking place at Hull University from 24–26 March 2026.

This three-day conference will bring together practitioners, leaders, academics and system thinkers from across sectors to explore how systems thinking is being applied in practice to address today’s complex organisational, social and policy challenges. The programme will combine thought-provoking keynotes, practical case studies, and opportunities for dialogue, reflection and connection with others working systemically in real-world contexts.

The conference is organised by Hull University’s Centre for Systems Studies in partnership with SCiO, the OR Society and the IFSR, and will be of particular interest to those working in leadership, public services, healthcare, local government, voluntary and community sectors, and organisational development.

    Dates: 24–26 March 2026

      Location: Hull University

 Booking: Places are now available – book here.

We very much hope you’ll be able to join us for what promises to be a stimulating and practical exploration of systems thinking in action.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EVENTS – by country   (click on the name)

SCiO Belgium		SCiO DACH
SCiO Finland		SCiO Ireland
SCiO Nederland		SCiO Polska
SCiO UK

______________________________________________________________

  SCiO UK

SCiO UK Virtual Development Event – February 2026

Tue, Feb 10th, 2026  13:00 – 15:00  GMT

SCiO’s Development Event offer an opportunity to draw upon the collective expertise of SCiO members in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. By taking Development Events online, using the Zoom meeting platform, we aim to make them accessible to more SCiO members. Development Events are both for members who are just starting out on a journey to explore Systems Thinking approaches, and for those who have many years of exploration and practice. This is a bring your issues of interest Development Event.

Members only; FREE; Online event; English  BOOK NOW

2026 Conference:    Systems Thinking and Systems Practice  –  Hull

Tue, Mar 24th, 2026 – Thu, Mar 26th, 2026   11:30 – 14:30  GMT

For the first time ever, leading institutions representing a broad range of systems thinking methods and approaches are coming together for a landmark conference on Systems Thinking and Systems Practice.

This conference has been shaped with input from a wide-ranging committee, including members of the UK government’s Systems Thinking Interest Group (STIG) and the International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR). It’s a unique chance to connect with others across the field, share different perspectives, and explore the future of systems practice…..

All welcome; £80 – £210; Hull University Business School, Hull  HU6 7RX; English  BOOK NOW

______________________________________________________________

  SCiO Belgium

Intervisiesessie 3: Systemisch denken voor taaie vraagstukken

Tue, Feb 10th, 2026  19:00 – 21:00  CET

In een tijd waarin maatschappelijke, ecologische en organisatorische uitdagingen steeds complexer en meer verweven raken, volstaat lineair probleemdenken niet langer. Wat vandaag als oplossing geldt, kan morgen deel worden van het probleem. Het vraagt van ons een meta-systemische blik — een denkwijze waarin we niet alleen naar het systeem kijken, maar ook naar onze manier van kijken zélf.

In deze derde van een reeks van drie intervisiesessie gaan we samen aan de slag met het gedachtegoed uit het essay “Opening the Box. Systems Thinking for Transformative Conversations.” We gebruiken dit meta-denkkader om per sessie taaie vraagstukken met elkaar te verkennen. Je reikt deze vraagstukken als deelnemer aan uit je eigen praktijk…….

Members only + guests; 30 euro; Kon. Astridlaan 144, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium; Dutch  BOOK NOW

Saartje Boutsen & Charlotte Vandierendonck – Van keten tot kring: samenwerken aan gedeelde verantwoo…

Tue, Mar 10th, 2026  19:00 – 21:00  CET

In een tijd waarin bedrijven steeds vaker worden aangesproken op hun sociale en ecologische impact, dringt één vraag zich steeds sterker op: Hoe maak je negatieve impact in je productieketen zichtbaar — en hoe neem je daar samen verantwoordelijkheid voor op?

Veel organisaties botsen op dezelfde uitdaging: elke speler vertrekt vanuit zijn eigen noden, rol en beperkingen. Hoe kan je dan tóch systemisch denken en handelen in een complexe ketenomgeving?

Tijdens deze sessie delen Saartje Boutsen en Charlotte Vandierendonck, co-oprichters van Studio D, hun pragmatische aanpak om ketenverantwoordelijkheid werkbaar en gedragen te maken. Vanuit hun ervaring met bedrijven en organisaties reiken ze inzichten, tips en concrete handvaten aan om het gesprek en de samenwerking in de keten op gang te brengen en duurzaam te verankeren….

Members only + guests; 10 euro; Kon. Astridlaan 144, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium; Dutch  BOOK NOW

______________________________________________________________

   SCiO DACH (Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz)

Interaktive Buchvorstellung von “Methods for Systems Thinking”

Thu, Feb 19th, 2026  19:00 – 20:30  CET

Es ist ein praxisorientiertes Arbeitsbuch mit über 65 Methoden, um komplexe Systeme zu verstehen und effektiv auf Veränderungen zu reagieren. Die Methoden sind nach ihrem Zweck in der 5M-Struktur (Motivate, Meet, Map, Make, Manage) sortiert und bieten jeweils eine kompakte Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitung für die direkte Anwendung. Das Buch erscheint am 27.02.2026 in englischer Sprache.

Interaktive Buchvorstellung von “Methods for Systems Thinking” – Christian Baron

Members only + guests; kostenlos; Online event; German  BOOK NOW

______________________________________________________________

  SCiO Finland

Details of the 2026 programme not added yet.

______________________________________________________________

   SCiO Ireland 

Details of the 2026 programme not added yet.

______________________________________________________________

  SCiO Nederland

SCIO-NL monthly meeting February 2025 (live in Woerden and in Dutch)

Fri, Feb 6th, 2026  12:30 – 16:00  CET

SCIO-NL komt elke 1e of 2e vrijdag van de maand live bijeen, meestal in Woerden (Pelmolenlaan 2). Er staan (meestal) geen vaste onderwerpen op de agenda (daarvoor organiseren we specifieke andere meetings), maar de ervaring leert dat er altijd wel een interessant gesprek op gang komt over een systemisch onderwerp. Toegankelijk voor iedereen die de jaarlijkse fee voor de live-bijeenkomsten (€50,-) hiervoor betaald. En voor KNVI-leden. En voor gasten. Neem contact op via ed@doitogether.nl als je interesse hebt, maar nog geen lid van de club bent.

NL Members + guests; FREE; Pelmolenlaan 2, Woerden (At the Office) 5, Woerden, Netherlands;  Dutch  BOOK NOW

SCIO-NL monthly meeting March 2025 (live in Woerden and in Dutch)

Fri, Mar 6th, 2026   12:30 – 16:00  CET

SCIO-NL komt elke 1e of 2e vrijdag van de maand live bijeen, meestal in Woerden (Pelmolenlaan 2). Er staan (meestal) geen vaste onderwerpen op de agenda (daarvoor organiseren we specifieke andere meetings), maar de ervaring leert dat er altijd wel een interessant gesprek op gang komt over een systemisch onderwerp. Toegankelijk voor iedereen die de jaarlijkse fee voor de live-bijeenkomsten (€50,-) hiervoor betaald. En voor KNVI-leden. En voor gasten. Neem contact op via ed@doitogether.nl als je interesse hebt, maar nog geen lid van de club bent.

NL Members + guests; FREE; Pelmolenlaan 2, Woerden (At the Office) 5, Woerden, Netherlands;  Dutch  BOOK NOW

______________________________________________________________

  SCiO Polska

Domena Myślenia Systemowego – co jest jej częścią, a co niekoniecznie należy do niej?

Thu, Feb 19th, 2026  18:00 – 19:30  CET

Myślenie Systemowe jest jedną z tych kluczowych kompetencji, której potrzebujemy do radzenia sobie ze złożonymi wyzwaniami dzisiejszego świata. W ramach popularyzowania oraz adaptowania jej, pojawiło się wiele publikacji i książek w tym temacie. Jednocześnie stworzono wiele metod, podejść, ram, narzędzi. To wszystko sprawia, że ta domena bardzo się rozrosła i obecnie wydaje się być bardzo rozbudowana i złożona.
Nasze spotkania zaczynamy od przeglądu naszej wiedzy w tym temacie oraz uspójnienia naszego słownictwa w jęz. polskim.

All welcome; FREE; Online event; Polish  BOOK NOW

Systems Thinking in Transport Safety
Published: Jun 2025

Citation: DOI: 10.58446/mmmq6188

ISBN:

Author: Ianto Guy, Sanaz Bozorg and Sam Glaze

Pages: 110

Reference: PPR2059

TRL | Systems Thinking in Transport Safety

https://www.trl.co.uk/publications/systems-thinking-in-transport-safety

---

Brought to atttention by Catherine Hobbs, who on linkedin

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/catherinehobbs_systems-thinking-in-transport-safety-activity-7422318149578043392-jI2j?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACuq-oBecVFDW6PCf3lkoG-peMeuLBeoho

says:

Published last year by TRL, this robust report “augments the guidance provided by the Government Office for Science by providing an extended palette of systems thinking tools whose use has been demonstrated in the transport sector and transport safety.”
The report incorporates an analysis of 91 studies that included the application of ‘systems tools’ across different transport modes.
“The key take-away of our investigation is that systems thinking has far more to do with mindset when approaching a problem than the tools that can be used when solving it…..The motivation to use systems thinking is to accelerate cost-effective delivery and maximise the safety benefits as quickly as practicable.”
“We recommend more focus on what works for transport safety and, where appropriate, shared learning and application of successes.”

Via Russ Gaskin and his piece:

Making Together: The Emergence of Dialogic Systems Change

Are we seeing two different models of change, or a fundamental evolution of the field?

Russ Gaskin Jan 22, 2026

https://horizonsofchange.substack.com/p/dialogic-systems-change

---

Making Together: The Emergence of Dialogic Systems Change/

• Published: June 2024
• Type: Publication

PDF

Exploring two systems change mental models in philanthropy

Jewlya Lynn

PolicySolve

Julia Coffman

Center for Evaluation Innovation

This entry summarizes a 2024 article in The Foundation Review, titled “Making Visible Philanthropy’s Hidden and Conflicting Mental Models for Systems Change.”

Making Visible Philanthropy’s Hidden and Conflicting Mental Models for Systems Change

Centre for Systems Studies (CSS) NewsletterJanuary 2026 Issue – Systems Prospects

Welcome from the Editors  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 – m.lloyd-2021@hull.ac.uk Rajneesh Chowdhury – Rajneesh.Chowdhury@hull.ac.uk

A Note from the Director of the Centre for Systems Studies  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 – R.Palacios-Rodriguez@hull.ac.uk

Thought PieceThis March will see the Centre for Systems Studies host a conference at the University of Hull with support from our partners SCiO, OR Society and IFSR.  This conference is shaping up to be an exciting and dynamic event and has already attracted a large number of abstracts, has some exciting workshops planned and will also feature this year’s Mike Jackson Lecture.The Centre for Systems Studies has a proud history of contributing to the field of systems and is the European rival for MIT in terms of developing systems thinking.  But it is never good to live in the past, it is essential that the Centre to continue to strive to be relevant as we go into the second quarter of the 21st century, especially given the complex situations that are emerging as we face increased political extremism, climate change and international conflicts. In order to move the field forward practitioners and academics need to ensure that they develop an understanding of what has been achieved in the past and use that to inform the creation of new tools and methodologies.  Sometimes the easy option s to operate in the comfortable space of well-developed methodologies and to utilise the tools we have experience in using, but if we really wish to be seen to “do what we preach” then it is essential that we encourage and support new ideas whilst ensuring that we make the field as accessible as possible to the systems curious. Historically there seems to have been a divide between the practitioners and the academics, but that has never made much sense given that most of the methodologies have emerged from, what in hindsight, could be considered action research. To move forward to and deliver on the claims that have been made about what systems thinking can deliver, then it is essential that academics and practitioners communicate and engage with each other; academics must let their ideas be tested in practice and practitioners must allow their work to be subjected to academic appraisal.It is the ambition of the organising committee that this conference, named Systems Thinking, Systems Practice 26, becomes the centre point of the systems thinking of the events calendar and an annual event.  I would ask everyone reading this to get involved in whatever way is practical and to work together to help evolve systems thinking in a positive and collaborative direction going forward.Matt Lloyd (Conference Chair)– m.lloyd-2021@hull.ac.ukEvents in the Systems CommunitySCiO UK Virtual Development Event, February 10th, 2026  13:00 – 15:00  GMTSCiO’s Development Event offer an opportunity to draw upon the collective expertise of SCiO members in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. By taking Development Events online, using the Zoom meeting platform, we aim to make them accessible to more SCiO members. Development Events are both for members who are just starting out on a journey to explore Systems Thinking approaches, and for those who have many years of exploration and practice. This is a bring your issues of interest Development Event.Members only; FREE; Online event; English BOOK NOWThe International Society for the System Sciences (ISSS) is pleased to announce its 70th 2026 Annual Meeting, Jun 22-26, 2026, UCLAN Cyprus, Pyla, Larnaca, CyprusTheme: Elevating Systems Science to Address Humanity’s Greatest ChallengesAdvancing Real-World Applications; Converging on General Systems Science; Harnessing the Power of AIBuilding on the 2025 conference’s emphasis on internal collaboration and unity within the systems sciences community, the 2026 annual meeting sets its sights outward. It is time for systems science to engage more visibly and meaningfully with the world’s most influential institutions: the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank, the OECD, the IMF, the African Union, national governments, major universities, and civil society at large.Today’s global challenges (e.g., democratic erosion, rising inequality, climate crises, pandemics, and AI disruption) demand more than fragmented expertise or short-term solutions. They call for holistic, integrated, and adaptive thinking rooted in systems science. Yet while the need has never been greater, the discipline itself faces fragmentation and marginalization. Almost all academic systems science departments have closed, and many academics and practitioners remain scattered across fields, departments, and sectors.This conference calls on systems thinkers (scientists, practitioners, educators, and decision-makers) to close this gap. We must reinvigorate our field by aligning our diverse theories and methodologies into a coherent general systems science and demonstrating its practical value on the global stage. Systems science principles and practices offer powerful tools for addressing contemporary issues, such as enhancing governance, resolving conflicts, promoting peace, and reforming education, healthcare, financial institutions, local authorities, and many other areas.Importantly, the 2026 conference will spotlight both the promise and peril of artificial intelligence. AI can amplify systemic insight, support anticipatory governance, and help coordinate solutions at scale. But without ethical and systemic oversight, it also risks deepening inequities, automating harm, and eroding human agency. We must therefore explore how systems science can serve as a compass in navigating AI’s uncertain terrain.ISSS’s Platinum Conference is a call to action to elevate systems science and cybernetics from a niche academic pursuit to a central pillar of planetary stewardship.For more information please visit: https://futureworlds.eu/wiki/70th_(2026)_Annual_Meeting_of_the_International_Society_for_the_Systems_Sciences,_CyprusOR68: From Data to Decisions: The Power of Operational Research, 8–10 September 2026, University of Nottingham, United KingdomAt OR 68, the annual conference for The Operational Research, there will once again be a systems thinking stream led by Matt Lloyd and Gemma Smith.  This stream welcomes both practitioners and academics to present insights into Systems Thinking, Problem Structuring Methods and Soft OR. The stream will focus on insights into the theory, methodology, and practice of ST, Soft OR and PSMs as well as the areas where they intersect. Contributions may be to the development of a specific approach, technique or offer observations or explore the current and evolving landscape. Insights may be derived from case studies, action research programmes, experiments, secondary data, or conceptual papers. For those seeking to publish work the stream organisers will seek to provide constructive feedback to help towards a successful review, however we are also keen for people to suggest workshops and potential fireside chats which would be if interest to our community.More information can be found here: https://www.theorsociety.com/ORS/Events/2026/OR68Main/OR68.aspx?EventKey=OR68&WebsiteKey=c1745213-aec0-45e5-a960-0ec98ebabd4e&42f76c2185c1=1#42f76c2185c1METAPHORUM CONFERENCE, A 100 Years of Stafford Beer – Celebrating his Legacy and Future Developments, September 17th to 19th, 2026, University of ManchesterWe will organise the conference in collaboration with the World Organization for Systems and Cybernetics (WOSC) and the Centre for Systems Studies (University of Hull).Who we are invitingAll are welcome, but especially:Relatives and collaborators who knew Stafford personally and will share insights into his life and character.Researchers advancing his legacy by:adapting and progressing his original thinking through contemporary systems, management, operational research and behavioural sciences, ordeveloping and implementing innovative cybersystemic methodologies and tools.Consultants and practitioners who continue to apply and evolve his theories through creative and impactful applications.We will announce shortly the journals where papers from this conference will be published.The conference features:Documentary screening: ‘100 Years of Stafford Beer’, as described above.Launching the Festschrift Book: ‘100 Years of Stafford Beer’.Participants’ contributions: We invite presentations on innovative developments and creative applications of  Beer’s theory and methods. In particular on how his legacy continues to inspire change in business and society to address the big challenges we are facing.More information can be found on the Metaphorum website : https://metaphorum.org

The Student CSS CommunityBecoming a Systemically Systematic Researcher – Current Reflections on my PhD JourneyWhen starting my PhD journey, my initial understanding of holistic and systemic thinking was based on my understanding that emergence in my research would organically guide my findings. I anticipated a process where the ‘evidence’ itself would show me the path forward. However, the uncertainty of being systemic contrasts with the academic rigour required by the doctoral process, which demands in-depth planning and justification of the ‘who’, ‘where’, ‘what’, ‘and then what’, ‘why’, and ‘how’ of my research. This contrast initially caused an internal battle for me between potential emergent outcomes and the need for structure. Moreover, I am aware that I possess inherent biases. I was concerned that by meticulously planning and defending every aspect before proceeding, I might inadvertently be engineering the outcomes of my research. I was worried that over planning would prevent organic/emergent outcomes. However, I have come to realise that a thorough framework of ideas is essential to make sense of a complex problem(s). Rather than preventing emergence, a systematic approach to boundary judgements and methodological design provides a space where valid emergence can occur.This tension was most noticeable in my application of Causal Loop Diagrams to model challenges in Marine Management. While the complexity of managing the marine environment requires navigating ambiguity and high levels of interconnectedness, the doctoral requirement for systematic documentation imposes a linear structure upon investigating these non-linear topics. Yet, I have learned to distinguish between the reporting of research (which is typically linear) and the process of enquiry (which remains cyclical/iterative). I now recognise that this documentation is beneficial as it encouraged me to critically evaluate my methodological choices. I cannot help but feel I am becoming ‘systemically systematic’. It is an interesting contrast – attempting to embed feedback within a rigid framework of study, ensuring that while I remain open to the holistic view, my path through my research remains well founded and defensible.I have come to value this aspect of my PhD journey, as it has encouraged me to consider the implications of practicing systems thinking in the wild. This thought piece was intended to share my experiences and hopefully provide some food for thought to the readership. I hope you enjoyed this short reflection. If you have any comments or thoughts, please send me an email at: Gemma.Smith-2016@hull.ac.ukGemma SmithPhD CandidateCentre for Systems Studies, University of Hull  Call for ContributionsCall for ContributionsAny news items or events for inclusion in future newsletters should be sent to Matt Lloyd (m.lloyd-2021@hull.ac.uk ) and Raj Chowdhury (Rajneesh.Chowdhury@hull.ac.uk).  Please note that the purpose of the Systems Prospects is to share news items and events with the CSS community and to all those with an interest in systems thinking.  It is not a journal or a publication that publishes papers or research.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Excellent paper discussing how to understand complex systems (eg biology) where levels not only interact but intersect
Strong critique of Simon’s notion of near-decomposable systems
https://griesemer.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/69-griesemer-2021-levels-perspectives-thickets.pdf…

Luiz Pessoa on X: “𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Excellent paper discussing how to understand complex systems (eg biology) where levels not only interact but intersect Strong critique of Simon’s notion of near-decomposable systems https://t.co/Xp7BNFG5OP https://t.co/4DOMk9Dg84” / X

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Excellent paper discussing how to understand complex systems (eg biology) where levels not only interact but intersect
Strong critique of Simon's notion of near-decomposable systemshttps://t.co/Xp7BNFG5OP pic.twitter.com/4DOMk9Dg84

— Luiz Pessoa (@PessoaBrain) January 26, 2026

Query on Twitter:

https://x.com/FibraDomingos/status/2015231522089910656

I got a good response from ChatGPT so am sharing here in the hope of provoking some more:

There is a small but real ‘bridge literature’ that takes Rosen’s notion of complexity (impredicativity, closure to efficient causation, and the modelling relation) and places it into live debates in philosophy of science (models vs simulations, mechanism vs organisation, computability, self-reference, and the status of explanation in biology).

If you want direct, explicit connections, these are the most on-the-nose starting points.

Christensen and Hooker, ‘Anticipatory systems and time: a new look at Rosennean complexity’ (2005). This is explicitly pitched as “consequences … on science as a whole” and works through how anticipation forces a rethink of time, causality, and what counts as an adequate scientific perspective for biology. (Wiley Online Library)

Cárdenas, Letelier, Gutiérrez, Cornish-Bowden, Soto-Andrade, ‘Closure to efficient causation, computability and artificial life’ (Journal of Theoretical Biology, 2009). This is one of the clearest places where Rosen’s “organisms aren’t mechanisms / no simulable model” claim is treated as a philosophy-of-science issue about computation, modelling vs simulation, and what “closure” amounts to logically. (DCC Universidad de Chile)

Siekmann, ‘An applied mathematician’s perspective on Rosennean complexity’ (2017). Not philosophy-of-science in the narrow sense, but it directly reframes Rosen’s anti-mechanism stance as a claim about a particular kind of mechanistic modelling, and so lands right in the mechanistic explanation debate (what mechanisms can and can’t capture). (ScienceDirect)

On the “Rosen ↔ autopoiesis / second-order cybernetics / closure” axis (which is probably the most travelled bridge into philosophy of science of biology):

Recent autopoiesis work that explicitly uses Rosen’s modelling-relation framing to sort out what is “natural system” vs “formal system”, and relates operational closure in autopoiesis to Rosen’s closure to efficient causation. This is squarely about explanatory status (definition, theory, model) and how to interpret formalisations. (ScienceDirect)

For the “Rosen ↔ self-reference / impredicativity / logic” axis:

The Springer chapter ‘Impredicativity, Dynamics, and the Perception–Action Divide’ (2003) treats Rosen’s ‘epistemology of complexity’ as a central source and ties it to broader work on impredicativity and self-reference. That’s one of the more direct routes from Rosen into mainstream philosophy-adjacent discussions of self-referential structure. (Springer)

For the “Rosen ↔ modelling / representation / semantics” axis:

Pattee’s line on the ‘epistemic cut’ and ‘semantic (semiotic) closure’ overlaps strongly with Rosen’s concerns about modelling, description, and closure, and Pattee explicitly frames it as about the conditions for objective scientific description when symbols and dynamics intertwine. (casci.binghamton.edu)

A slightly wider map of “where Rosen sits” in philosophy-of-science terms

1. Models vs simulations, and what it means to model at all
   Rosen’s modelling relation pushes you toward the semantic/pragmatic view of models (models as mediating structures with interpretation), and away from “simulation = model”. The computability/closure debate papers are where this gets cashed out technically and methodologically. (DCC Universidad de Chile)
2. Mechanism vs organisation
   Rosen’s slogan ‘throw away the physics, keep the organisation’ ends up adjacent to contemporary arguments about whether mechanistic explanation can capture organisation-level closure. Siekmann is useful precisely because it tries to translate Rosen into the language of current modelling practice and mechanistic explanation. (ScienceDirect)
3. Closure concepts across traditions
   Rosen’s closure to efficient causation is often compared (sometimes too quickly) with autopoietic operational closure. The autopoiesis “cartography” paper is useful because it is explicitly about avoiding category mistakes: when are we defining a natural organisation vs building a formal surrogate. (ScienceDirect)
4. Complexity as impredicativity (not “many parts”)
   This is the thread that links Rosen to philosophical discussions of self-reference, circularity, and limits of formalisation. The impredicativity chapter above is a decent doorway into that conversation. (Springer)

Trying to simulate autopoiesis in an emergent manner, with a simple scaling rule and with each unit having binary state attribution and a corresponding gate (AND, OR, XOR) associated to it.
2:53 PM · Nov 28, 2024

Fibra on X: “Trying to simulate autopoiesis in an emergent manner, with a simple scaling rule and with each unit having binary state attribution and a corresponding gate (AND, OR, XOR) associated to it. https://t.co/HtvZ4dq5TO” / X

Trying to simulate autopoiesis in an emergent manner, with a simple scaling rule and with each unit having binary state attribution and a corresponding gate (AND, OR, XOR) associated to it. pic.twitter.com/HtvZ4dq5TO

— Fibra (@FibraDomingos) November 28, 2024

Hosted by the University of Hull Centre for Systems Studies (CSS), Systems and Complexity in Organisation (SCiO) and The OR Society, 24th – 26th March 2026 | University of Hull



Hosted by the University of Hull Centre for Systems Studies (CSS),

Systems and Complexity in Organisation (SCiO) and The OR Society

Overview ⋮ 2026 Conference: Systems Thinking and Systems Practice ⋮ Blackthorn Events

https://events.blackthorn.io/en/8eNd4w6/2026-conference-systems-thinking-and-systems-practice-5a1oWS7bIzd/overview

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY STUDIES
Williams » Science & Technology Studies » Metamodern Theory and Praxis » Volume 2 Issue 1
Volume 2 Issue 1

Image Credit: Daniel Martin Diaz
 

 

Metamodern Theory & Praxis 2 (2025)
THEORY
“Everything” Is in Quotation Marks
Meta-Subjectivity and Ideational Analysis
Constructing (Social) Constructivism
Metamodernism as a Cultural (and Literary) Paradigm
Metamodernism as a Guidepost for Building Transformative Movements
A Metamodern Analysis of the Postcolonial and Marxist Theory Debate
PRAXIS
A Metadisciplinary Approach to Asian Medicine
As I Am, So I See
The Mechanism of the World
Annular Theory & Praxis
Three Poems
*DOI activation pending imminent ISSN assignment

 

Metamodern Theory and Praxis is a new, peer-reviewed, anti-disciplinary, Open Access journal dedicated to bleeding-edge work in the Human Sciences (Humanities + Social Sciences) and focused on the unfolding paradigm(s) of metamodern theory and praxis. More Info and previous issues.

Volume 2 Issue 1 – Science & Technology Studies

https://sts.williams.edu/metamodern/v2i1/

My weekly posts

The Vitamin

I’m reflecting on the fantasy of “The Vitamin” – that one missing thing which, once discovered, suddenly explains all the struggle and unlocks brilliance. Individually, we dream of a breakthrough that makes everything easier. In organisational life, I see the same hope: that one change, insight or fix will deliver salvation. The post asks whether such a Vitamin really exists at work – or whether progress is usually messier, harder-won, and less magical. The Vitamin – chosen path

Courses and events

Outcome-based commissioning: a ten-step introduction – Cohort 10, this February

Back by popular demand! Our introductory course for commissioners will run again this February, with the first session on 25 February. This online and interactive learning programme will enable you to grasp the core principles and practices of effective commissioning. You’ll be better placed to help develop public services that make a really positive and lasting difference to local people’s lives. You’ll also be able to act quickly with confidence using a commissioning mindset and call on your network of fellow participants for support and challenge. https://link.redquadrant.com/10StepFeb26

Child House to be rolled out nationally – well done to the RedQuadrant consultants who were involved

This is wonderful news! I remain very proud of the small but hopefully valuable role RedQuadrant played in supporting this fantastic example ofsystems change or systems convening in moving public services closer to how they ought to be! https://www.linkedin.com/posts/antlerboy_child-victims-should-never-be-forced-to-repeat-activity-7407439019019485184-Q_Hx?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADUV_eUBZSxZvFpx70OV050F6K5HM2MhTMo

Introducing the RedQuadrant Local Government Reorganisation hub

Local Government Reorganisation is coming fast. By April 2028, every new authority must be safe, legal, and fully operational. That means statutory officers secured, ICT cutovers rehearsed, services live, and residents experiencing seamless continuity. The RedQuadrant LGR Hub is the only model that guarantees readiness while embedding lasting capability. With a single accountable structure, governance at its core, and capability pillars across adults, children’s, SEND, ICT, finance, housing, and place, the Hub ensures no gaps, no surprises. Three outcomes, every time: Safe and legal on day one; Visible assurance and confidence in delivery; Future-ready capacity with transformation built in. Find out more now: https://www.redquadrant.com/lgrhub

Commissioning Compass: systems assessment for change

Our newly launched tool, the Commissioning Compass, helps you to assess your commissioning system and form an action plan for improvement. It’s available for free via our Teachable site – try it now! link.redquadrant.com/commissioningcompass

Next National Commissioning Academy

We’re building our cohort for the next national commissioning academy – our flagship commissioning programme from the PSTA. Register your interest now: https://link.redquadrant.com/nextacademy25

What I’ve been reading:

Congratulations to Andrew Humphreys. who has stepped into a new role as SAVVI Delivery Manager.

The SAVVI project, (short for Scalable Approach to Vulnerability via Interoperability) is about helping public services identify, assess, and support people at risk of poor outcomes, whether that’s homelessness, child poverty, or even being unable to evacuate during a flood. By developing open data standards, practical guidance, and innovative tools, SAVVI enables a truly coordinated, multi-agency response. You can read more on Andrew’s role, and on the project, here: https://coda.io/@savvi/welcome/exciting-news-from-the-savvi-team-313

Things I shared on socials:

Ricard Solé youtube conversation with Dr Michael Levin – the bounds of complexity in living systems (2024)

What are the bounds of complexity in living systems? How can synthetic biology and bioengineering be used to interrogate emergent properties or information processing in cells & organisms? Ricard Solé youtube conversation with Dr Michael Levin – the bounds of complexity in living systems (2024) | Systems Community of Inquiry

The Wide Angle: Understanding TESCREAL — Silicon Valley’s Rightward Turn | Washington Spectator

For decades, the conventional wisdom about Silicon Valley was that it leaned progressive. And by many measures (like donations by Big Tech employees to political candidates), the industry has been aligned with the Democratic politics that dominate the San Francisco Bay Area. The Wide Angle: Understanding TESCREAL — Silicon Valley’s Rightward Turn | Washington Spectator

2026 Conference: Systems Thinking and Systems Practice

The Centre for Systems Studies at the University of Hull, The OR Society, SCIO and International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR) warmly invite you to join us for the conference ‘Systems Thinking and Systems Practice’ that is due to take place at the University of Hull from 24th – 26th of March 2026. ⋮ 2026 Conference: Systems Thinking and Systems Practice ⋮ Blackthorn Events

Indian vultures: Decline of scavenger birds caused 500,000 human deaths

Once upon a time, the vulture was an abundant and ubiquitous bird in India. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c28e2pvzn3lo?utm_content=buffer04bc7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer

https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/calls-for-papers/beyond-doomsday-heinz-von-foersters-legacy-systems-theory-and-cybernetics?fbclid=IwY2xjawPXndtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEegYVdqZ8bCuwDl12PbKkJAjj3Vm9_FlgYp9PtQy1rEHJwsW68wKVu-g1wx14_aem_k5H9dr3rxK441m6pnPDtXg

Closes:

30 Jun 2026

Share this content

Journal

Kybernetes

Guest editor(s)

Albrecht Fritzsche

Submit your paper here from 1 January 2026

Introduction

Friday, the 13th of November 2026, is Doomsday. According to von Foerster et al. (1960), it is the day when population growth will reach infinity, thus ending the possibilities of humanity to survive. Interestingly enough, it is also the day of Heinz von Foerster’s 115th birthday anniversary, which gives us a good reason to review his contribution to systems research. Heinz von Foerster has been a pioneer in this field, working closely with other leading figures such as John von Neumann, Margaret Mead, Norbert Wiener, Humberto Maturana, Francisco Varela, Gregory Bateson, or Niklas Luhmann (Umpleby, 2008). Originally trained as a physicist, he addressed numerous different topics across many disciplines. Von Foerster has shaped our understanding of second-order cybernetics and contributed significantly to the development of radical constructivism (Scott, 2004). To him, we owe the notion of the trivial machine (von Foerster, 1984), the ethical imperative (von Foerster, 2003), and many other thought-provoking concepts and expressions.

The Doomsday Calculation, of course, is also a provocation. While it concerns a serious issue, is also raises questions about the use of simple mathematics to make predictions of future social development. Setting the date on Friday, the 13th associates it with superstition. Setting it on von Foerster’s birthday adds a sense of humour. Nevertheless, this article is not just a tongue-in-cheek comment on the limitations of formal modelling. Knowing that he was a leading figure of second-order cybernetics, von Foerster et al.’s (1960) article can also be read as a reflection on the possibilities to approach grand challenges in society objectively, and the dangers of ideology and self-referentiality. In this sense, Doomsday is significant for today’s scientific discourse on many levels, showing the topicality of von Foerster’s work in different ways.

The aim of this special issue is to collect articles that discuss Heinz von Foerster’s work from different angles. It invites contributions from former students and collaborators who give first-hand evidence of von Foerster’s teaching and research activities, as well as conceptual and empirical works that make use of his concepts and models to study today’s world and society. Furthermore, we warmly welcome articles that look beyond the mere application of formal constructs to observe the observers in contemporary science. What can we learn from second-order cybernetics for tackling grand challenges today? How do we find a balance between enforcing the necessary steps to cope with climate changes, over-population, pollution, etc., while at the same time leaving systemic structures intact? How do we use science and engineering to create new opportunities for development and expand abilities to choose instead of limiting them? And how can we add a little bit of humour help us to fight desperation in view of all the problems haunting us?
 

During submission, please make sure that you pick the right special issue and the right article category. 

Submissions Information

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available at: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/kyb
Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/kyb#jlp_author_guidelines

Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”.

Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else while under review for this journal.

Key deadlines

Opening date for manuscripts submissions: 1 January 2026
Closing date for manuscripts submission: 30 June 2026

References

Scott, B. (2004). Second‐order cybernetics: an historical introduction. Kybernetes, 33(9/10), 1365-1378.

Umpleby, S. A. (2008). A short history of cybernetics in the United States: The origin of cybernetics. Österreichische Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaften, 19(4), 28-40. 

Von Foerster, H., Mora, P. M., & Amiot, L. W. (1960). Doomsday: Friday, 13 November, AD 2026: At this date human population will approach infinity if it grows as it has grown in the last two millenia. Science, 132(3436), 1291-1295.

Von Foerster, H. (1984). Principles of self-organization—in a socio-managerial context. In Ulrich, H. & Probst G.J.B. (ed.) Self-organization and management of social systems: Insights, promises, doubts, and questions (pp. 2-24). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. 

Von Foerster, H. (2003). Understanding understanding: essays on cybernetics and cognition. New York: Springer.
 

See also

Cecchin, G., Barbetta, P., & Toffanetti, D. (2005). Who was von Foerster, anyway? Kybernetes, 34(3/4), 330-342.

Richards, L. D., & Young, R. K. (1996). Propositions on cybernetics and social transformation: Implications of von Foerster’s non‐trivial machine for knowledge processes. Systems Research, 13(3), 363-370.

Von Foerster, H. (1972). Perception of the future and the future of perception. Instructional Science, 1(1), 31-43.

Von Foerster, H. (2018). On constructing a reality. In Preiser, W. (ed.) Environmental design research (pp. 35-46). Routledge.

https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/calls-for-papers/beyond-doomsday-heinz-von-foersters-legacy-systems-theory-and-cybernetics?fbclid=IwY2xjawPXndtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEegYVdqZ8bCuwDl12PbKkJAjj3Vm9_FlgYp9PtQy1rEHJwsW68wKVu-g1wx14_aem_k5H9dr3rxK441m6pnPDtXg

December 2025

https://www.patternmaking.org/patternsvol4

“You are not going in circles. 

You are growing in them.

Spiraling upward, applying 

old lessons to the

unfathomable new.”

• Allena Staples, Cow Parade

A year like 2025 can make us feel like we are in a swirl. What felt important no longer feels quite right. We head in one direction, and then abruptly turn to the next. We want to cover our eyes in horror, only to be softened by kindness. We feel like we’ve climbed a hill to stand on, only to realize it is sand, and there are others. 

 When it feels like the merry-go-round is going too fast, I’ve found the best thing to do is to focus in, to feel the cold metal in my palms, and to remind myself to just hold on. As David Whyte might say, to start close in. It’s good advice for any day, but when the stakes are high there is no choice but to learn. By focusing in, we find what is ours to do. 

Trees have no choice but to start from where they are. Unlike us, they cannot even pretend to start afresh. Their growth is always in circles, and on their edges. 

Which leads me to wonder, does the bark of trees ache as it expands, like a young child’s legs? 

Might our aches be our becoming?  In a world where I cannot determine if I am terrified or excited, I’ve come to accept we may never know. 

Our pattern making community calls this fall felt like a rare respite from the swirl, providing space to metabolize our rage with our love. Our joy with our despair.  We let ourselves swell with paradox and marvel at the sustenance that comes through connection, all while noticing our respective edges. 

Perhaps more than ever, the work in this volume was generated with a fierce determination to stay present, and a tender awareness of how impossible this can feel. 

In this volume, you will read about becoming at the cost of belonging, the benefits of rage, the dangers of care, the importance of being in our bodies, and how creativity and reflection can be a reliable if not murky way through. We will share lessons of middle age and long-held grief and honor the sacred act of nurturing spores of magic, love, and tradition. We conclude by sharing how discussions of new technology have helpfully led us to grapple with what we hold most dear. 

And, through it all, we hope you will receive a subtler message: loving encouragement to reframe the ache of what can feel like circles as something else entirely.

With grace and in community,

Jessica

— along with the intrepid Dee, Kayla, Jen, Gabi, Anne, Efraín, Denise, Paula, Kevin, Skye, Dana, Laura, Annie, Kelci, Josiane, Nadya, Signe, Amanda, Allena, and Sandra.

• Volume 4 Index
  1. Cow Pants — Allena Staples
  2. Will the real Jessica please stand up? — Jessica Kiessel
  3. Joyful Lightness — Kevin Hong
  4. The Proverbial Lift — Paula Hodges
  5. Throw the Boots — Kayla Christopherson
  6. You want me to care less? — Jessica Kiessel
  7. Grace — Annie Norbeck
  8. Lately — Dee Thomas-Butler
  9. bit o’ art — Kelci Price
  10. Margins II — Annie Norbeck
  11. Learning to See — Jessica Kiessel
  12. Mushroom House — Josiane Smith
  13. A Remixed Mixtape — Amanda Spector
  14. You Gotta Lean Forward — Paula Hodges
  15. Barbie — Sandra Wegmann
  16. Hike — Allena Staples
  17. Olive Night — Laura Lehman
  18. Our new “AI Protocol” …erm…Process Notes

[Sound because I was searching (in a lazy internet way) to see if anyone had coined ‘autopoeitic drift’ before me]

• November 2025
• DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.30522.25287
• License CC BY 4.0
• Authors:
• Steven Watson
• University of Cambridge

Download file PDFRead file

Preprints and early-stage research may not have been peer reviewed yet.

Abstract

This article proposes that Robert Musil’s The Man Without Qualities anticipates the systemic reflexivity that defines modern social and ecological life. Reading Musil through Maturana and Varela’s concept of autopoiesis, Luhmann’s theory of second-order observation, and Watson and Brezovec’s recent work on autopoietic ecology, the essay argues that the novel functions as a living system 1 : a network that reproduces meaning through continuous self-observation. Musil’s portrayal of Kakania reveals a society that endures through procedural vitality rather than belief, exposing the recursive operations that sustain modern institutions. In this context, Laclau’s notion of the empty signifier and Derrida’s différance illuminate how communication survives the exhaustion of meaning, while the rise of populism and mistrust in institutions mark the global extension of Musil’s crisis of reflexivity. Ulrich and Agathe’s “other condition” represents the counter-movement to this drift-an experiment in relational consciousness that models the ecological coupling absent from bureaucratic systems. Their intimacy, interpreted through Haraway’s situated knowledges and Latour’s actor-network theory, exemplifies an ethics of recursive relation rather than transcendence. The essay concludes that Musil’s unfinished modernism articulates an autopoietic ethics: a mode of responsiveness and adaptation suited to a world in which meaning, communication, and life are co-extensive operations. In translating early modernist reflexivity into contemporary ecological terms, Musil offers a paradigm for rethinking ethics and politics under the conditions of global systemic interdependence. I treat autopoiesis as a structural homology rather than a biological literalism: the novel models how meaning reproduces its own enabling distinctions. This clarifies Musil’s contemporary relevance: under audit cultures and platform governance, communication increasingly survives by reproducing procedures after conviction has waned.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/397379750_Autopoietic_modernism_literature_reflexivity_and_the_ecology_of_meaning_in_Robert_Musil

---

[Other uses of the phrase ‘autopoeitic drift’ appear to be around the maintenance of a specific ‘living’ artowrk or set of artworks:]

https://www.getty.edu/publications/living-matter/keynote/

Click to access RivencRoth_LivingMatter.pdf

[And this, which speaks of Assemblages and Plato, Tarski and, um, other things too:]

Of Assembly

The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework was designed by Ostrom and her colleagues from the Ostrom Workshop in 2005 to facilitate analysis of institution processes through which individual and collective choices occur.

The IAD framework includes analyzing actors, norms, institutional settings, incentive structures, rules, and more. Social scientists have widely adopted the IAD framework to study institutional arrangements and the emerge and changes of institutions over time.

[Lots of explanations, teaching tools, useful materials]

https://ostromworkshop.indiana.edu/courses-teaching/teaching-tools/iad-framework/index.html