Complexity Theory and the Social Sciences: The state of the art

In four parts, this book seeks to establish ‘the state of the art’ of complexity-informed social science as it stands now, examining:

• the key issues in complexity theory
• the implications of complexity theory for social theory
• the methodology and methods of complexity theory
• complexity within disciplines and fields.

It also points ways forward towards a complexity-informed social science for the twenty-first century, investigating the argument for a post-disciplinary, ‘open’ social science. Byrne and Callaghan consider how this might be developed as a programme of teaching and research within social science. This book will be particularly relevant for, and interesting to, students and scholars of social research methods, social theory, business and organization studies, health, education, urban studies and development studies.