Can complexity science help us understand how to work together to create a fairer, more sustainable world? Author Jean Boulton, who will be speaking at the CAT Conference, explores…

Our communities are increasingly shaped by global forces – from pandemics and climate change to geopolitical conflict, discrimination and the far-reaching impacts of neo-liberal economic policies. Some of these challenges – such as the influence of the internet, the rise in extreme weather events, and the rapid spread of disease – are truly global in nature. Others, such as the impact of the war on Ukraine on wheat availability, or the impact on conflict in the Middle East on the Suez Canal, may be rooted in specific regions, yet have worldwide consequences.

These global conditions and crises also shape and compound policies of national government – in relation to growth, taxes, democracy, spending priorities; they also  impact the responses of the corporate sector.

And yet for many of us, the one place we feel we can make a difference is locally, where we live, in our own communities.

Complexity Thinking in a Complex World

Jean Boulton, a regular contributor at CAT and a leading expert in complexity science, explores these questions. Complexity science emerged in the last century from the work of physicists and biologists seeking to understand how living systems – from organisms to ecosystems – emerge, stabilise, and sometimes spiral out of control. It also helps explain how systems dominated by powerful forces can lose diversity, become rigid, and face collapse.

These insights apply not only to the natural world but also to our social systems. They highlight the importance of connection, relationship, and inclusivity in building resilience. Stability, in this view, is not about control or top-down planning – it is dynamic and constantly evolving.

Exploring Food Security at CAT

Jean recently worked with a group of students at CAT to explore the issue of food security. The students first discussed the complexity worldview. Jean then introduced a method to connect the global with the local and explore the way the past shapes the present and the present shapes the future, in order to identify key factors and develop creative solutions.

Embracing Complexity in Everyday Life

So, what does it mean to embrace complexity in our daily lives?
First, we need to ask: what are the stable patterns we see around us – in culture, relationships, and ways of working? How did these patterns emerge, and how stable do they seem?

At the same time, we need to stay alert to signs of change – the “new shoots” or “cracks in the fabric” that suggest transformation or even collapse. Embracing complexity means holding paradox: recognising what is, while also sensing into what is becoming. Daoist philosophy speaks of being attuned to “the beginning of the beginning” – noticing subtle shifts and emerging possibilities.

Understanding the present – even in its interconnected, systemic nature – is not enough. We must also pay attention to the “minute particulars,” as William Blake put it. We need to notice the new, the decaying, the possible, and the unexpected.

Walking the Path Together

In her book The Dao of Complexity, Jean explores the resonance between complexity science and Daoist cosmology, which emerged in the 5th century B.C.E. in China. A central idea is that “the path is made through walking” – we co-create the future through our collective actions and intentions. There is no single right way forward. The future is shaped by what we choose and what we do.

If we want a resilient future on this deeply interconnected planet, we must act with the whole in mind – with care for each other, for future generations, and for the Earth.

In these times of polarisation, increasing inequality, escalating climate breakdown, and an economic system built on individualism, these messages have never been more relevant.

Acting at the Appropriate Scale

E.F. Schumacher didn’t want his book to be called Small is Beautiful – he preferred ‘Work at the Appropriate Scale ’. While perhaps less catchy, it is, perhaps, a more accurate reflection of the challenge we face.

We must ask:

How can we act locally while keeping the regional and global in mind?

How can we use our local power to influence upwards and build solidarity across communities?

How do we find resilience and kinship, and protect the uniqueness of our local resources in a world of growing fragility and turbulence?

These are questions we must continue to explore together.

Author

Jean Boulton is a complexity scientist, author, academic and Fellow of the Schumacher Institute. She is a guest speaker at the CAT Conference.