2014 Dynamical Systems Theory Innovation Lab a success!

Over the past decade, scholars and practitioners have been working to employ new insights and methods from complexity science, dynamical systems and network theory to study and address violence and conflict as well as sustainable peace and social change.  The second Dynamical Systems Theory (DST) Innovation Lab convened from July 20 – 25, 2014 with more than 50 scholars, practitioners and local partners to again share leading-edge ideas, methods and practices and to inspire and support collaborative work in this area.

As for the first DST Innovation Lab held during the summer of 2013, the agenda for this year’s Lab focused on linking scholarship and practice.  Prior to the Lab, workgroups were formed that explored four thematic areas and prepared a synthesis of their work as pre-Lab briefing papers.  To further share their work, during the Lab each workgroup engaged all Lab attendees in an interactive, experiential session.  The four areas included themes important to a systems practice and that model a four phase consulting model:

1. Complexity mapping and visualization
2. Resonance identification and utilization
3. Institutionalization of dynamical systems attitudes, behaviors and structures, and
4. Learning and non-linear impact assessment.

Click here for links to each of the four briefing papers.

To link theory and practice, Lab participants partnered with four local groups from Hawaii seeking to understand their challenges from a complex systems perspective.  Lab participants and local partners learned from each other as they explored challenges associated with long-term water sustainability, leadership development, local community health issues and state-wide early childhood preparedness to learn.

In addition to the structured sessions, 4 time blocks were designated for topics of interest to attendees. More than 30 ‘open space’ sessions were proposed and 20 held over the 5 days of the Lab.  Blocks of free time were also incorporated into the schedule and used for informal conversation and opportunities to plan collaborations for this coming year.

This second experimental Lab culminated with a morning of reflection and generation of ideas for future Lab efforts to continue efforts to further employ insights and methods from complexity science to address conflict, peace and social change.