Academic literature on the topic 'Rise of complex societies'
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Journal articles on the topic "Rise of complex societies":
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Petrikkos, Petros. "Building Bridges in Divided Societies: Sustaining Democratic Transition Through Complex Power-Sharing in Lebanon and Iraq." Federal Governance 15, no. 2 (October 4, 2019): 18–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.24908/fg.v15i2.13203.
Abstract:
This paper looks at how divided societies like Lebanon and Iraq currently incorporate very fragile models of governance. The recommendations in this study attempt to introduce a hybrid model that considers integration and consociationalism as effective tools to electoral management in both countries, in light of the recent elections taking place in May 2018, and the continuities presented to this day. In assessing the effectiveness of consociationalism as a power-sharing framework, this paper does not attempt to depart from the already-established model of governance. Rather, the analysis presents elements that would hopefully improve power-sharing and governance in the two divided societies of Lebanon and Iraq. Elements as such may bring forth a steadier process that aids democratic transition in divided societies. Sectarianism is heavily embedded in both the Lebanese and Iraqi communities. Ignoring the conflicting issues that rise with each successive election only promotes a fragile environment that deeply divides, instead of uniting societies.
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Bay Rasmussen, Steffen. "Introduction." Cuadernos Europeos de Deusto, no. 64 (May 14, 2021): 19–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.18543/ced-64-2021pp19-22.
Abstract:
The process of European integration has evolved through crises of governance towards ever greater integration of the societies of the participating member states, giving rise to new questions about the political organization of the European continent. At the same time, European societies have become ever more diverse, giving rise to new and complex problematiques of coexistence. Europe must now also deal with the consequences of an economic model based on the consumption of finite resources. Beyond specific crises and events, Europe is therefore faced with a multifaceted challenge of ecological, democratic and societal sustainability. To approach the challenges from the point of view of sustainability means to see the ecological, democratic and societal long-term viability of Europe as made possible by the continuous reconstruction of European societies through innovative cultural, social, economic and political practices under the ecological constraints posed by the limits of our planet.
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Sheehan, Oliver, Joseph Watts, Russell D. Gray, and Quentin D. Atkinson. "Coevolution of landesque capital intensive agriculture and sociopolitical hierarchy." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115, no. 14 (March 19, 2018): 3628–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1714558115.
Abstract:
One of the defining trends of the Holocene has been the emergence of complex societies. Two essential features of complex societies are intensive resource use and sociopolitical hierarchy. Although it is widely agreed that these two phenomena are associated cross-culturally and have both contributed to the rise of complex societies, the causality underlying their relationship has been the subject of longstanding debate. Materialist theories of cultural evolution tend to view resource intensification as driving the development of hierarchy, but the reverse order of causation has also been advocated, along with a range of intermediate views. Phylogenetic methods have the potential to test between these different causal models. Here we report the results of a phylogenetic study that modeled the coevolution of one type of resource intensification—the development of landesque capital intensive agriculture—with political complexity and social stratification in a sample of 155 Austronesian-speaking societies. We found support for the coevolution of landesque capital with both political complexity and social stratification, but the contingent and nondeterministic nature of both of these relationships was clear. There was no indication that intensification was the “prime mover” in either relationship. Instead, the relationship between intensification and social stratification was broadly reciprocal, whereas political complexity was more of a driver than a result of intensification. These results challenge the materialist view and emphasize the importance of both material and social factors in the evolution of complex societies, as well as the complex and multifactorial nature of cultural evolution.
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CRESPO, EDUARDO ALBERTO, and TIAGO NASSER APPEL. "How competition drove social complexity: the role of war in the emergence of States, both ancient and modern." Brazilian Journal of Political Economy 40, no. 4 (December 2020): 728–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0101-31572020-3055.
Abstract:
ABSTRACT The origin of human ultrasociality - the ability to cooperate in huge groups of genetically unrelated individuals - has long interested evolutionary and social theorists. In this article, we use cultural group or multilevel selection theory to explain how cultural traits needed to sustain large-scale complex societies necessarily arose as a result of competition among cultural groups. We apply the theory at two key particular junctures: (i) the emergence of the first States and hierarchical societies, and (ii) the Rise of Modern Nation-States and the associated Great Divergence in incomes between the West and the “Rest” that began in the eighteenth century.
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Lambert, Patricia M., and Phillip L. Walker. "Physical anthropological evidence for the evolution of social complexity in coastal Southern California." Antiquity 65, no. 249 (December 1991): 963–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00080765.
Abstract:
In this paper we use osteological data to evaluate theories about the rise of chiefdoms in southern California. To do this, we examine skeletal evidence for changes in diet, disease and violence in Santa Barbara Channel area populations. These collections date from before and after the development of large, sedentary coastal villages and a political system that facilitated inter-village economic interaction. Our data show that the health consequences of the development of these chiefdoms are comparable to those seen with the development of complex agricultural societies. They also provide insights into the causes of social complexity in non-agricultural societies.
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Kappeler, Peter M., and Luca Pozzi. "Evolutionary transitions toward pair living in nonhuman primates as stepping stones toward more complex societies." Science Advances 5, no. 12 (December 18, 2019): eaay1276. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aay1276.
Abstract:
Nonhuman primate societies vary tremendously in size and composition, but how and why evolutionary transitions among different states occurred remains highly controversial. In particular, how many times pair living evolved and the social states of the ancestors of pair- and group-living species remains contentious. We examined evolutionary transitions in primate social evolution by using new, independent categorizations of sociality and different phylogenetic hypotheses with a vastly expanded dataset. Using Bayesian phylogenetic comparative methods, we consistently found the strongest support for a model that invokes frequent transitions between solitary ancestors and pair-living descendants, with the latter giving rise to group-living species. This result was robust to systematic variation in social classification, sample size, and phylogeny. Our analyses therefore indicate that pair living was a stepping stone in the evolution of structurally more complex primate societies, a result that bolsters the role of kin selection in social evolution.
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Wang, Jiajing, Leping Jiang, and Hanlong Sun. "Early evidence for beer drinking in a 9000-year-old platform mound in southern China." PLOS ONE 16, no. 8 (August 12, 2021): e0255833. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255833.
Abstract:
Alcoholic beverages played an essential role in rituals in ancient societies. Here we report the first evidence for beer drinking in the context of burial ritual in early Holocene southern China. Recent archaeological investigations at Qiaotou (9,000–8,700 cal. BP) have revealed a platform mound containing human burials and high concentrations of painted pottery, encircled by a human-made ditch. By applying microfossil (starch, phytolith, and fungi) residue analysis on the pottery vessels, we found that some of the pots held beer made of rice (Oryza sp.), Job’s tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), and USOs. We also discovered the earliest evidence for using mold saccharification-fermentation starter in beer making, predating written records by 8,000 years. The beer at Qiaotou was likely served in rituals to commemorate the burial of the dead. Ritualized drinking probably played an integrative role in maintaining social relationships, paving the way for the rise of complex farming societies four millennia later.
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Inglehart, Ronald. "The Renaissance of Political Culture." American Political Science Review 82, no. 4 (December 1988): 1203–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1961756.
Abstract:
The publics of different societies are characterized by durable cultural orientations that have major political and economic consequences. Throughout the period from 1973 to 1987, given nationalities consistently showed relative high or low levels of a “civic culture”—a coherent syndrome of personal life satisfaction, political satisfaction, interpersonal trust and support for the existing social order. Those societies that rank high on this syndrome are much likelier to be stable democracies than those that rank low. Economic development and cultural change are linked in a complex pattern of reciprocal influence. Originally, Protestantism may have facilitated the rise of capitalism, leading to economic development, which in turn favored the emergence of the civic culture. But in those countries that attained high levels of prosperity, there eventually emerged postmaterialist values that tended to neutralize the emphasis on economic accumulation that earlier characterized Protestant societies.
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Zhilwan Tahir and Abdulwahed Jalal Nuri. "Examining the Impact of Religion on Civilization: Insights from Ibn Khaldun and Arnold Toynbee's Theories." DIROSAT: Journal of Education, Social Sciences & Humanities 2, no. 2 (April 15, 2024): 106–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.58355/dirosat.v2i2.69.
Abstract:
This paper examines the impact of religion on civilization through the perspectives of two prominent scholars, Ibn Khaldun and Arnold Toynbee. The paper provides an overview of Toynbee's theory of comparative civilizations, highlighting his emphasis on the comparability of diverse societies and his rejection of the notion of inherent superiority or inferiority among civilizations. The paper also explores Ibn Khaldun's cyclical theory of the rise and fall of civilizations, which emphasizes the role of religion in shaping the fortunes of societies. This study utilizes a comparative methodology to analyze the viewpoints of Ibn Khaldun and Arnold Toynbee on the impact of religion on civilization. The work explores the perspectives of individuals on social unity, governing systems, and the development of culture. It utilizes knowledge from their writings and historical circumstances to clarify the complex connection between religion and human communities. The paper investigates the impact of religious beliefs on the rise and fall of civilizations, drawing on insights from both Toynbee and Ibn Khaldun. It examines how religion has influenced the development of civilizations, including its role in shaping cultural values, political structures, and economic systems. The paper also explores how religion has contributed to the decline of civilizations, including through religious conflicts and the erosion of social cohesion. Overall, the paper provides a comparative analysis of the role of religion in civilization and society, drawing on the insights of two influential scholars. It highlights the importance of understanding the complex interplay between religion and civilization, and how religious beliefs have shaped the fortunes of societies throughout history.
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Varese, Stefano, and Michael Grofe. "Notas sobre territorialidad, sacralidad y economíía políítica bennizáá/binigula'/beneshon." Mexican Studies/Estudios Mexicanos 23, no. 2 (January 1, 2007): 219–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/msem.2007.23.2.219.
Abstract:
In the following paper, we attempt to re-evaluate the rise of complex societies in the Valley of Oaxaca based on indigenous conceptualizations of land, territory and ““resources”” as components within a broader Mesoamerican cosmological system. In so doing, we challenge Eurocentric theoretical models of the emergence of civilization that rely on a uniform linear progression, and we articulate an approach that seeks to integrate both material and ideological perspectives.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Rise of complex societies":
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Breunig, Peter. "Origin of Complex Societies in Sub-Saharan Africa." Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2012. http://repositorio.pucp.edu.pe/index/handle/123456789/113406.
Abstract:
This article considers the earliest evidence of complex societies in sub-Saharan Africa. The evidence derives from two archaeological entities located in Nigeria, West Africa: the Gajiganna Culture of the Chad Basin and the Nok Culture of Central Nigeria. Studies of both cultures, carried out by the author’s team during the last years, indicate a significant cultural change during the 1st millennium BC. The change concerns social, economic, and technological aspects, described and discussed for each of the two mentioned cases. It is supposed that the change was a nucleus of social complexity that triggered further developments up to the great West African empires emerging from the end of the 1st millennium AD onwards.El presente artículo trata acerca de las evidencias más tempranas de sociedades complejas en el África subsahariana procedentes de dos entidades arqueológicas ubicadas en Nigeria, en la parte occidental de este continente: la cultura Gajiganna, localizada en la cuenca del Chad, y la cultura Nok, del área central de este país. Los estudios realizados acerca de estas dos sociedades por parte del equipo dirigido por el autor durante los últimos años indican una transformación cultural significativa durante el primer milenio a.C. Este cambio se relaciona con aspectos sociales, económicos y tecnológicos particulares que se describen y discuten para cada uno de los casos mencionados. Se postula que ese proceso constituyó el núcleo de la complejidad social que desencadenó desarrollos posteriores hasta llegar a los grandes imperios del África Occidental que surgieron hacia fines del primer milenio d.C. y en adelante.
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Mathias, Florent. "Forger le ciel aux âges des métaux : représentations, imaginaire et connaissances célestes dans le Nord-Ouest de l’Europe entre 2500 et 500 av. J.-C." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Paris 1, 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019PA01H079.
Abstract:
Cette thèse de doctorat a pour objectif d’étudier l'appréhension du ciel par les hommes durant une période chronologique s’étendant des derniers siècles du Néolithique – au milieu du IIIe millénaire av. J.-C. – jusqu’à la fin de l’Âge du bronze nordique, en 500 av. J.-C. Ce travail, à la croisée de l’archéologie, de l’histoire des sciences, de l’astronomie et de l’anthropologie sociale , s’appuiera sur de nombreux vestiges matériels témoignant des différentes conceptions du ciel élaborées par les hommes, afin d’appréhender le degré de connaissances relatives au ciel et à ses phénomènes acquis et d’apprécier la pénétration de ce savoir dans les activités, la pensée et l'iconographie des sociétés protohistoriques sans écriture du Chalcolithique, de l'Âge du bronze et du Hallstatt. Les multiples interactions attestées entre les sociétés européennes et méditerranéennes seront également considérées pour établir la part potentielle des influences orientales dans la construction d’une approche empirique du ciel dans le Nord-Ouest de l'Europe. Au terme de cette recherche, une importante lacune relative aux prémices de l’astronomie occidentale, et plus largement à la compréhension des sociétés de l’Europe protohistorique, se trouvera mieux documentéeThis doctoral thesis is a study of man’s experience and understanding of the skies from the last centuries of the Neolithic – in the middle of the third millennium B.C. – until the end of the Nordic Bronze Age in 500 B.C. This work is at the crossroads of archaeology, the history of science, astronomy and social anthropology and will be based on a number of material remains that are evidence of the varied conceptions man developed of the heavens in that period. Examination and evaluation of these remains are a means of assessing the depth of man’s knowledge of the sky and its phenomena and the degree to which this knowledge impacted the activities, thinking and iconography of the protohistoric societies that had not yet developed writing in the Chalcolithic, the Bronze Age and the Hallstatt period. The many documented interactions between European and Mediterranean societies will also be examined to determine any part Eastern influences may have played in framing an empirical approach to the sky in north-west Europe. It is hoped that, once this research is concluded, this more thorough documentation will help address the current information void on the beginnings of Western astronomy and, more broadly, our understanding of the societies of protohistoric Europe
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Ramos, Martín Jesús. "Complex systems and exosomatic energy metabolism of human societies." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/4068.
Abstract:
La presente Tesis se centra en la importancia que tienen los flujos de energía para explicar la evolución de las economías en el tiempo, de menor a mayor organización, de menor a mayor complejidad. El desarrollo económico es un proceso, no un objetivo final para ninguna sociedad. Está relacionado con la evolució n de los sistemas humanos así como con su interacción con el entorno. Por lo tanto, se necesita un enfoque biofísico para poder entender mejor el proceso de desarrollo. Por ello esta tesis incluye una primera parte teórica y una parte empírica.La primera parte consiste en 5 capítulos, principalmente de contenido teórico. Esta parte trata la relación entre la teoría económica, la teoría de los sistemas complejos y la termodinámica. El Capítulo 1 presenta de forma breve la relación entre complejidad, energía y economía, que son tratadas con más detalle en el resto de la tesis. El Capítulo 2 presenta el análisis energético bajo el enfoque de las diferentes escuelas de pensamiento económico. Se da particular énfasis al retorno al interés clásico en la producció n, tal y como recientemente surge entre aquellos que se llaman "economistas ecológicos". De hecho, uno de los mayores avances de éstos ha sido la incorporación de aspectos de la termodinámica al análisis económico. En particular, se habla de la importancia de la Segunda Ley de la Termodinámica y de su resultado más importante, la irreversibilidad de los procesos, que pone de manifiesto la importancia de la Historia. El Capítulo 3 trata de forma breve los temas de complejidad y autoorganización. El Capítulo 4 usa los conceptos desarrollados en capítulos anteriores para caracterizar a los sitemas humanos (p.e. economías) como sistemas abiertos lejos del equilibrio (termodinámico). Se presentan, a su vez, sus principales características, entre las que destacan su carácter jerárquico y su funcionamiento a través de ciclos auto-catalíticos que unen los diferentes niveles del sistema. La evolución de los sistemas económicos es el tema del Capítulo 5, tanto desde una perspectiva económica tradicional como desde una evolutiva, en la que 'la historia cuenta'. La explicación se basa en el análisis termodinámico, en donde el énfasis está en la relación entre la disipación de energía y el desarrollo. La segunda parte de la tesis consiste en 4 artículos publicados en revistas internacionales (capítulos 6 a 9), y un artículo que será enviado próximamente a una revista y que será presentado en una conferencia internacional en el verano de 2005. El primero de los artículos (Capítulo 6) es todavía de tipo teórico, tratando el tema del empirismo en economía ecológica para analizar la evolución de las sociedades. El Segundo (Capítulo 7) presenta la primera aplicación que hice en 2001 de la metodología MSIASM, para analizar la evolución de la economía española en el tiempo, y ayuda al lector a familiarizarse con la metodología.
El tercer artículo (Capítulo 8) vuelve a ser de carácter teórico, pero representa un avance y desarrollo teórico, y ayuda a entender las potencialidades que presenta la metodología utilizada, por medio de la inclusión de conceptos como el 'efecto mosaico' o el 'análisis de ciclos impredicativos', que ayudan a desarrollar mejor la narrativas a usar cuando analizamos temas de sustentabilidad. El cuarto artículo (Capítulo 9) presenta otra aplicación de MSIASM. En este caso se trata de entender las posibilidades que ofrece la metodología para ayudar a explicar trayectorias pasadas de desarrollo, así como para elaborar escenarios futuros de desarrollo. El quinto artículo (Capítulo 10) es la última aplicación, hasta el momento, de la misma metodología. El artículo representa un análisis del desarrollo económico de un actor principal en la economía mundial en la actualidad, China, para ofrecer respuestas diferentes a las típicas preguntas sobre la relación entre desarrollo y disipación de energía.
The present dissertation deals with the issue of the importance of energy flows in driving the evolution of economies on time, from less to more organised structures. From less to more complex systems. Economic development is a process, not a final goal to be achieved by any society. It is related to the economic evolution of human systems as well as with their interaction with the environment. Therefore, a biophysical analysis is needed to fully understand the process. The Thesis comprises both a theoretical and an empirical part. The first one consists of Chapters 1 to 5, which are mainly of theoretical content. This is the part dealing with the relationship between economic theory, complex systems theory and thermodynamics. Chapter 1 briefly presents the relationships between complexity, energy, and economics that are developed with more detail throughout the Thesis. Chapter 2 presents energy analysis under the framework of the different schools of economic thought. Stress is given to the revival of the classical interest in production, as we can find among those who call themselves "ecological economists". In fact, one of their major advances of this school has been the incorporation of the insights of thermodynamics to economic analysis. They have mainly used the Second Law of thermodynamics and its major result, the irreversibility of processes, and therefo re the importance of History. Chapter 3 deals with the issue of complexity and self-organisation. Chapter 4 uses the concepts developed in previous chapters to characterise human systems (i.e. economies) as open complex systems far from (thermodynamic) equilibrium. Their major characteristics are presented, focusing on their hierarchical structure and their functioning via autocatalytic loops that link each level of the system. The evolution of economic systems is analysed in Chapter 5, both from a traditional economic perspective and from an evolutionary one, in which 'history counts'. The explanation is based on thermodynamic analysis, in the sense than the relation between energy dissipation and development is the focus. The second part consists of 4 published papers in international refereed journals (Chapters 6 to 9) and one paper to be submitted soon after it is presented at an international conference in July 2005 (Chapter 10). The first of the papers (Chapter 6) is still theoretical, dealing with the issue of empiricism in the field of ecological economics to analyse the evolution of societies. The second one (Chapter 7) presents the first application I made back in 2001 of the MSIASM methodology, to analyse the evolution of the Spanish economy over time, and helps the reader to be familiar with the methodology. The third paper (Chapter 8) represents a step forward in the theoretical development of the approach used, and helps in fully understanding the potentialities of such methodology, by introducing key concepts such as 'mosaic effect' or 'impredicative loop analysis', that help developing better narratives for using when analysing sustainability. The fourth paper (Chapter 9) presents another application of MSIASM, this time for understanding its possibilities to help explain past trajectories of development and to help elaborate scenarios of future development. The fifth paper (Chapter 10) is the last application of the methodology. The paper represents an analysis of the economic development of a major actor nowadays, China, by applying MSIASM to try to get different answers to the usual questions regarding the relationship between economic development and energy dissipation.
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Erdosy, G. "Urbanisation and the evolution of complex societies in the Early Historic Ganges Valley." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1985. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/273086.
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Specht, Joshua Albert. "Red Meat Republic: The Rise of the Cattle-Beef Complex, 1865-1906." Thesis, Harvard University, 2014. http://dissertations.umi.com/gsas.harvard:11599.
Abstract:
"Red Meat Republic: The Rise of the Cattle-Beef Complex, 1865-1906," examines the consolidation of the American meatpacking and ranching industries. Supplying urban consumers with inexpensive beef required a form of industrialized animal husbandry that had high costs, both human and environmental. In spite of these costs - the source of widespread criticism and public unease - this system has persisted in roughly the same shape for nearly a century. I argue this resilience depends on a set of widely accepted narratives that made centralized meatpacking appear natural and inevitable. Whether rooted in cultural discourses justifying Indian land expropriation or technological arguments rationalizing market concentration, particular narratives enabled the historical processes integral to the rise of big meatpacking. "Red Meat Republic" critiques these narratives and offers an alternate account of industrial animal husbandry's origins.History
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Tahir, Sabri. "Humanitarian Interventions in Complex Societies : A comparative study of Kosovo, Libya and Somalia Interventions." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Statsvetenskapliga institutionen, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-321419.
Abstract:
This thesis examines and compares the humanitarian interventions in Kosovo, Libya and Somalia. The purpose of this study is to examine if the presence of strong tribal structures within a nation can increase the risk of terrorist activities, and subsequently contribute to a failed state following a humanitarian intervention. By applying a theory on tribes and critical terrorism studies, this thesis argues that policymakers might underestimate the significance of tribal structure within a state, before intervening. With Mills method of concomitant variation, this thesis has examined and compared the leadership, interventions, radical presence, and tribal structures of Kosovo, Libya and Somalia. This thesis has also examined if interventions can increase radicalism. The result from the analysis shows us that the presence of strong tribal structures can increase the terrorist activities and subsequently contribute to a failed state. Humanitarian intervention can further lengthen the weak state apparatus if the external actors neglect of the local structures of a state.
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Cooper, Jeffrey Hawley. "A renaissance in the nineteenth-century : the rise of French instrumental music and Parisian concert societies : 1828-1871 /." Ann Arbor : UMI, 2000. http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb37059845q.
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Lee, Terence Wenjun. "Evolution of clonal complex 17 Enterococcus facium: The rise and fall of outbreaks." Thesis, Lee, Terence Wenjun (2019) Evolution of clonal complex 17 Enterococcus facium: The rise and fall of outbreaks. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2019. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/55449/.
Abstract:
Enterococcus faecium is an opportunistic pathogen which has evolved from a commensal of the mammalian gastrointestinal tract microbiome to one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections globally. Hospital-adapted E. faecium strains, identified as members of clonal complex (CC)17, typically harbour a variety of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes, including resistance to vancomycin, an essential glycopeptide antimicrobial used to treat severe Gram-positive infections. In Australia, the Australian Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AGAR) Australian Enterococcal Sepsis Outcome Program (AESOP) identified approximately 50% of E. faecium causing blood stream infections (BSI) from 2015-2017 as 48 vancomycin resistant. Compared to similar reports, the prevalence of vancomycin resistant E. faecium (VREfm) in Australia was higher than any nation within the European Economic Area (Highest, 43.9%, Cyprus, 2017) suggesting a serious and growing public health issue in Australia.
To determine if VREfm in Australia were becoming more virulent and/or antimicrobial resistant, vancomycin non-susceptible E. faecium collected as part of a 15-year surveillance program monitoring patients admitted to high risk units at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) were whole genome sequenced (WGS) and analysed in silico. Of the 1,372 vancomycin non-susceptible E. faecium collected, 93.7% of isolates belonged to seven sequence types (STs) which were responsible for eight single strain outbreaks occurring mostly from 2010 to 2015. Except for ST173, outbreak causing STs at RPH were pandemic strains which have been previously reported internationally and across Australia. Phylogenetically, isolates were clustered according to STs with each cluster emerging from independent branches suggesting outbreak STs were distantly related. Virulence and antimicrobial profiles for each ST were shown to be unique with no increase in virulence or antimicrobial resistance observed with respect to the chronological order of outbreaks or phylogenetic order. Multiple analogous antimicrobial resistance genes were identified indicating the independent acquisition of resistance amongst the STs and suggesting its importance in strain survival.
With no increase in virulence and antimicrobial resistance observed in pandemic strains of E. faecium at RPH, subsequent investigations to determine the cause of high VREfm prevalence 68 in Australia focused on E. faecium collected by the AGAR AESOP. Each year, the AGAR AESOP monitors levels of antimicrobial resistance in Enterococci causing BSI throughout Australia. Since 2015, a WGS approach to surveillance was adopted by AGAR for AESOP sequencing all E. faecium referred by participating laboratories. Using bioinformatics, E. faecium from 2015-2017 were shown to form three main phylogenetic clusters consisting of (i) predominantly vancomycin susceptible isolates which did not harbour any van operons, (ii) predominantly VREfm isolates harbouring the vanA operon and (iii) predominantly VREfm isolates harbouring the vanB operon. Further investigations of the two VREfm dominant clusters responsible for the high prevalence of VREfm in Australia revealed isolates located on distal phylogenetic branches showed increased prevalence of the respective vanA or vanB operons compared to basal isolates. The findings suggest the development of an affinity between certain E. faecium strains with a particular van genotype. As a result, the majority of ST1421 and ST1424 isolates located on the distal branches of the vanA dominant cluster, harboured the vanA operon while the majority of ST555 and ST796 isolates located on the distal branches of the vanB dominant cluster, harboured the vanB operon. Additionally, in clusters with increased van operon prevalence, an increased 30-day all-cause patient mortality and increased number of isolates was observed.
The vanA and vanB operons conferring vancomycin resistance identified in AGAR AESOP isolates are located on mobile genetic elements which can be transferred between bacteria. To investigate the transmission of van operons, additional insertion sequences (ISs) identified between van genes were used to type each van operon. Five IS elements were identified within vanA operons while three IS elements were identified within vanB operons. In combination with van genes, eight vanA operon types and five vanB operon types were identified in the 2015-2017 AGAR AESOP collection of E. faecium isolates. The majority of IS elements were identified in intergenic regions between the regulatory, essential and accessory gene groups of the vanA and vanB operon. Phylogenetic analysis showed vanA and vanB operons clustered according to isolate STs suggesting van operons were mostly inherited via vertical transmission. The operon from vanA dominant strains ST1421 and ST1424, and the operon from vanB dominant strains ST555 and ST796 were distantly related to international reference operons suggesting that the majority of locally distributed vanA and vanB operons in Australia have evolved independently rather than from international VREfm.
In conclusion, pandemic strains of VREfm in Australia showed no indication of increasing virulence or antimicrobial resistance over time. Analysis of E. faecium causing BSI in Australia showed three phylogenetic clusters, of which, two were dominant for the vanA and vanB operon respectively and were responsible for the high VREfm prevalence observed in Australia. Both VREfm dominant clusters showed increasing prevalence of the respective vanA or vanB operons in isolates located toward the distal branches of the phylogenetic tree suggesting a strain-van operon affinity. Typing of the vanA and vanB operons suggests van operons identified in Australia were locally distributed and are distantly related to van operons from international VREfm.
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Do, Monte Karyna. "Environmental stewardship and the fate of the Brazilian Amazon : a case study of the Madeira Complex." FIU Digital Commons, 2009. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3067.
Abstract:
The present paper analyzes a case study of the Madeira Complex, which plans to build two massive dams on the Amazon River's largest tributary, to identify religious discourse in ecological debates. Three sides of the debate are investigated in order to analyze the various perspectives of proper human relations with the rest of nature that emerge. The Brazilian government and large corporations support the project as a necessary step to meet future national energy needs, the indigenous groups settled in federal territories that are directly affected by the environmental impact of the project and have mixed opinions, and environmentalist organizations starkly opposed to the project because of its impact on the environment. Each perspective reflects a Christian model of stewardship, where humans are responsible for the management of the rest of nature, and even the indigenous worldview adapts this dominant perspective in order to gain visibility in the debate. This debate reveals how the stewardship model can be a subtle form of neo-colonization of indigenous people and of ecosystems.
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Estrada, Belli Francisco. "The evolution of complex societies in Southeastern pacific coastal Guatemala : a regional GIS archaeological approach /." Ann Arbor (Mich.) : UMI, 1999. http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb400166521.
Books on the topic "Rise of complex societies":
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Pierre, Jon, and B. Guy Peters. Governing Complex Societies. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230512641.
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Ross, Jennifer C., and Sharon R. Steadman. Ancient Complex Societies. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2017. |: Routledge, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315305639.
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M, Brumfiel Elizabeth, and Earle Timothy K, eds. Specialization, exchange, and complex societies. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: Cambridge University Press, 1987.
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Tainter, Joseph A. The Collapse of complex societies. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1990.
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Tainter, Joseph A. The collapse of complex societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.
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Smith, Michael E., ed. The Comparative Archaeology of Complex Societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781139022712.
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Smith, Michael Ernest. The comparative archaeology of complex societies. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
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Jha, Makhan. Complex societies and other anthropological essays. New Delhi: Navrang, 1991.
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Sawyer, R. Keith. Social emergence: Societies as complex systems. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
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Padash, Azin. Bubble Rise Dynamics in Complex Fluids. [New York, N.Y.?]: [publisher not identified], 2022.
Book chapters on the topic "Rise of complex societies":
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Dyson, Stephen L. "Rise of Complex Societies in Italy: Historical Versus Archaeological Perspectives." In Tribe and Polity in Late Prehistoric Europe, 193–203. Boston, MA: Springer US, 1988. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0777-6_9.
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Hachimi El Idrissi, Saida, Mohamed Nemiche, and Bezza Hafidi. "A Theoretical Agent-Based Model to Simulate the Rise of Complex Societies." In Springer Proceedings in Complexity, 49–60. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34920-1_5.
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Young, Mitchell, and Rómulo Pinheiro. "The Post-entrepreneurial University: The Case for Resilience in Higher Education." In Towards Resilient Organizations and Societies, 173–93. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82072-5_7.
Abstract:
AbstractHistorically speaking, the university has been a highly resilient organizational form; however recent pressures to become entrepreneurial threaten the institutional foundations on which that reliance is based. The chapter first provides conceptual clarity by revisiting what we argue are two distinct schools of thought on the entrepreneurial university. We show how the economic school’s conception intertwines with the rise of New Public Management (NPM) in Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s, reframing the concept in ways that made it incompatible with resilience thinking. However, we argue that by tying back into ‘lost’ elements of sociological school’s conception, and associating them with concepts from complex systems literature (loose coupling, slack, and requisite diversity), a hybrid model which is both resilient and entrepreneurial can be achieved. We call this the post-entrepreneurial university.
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Weyer, Johannes. "Safe Transitions in Complex Systems." In Climate Change and Safety in High-Risk Industries, 39–52. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56995-1_5.
Abstract:
AbstractComplex systems, including energy and transportation systems, constitute a crucial part of modern societies’ critical infrastructure. It is imperative to ensure their stability even during periods of crisis or fundamental transformation, such as sustainability transformation. It is difficult to anticipate how individuals will respond to policy interventions aimed at preserving stability, for example, by banning cars from congested roads, or to policy interventions aimed at fundamentally altering the system, for instance, by promoting renewable energies. A conflict of interest may occur at both an individual and institutional level if sustainability measures, such as increasing the number of electric vehicles or photovoltaic systems, jeopardize the stability of the system, for example, by increasing grid volatility. Furthermore, research into complex systems has demonstrated that they tend to develop nonlinearly rather than linearly, making them difficult to predict. Agent-based modeling (ABM) has emerged as a valuable method to comprehend the dynamics of complex socio-technical systems. Moreover, ABM enables us to anticipate future outcomes and evaluate the effectiveness of different policy measures aimed at enhancing safety or promoting sustainability (or both). The chapter briefly introduces the ABM concept and the SimCo simulation framework, developed at TU Dortmund University. SimCo is grounded in analytical sociology, focusing on people’s everyday practices, bounded-rational decision-making and on governance concerns. Additionally, this chapter will present the outcomes of several simulation experiments to address the question of how to achieve safe transformations of complex systems.
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Mani, Lara, Doug Erwin, and Lindley Johnson. "6. Natural Global Catastrophic Risks." In The Era of Global Risk, 123–46. Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.11647/obp.0336.06.
Abstract:
To what extent is humanity vulnerable to natural catastrophic risks such as large-magnitude volcanic eruptions and Near-Earth Object impacts? And what does this risk landscape look like? This chapter explores the current state of research on natural catastrophic risks and considers how the latter are often underestimated, although their impact on our complex societies continues to grow.
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Pierre, Jon, and B. Guy Peters. "Understanding Governance: Institutional Capacity, Information, and Steering." In Governing Complex Societies, 1–9. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230512641_1.
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Pierre, Jon, and B. Guy Peters. "Toward a Theory of Governance." In Governing Complex Societies, 10–48. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230512641_2.
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Pierre, Jon, and B. Guy Peters. "Governance: A Garbage Can Perspective." In Governing Complex Societies, 49–63. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230512641_3.
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Pierre, Jon, and B. Guy Peters. "Governance and governability: Time, space, and structure." In Governing Complex Societies, 64–79. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230512641_4.
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Pierre, Jon, and B. Guy Peters. "Multilevel Governance: A Faustian Bargain?" In Governing Complex Societies, 80–100. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230512641_5.
Conference papers on the topic "Rise of complex societies":
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Salas, Ilvanna, and Sebastián Abades. "Social Complex Systems as Multiscale Phenomena: From the Genome to Animal Societies." In 6th International Conference on Complexity, Future Information Systems and Risk. SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.5220/0010492801000106.
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Mun, Changuk, and Junho Song. "Probabilistic Modeling and Inference for Structures under Sequence of Hazardous Events Using Matrix-based Bayesian Network." In IABSE Conference, Seoul 2020: Risk Intelligence of Infrastructures. Zurich, Switzerland: International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE), 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.2749/seoul.2020.338.
Abstract:
<p>Structures are often subject to a sequence of hazardous events, e.g. main earthquake excitation followed by aftershocks. Even though such hazard brings about a crucial risk to our societies, its quantification is generally challenging because of its complexity. To address the technical challenge effectively, this study proposes to use Bayesian networks (BNs). Sequences of main and aftershocks are artificially generated to quantify the BN model representing the complex hazard. In addition, the structural responses of a hysteretic single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system under the generated sequences are evaluated by nonlinear dynamic analysis to quantify the BN model. Then, the fragilities of the system are estimated through the BN-based probabilistic inference. The overall modeling and inference are efficiently executed by the Matrix-based Bayesian network (Byun <i>et al. </i>2019). The proposed framework is expected to advance our capability to assess the risk of structures under the sequence of hazardous events and make optimal risk-informed decisions.</p>
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Carlucci, Domenic P., Robert Conachey, and John B. Hagan. "Data-centric Maintenance and Operational Knowledge and Its Impact on Classification." In SNAME 5th World Maritime Technology Conference. SNAME, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.5957/wmtc-2015-067.
Abstract:
The monitoring of machinery condition, performance, and maintenance activities continues to be vital to the effective management of marine assets. Identifying key data, developing a data collection protocol, and analyzing the data are key to effective management. Planning for these activities should rely on risk and reliability techniques. Integrating data collection with the vessel’s or asset’s control and monitoring systems can reduce crew burden and simplify an often complex puzzle of qualifying and analyzing condition and performance data into a standardized process for maintenance planning and decision making related to asset operations. The information gathered from these processes can create a knowledge loop that, when implemented in an enterprise asset management (EAM) strategy, can improve current operational execution and influence the next generation of marine asset designs. Classification societies can apply this information for effective surveys and Rules improvement.
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Mancini, Francesco Maria, and Tanja Glusac. "Void of Power." In 24th ISUF 2017 - City and Territory in the Globalization Age. Valencia: Universitat Politècnica València, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/isuf2017.2017.6172.
Abstract:
The history of built environment reflects the rise and fall of political systems, their conflicts, social contradictions and ultimately, the state of being of particular civic societies over time. Former symbols of power, such as ancient monuments, palaces and churches still express their symbolic, economic, cultural and political value which constituted in different ages the motivation for their being. Today these are replaced by new symbols of contemporary economic forces which through skyscrapers express global tendency and power shifts. While such edifices are recognizable embodiments of power and political systems of their time, less visible, yet equally potent, are the shifts and voids in power relations. To fully comprehend the role of architecture in expressing and supporting power structures, it is important to question the concept of architecture as a mere act of presence (construction) and consider instead the void and its complementary aspects: absence, erasure and ideological need for demolition, as expressions of power. This paper considers power within the parameters of void, which extend beyond the notion of “tabula rasa” that has characterized many urban transformations. By considering the emblematic case of Via dell’ Impero, analyzing various ‘iconic’ works of architecture for their role in expressing power of institutions and individuals, and identifying dispersion as an underhanded way of exercising power, this paper proposes a more complex reading of urban transformations. It offers moments of reflection and a shift in research focus in terms of how the void is used today to express and support present power relations.
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Barbarini, Luiz Henrique Maiorino, and Bernardo Luis Rodrigues de Andrade. "Considerations About Human Factors in Risk Analysis for Ships With Alarm System." In ASME 2010 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. ASMEDC, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/imece2010-38128.
Abstract:
In complex systems, such as vessels and commercial ships, the ability to understand and influence human behavior is essential to ensure safety and reliability. According to statistics of classification societies (Rothblum, 2000; ALERT!, 2003), humans are largely responsible for accidents on board and, therefore, are considered a major component of the dependability of vessels. This paper presents a proposal on how to address the human and organizational factors in risk analysis for ships, focusing on the scenarios where the crew interacts with the alarm and monitoring system. In order to illustrate the steps and assumptions to be done by an analyst applying the proposed model, the accident of the vessel Maersk Doha occurred in October of 2006 in the United States, is analyzed. The report on the investigation of this accident is public and accessible via the Internet site of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch – MAIB. This approach has the intention to be a proactive tool to anticipate and prevent accidents on board by means of the correct design and use of the ship’s alarm system.
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Ehrhardt, George C. M. A. "On the rise and fall of networked societies." In MODELING COOPERATIVE BEHAVIOR IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. AIP, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2008597.
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Edmondson, A. R., and B. Twomey. "Systems Engineering – The Hard Way." In 14th International Naval Engineering Conference and Exhibition. IMarEST, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.24868/issn.2515-818x.2018.009.
Abstract:
Ship designers, builders, owners, insurers and class societies are becoming ever more aware of the complex interactions of the various systems found on all types of marine vessels. Therefore a design process that acknowledges these demands and assesses the risks posed, and manages them becomes ever more important. This paper seeks to explore some of the, sometimes apparently, conflicting requirements that are placed on designs of new marine platforms and looks at methods that enable these elements to be expressed, understood and managed in the context of an integrated ship design. The demands placed on new vessels include a range of requirements that move away from being solely based around the traditional functional requirements; including the ideas of designing for ease of shipbuilders, operators and maintainers; and now acknowledging the need of a through life safety case, cyber security case, and full obsolescence planning. This becomes ever more complex when consideration is given to how these through life elements are practically managed, with a range of methods, none of which are without their own challenges. It is important to note as these demands are discussed that often a ‘solution’ in the truest sense does not exist and the management of risk becomes a balance between the expected risk, the practicable solution, along with the potential compromises to both programmes and cost. While these demands place huge constraints and drive complexity into design processes, the issues can, and regularly have, been further exacerbated when some of these, or other requirements, are introduced into the design or build phases of projects. Introduction of design drivers should not be undertaken lightly or without expected, and accepted, increases in required resources, both financial and calendrical.
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Hamah Saeed, Tahseen. "The normative role of the economic legal rule and the results of its application to the investment law in the Kurdistan region." In INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF DEFICIENCIES AND INFLATION ASPECTS IN LEGISLATION. University of Human Development, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.21928/uhdicdial.pp104-122.
Abstract:
The reciprocal treatment between law and economics has become a fact in the real world. And that the influence and influence between them reached the point of putting the independence of each under question. The central role that the economy plays in the modern era, especially after the emergence of the phenomenon of globalization and the spread of transnational companies and the dominance of the liberal and capitalist intellectual current, caused the emergence of a special type of law and legal rules called economic legal rules that have characteristics that distinguish them from other legal rules. This is due to the special nature of the economy of change. Fast and complex. And it came to the point that some scholars claimed that the economy has become in the center and that the law lacks its independence and has no function but to regulate the affairs of the economy so that the latter performs its original and important function in modern societies. Although the opinion regarding the relativity of this independence differs among the jurists of the Latin school from the Anglo-Saxon school. The jurists of the Latin school in general recognize more independence of the law, while the Anglo-Saxon jurists go to the more influence of the economy on the law than the effect of the law on the economy. Especially in developing countries in need of development and development. That is why the researcher tries to apply the result of the structural role of the economic legal base on one of the economic laws in the afflicted Kurdistan region, which needs the most what it needs is change and development in both areas of law and economy. Especially with regard to investing and working with internal capital and attracting foreign investors, in order to remove some injustice from the oppressed people at a time when the reality was finally fair and gave them the opportunity to have their legitimate authority and enjoy the opportunity to rise and move to reach the level of progress of the world in the modern era and keep pace with what its brothers have reached in humanity from other peoples.
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Lyons, Timothy W., and Charles W. Diamond. "OXYGEN AND THE RISE COMPLEX LIFE." In GSA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, USA - 2019. Geological Society of America, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/abs/2019am-338061.
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Cabri, Giacomo, Letizia Leonardi, and Mariachiara Puviani. "Methodologies for Designing Agent Societies." In 2008 International Conference on Complex, Intelligent and Software Intensive Systems. IEEE, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/cisis.2008.65.
Reports on the topic "Rise of complex societies":
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Bieder, Corinne. Bringing together humanity and technology in context: Future challenges for safety in high-risk industries. Fondation pour une Culture de Sécurité Industrielle, April 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.57071/twp391.
Abstract:
This “Cahier de la sécurité industrielle” originates from FonCSI’s Strategic analysis “Work and workers in the 2040’s”. This project brought together a core group of academic researchers and scientific experts from industrial companies and organizations sponsoring FonCSI. They met about 15 times with the aim of exploring the impacts on the safety of high-hazard organizations of the megatrends our world and societies are undergoing. This document focuses on the role of humans and their relationship to technology. The fast pace of evolution of digital technologies is shaking up the conventional high-hazard industry landscape, introducing new challenges for safety. This document focuses on the role played by humans in the 2030-2040 timeframe as regards how safety is managed and governed. The results highlight the impact of the implicit framework adopted to appreciate the respective contributions of humans and digital technologies to the safety of high-hazard industries. Whereas a human-centered framework emphasizes specific human capabilities such as empathy, making sense, judgment, as critical to safety, a technology-centered one focuses on computational power and speed as promises to future safety. None of these frameworks opposing humans and digital technologies seems appropriate to account for real situations where they both coexist and are interrelated in more complex ways than just through man-machine interfaces. Furthermore, they are part of a broader social, political, organizational, and cultural context calling for qualifying absolute statements on Technology and Humanity. More generally, high-risk operations are complex. Thinking in terms of dichotomies (e.g., technology/humans; digital/non-digital) is too simplistic to anticipate the safety challenges ahead of us. Exploring the interrelations between humans and digital technologies includes investigating the context in which they evolve to frame possible future safety challenges in a relevant manner. This means involving diverse perspectives and disciplines to bring together humans and technologies in context and reflect the complex reality.
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Silberstein, Jason, and Marla Spivack. Applying Systems Thinking to Education: Using the RISE Systems Framework to Diagnose Education Systems. Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE), January 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.35489/bsg-rise-ri_2023/051.
Abstract:
This essay summarises a framework for understanding education systems by specifying the system’s components and the ways that those components interact to cultivate or undermine learning for children. Since education systems are complex and involve complex interactions, a structured framework for characterising their features can help identify problems and the way towards solutions to overcome them.
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Egeland, Jan. Peacemaking and the Prevention of Violence in Situations of Internal Strife and Intrastate Conflict: The Role of Governments and NGOs. Inter-American Development Bank, March 1998. http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0006889.
Abstract:
The author stimulates a discussion on new partnerships where inter-governmental organizations, individual governments and non-governmental organizations collectively should meet the challenges posed by the violence, the complex emergencies and the intrastate wars affecting so many societies. This presentation was created for the IDB Seminar in Cartagena, held on March 14th, 1998.
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Jung, Carina, Karl Indest, Matthew Carr, Richard Lance, Lyndsay Carrigee, and Kayla Clark. Properties and detectability of rogue synthetic biology (SynBio) products in complex matrices. Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.), September 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/45345.
Abstract:
Synthetic biology (SynBio) aims to rationally engineer or modify traits of an organism or integrate the behaviors of multiple organisms into a singular functional organism through advanced genetic engineering techniques. One objective of this research was to determine the environmental persistence of engineered DNA in the environment. To accomplish this goal, the environmental persistence of legacy engineered DNA building blocks were targeted that laid the foundation for SynBio product development and application giving rise to “post-use products.” These building blocks include genetic constructs such as cloning and expression vectors, promoter/terminator elements, selectable markers, reporter genes, and multi-cloning sites. Shotgun sequencing of total DNA from water samples of pristine sites was performed and resultant sequence data mined for frequency of legacy recombinant DNA signatures. Another objective was to understand the fate of a standardized contemporary synthetic genetic construct (SC) in the context of various chassis systems/genetic configurations representing different degrees of “genetic bioavailability” to the environmental landscape. These studies were carried out using microcosms representing different environmental matrices (soils, waters, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) liquor) and employed a novel genetic reporter system based on volatile organic compounds (VOC) detection to assess proliferation and persistence of the SC in the matrix over time.
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Benton, Tim, Antony Froggatt, Laura Wellesley, Owen Grafham, Richard King, Neil Morisetti, James Nixey, and Patrick Schröder. The Ukraine war and threats to food and energy security: Cascading risks from rising prices and supply disruptions. Royal Institute of International Affairs, April 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.55317/9781784135225.
Abstract:
Global resource markets are still reeling from the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the two countries are major suppliers of energy, food and fertilizers. Supply disruption and the sudden imposition, in response to the crisis, of unprecedented economic sanctions, trade restrictions and policy interventions have caused prices of commodities to skyrocket. Before the conflict, demand for global resources already exceeded supply and drove up prices as economies rebounded after the COVID-19 pandemic. This gave rise to a global cost-of-living crisis, characterized by increasing levels of energy and food poverty. This situation is likely to become much worse as a consequence of the war in Ukraine, and poses a threat to human security, particularly among low-income and vulnerable populations. Governments must invest now to build resilient societies and economies to meet these long-term challenges. Mitigating the most immediate harms to populations is a top priority for policymakers, but failure to keep long-term objectives in mind – climate change mitigation, in particular – can lead to bad decisions that further embed existing fragilities in economic and social systems.
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Martínez Villarreal, Déborah, Ana María Rojas Méndez, Carlos Scartascini, and Alberto Simpser. The Central Role of Social Dynamics in Nudging Social Norms for Collective Health. Inter-American Development Bank, March 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0012857.
Abstract:
Can societies be nudged to adopt beneficial behaviors? Publicizing how people behave on average descriptive-norms nudging has emerged as a key tool for increasing the adoption of desirable behaviors. While nudging, by describing social norms, has proven effective in one-shot interventions in small samples (marginal-effect designs), nudging on an ongoing basis at the population level may not necessarily lead to higher compliance and can give rise to major challenges. We use a simple model to show that social adjustment dynamics can drive a populations behavior in unanticipated directions. We propose a general approach to estimating equilibrium behavior and apply it to a study of mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our empirical findings align with the analytical approach and indicate that publicizing mask-wearing rates on an ongoing basis could have backfired, as initially high rates would have settled into substantially lower equilibrium rates of the behavior. In other words, if scaled up, positive marginal-effect designs do not necessarily translate into full compliance with the intervention.
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Водолєєва, І. С., А. О. Лазаренко, and В. М. Соловйов. Дослідження стійкості мультиплексних мереж під час кризових явищ. Видавець Вовчок О.Ю., 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.31812/0564/1259.
Abstract:
Demonstrated features of modeling random and directed attacks on the network as the basis for timely monitoring adverse events and to ensure the stability and reliability of the system. A testing system developed indicators robustness for example the actual functioning of complex systems, including a series of attacks on the social, technical and terror networks modeled changing dynamics of the occurrence of such attacks. Analysis of the results gives rise to recommendations for practical application range of indicators developed as a system of sustainable development of complex socio-economic systems.
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van Unen, Izzy. Research Brief: Insider Mediators and Trust Building. Trust After Betrayal, April 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.59498/52693.
Abstract:
This research brief examines the crucial role of insider mediators, individuals with authoritative personal connections to violence-affected communities, in conflict resolution. They establish trust through pre-existing relationships and are perceived as impartial and trustworthy by conflicting parties. Insider mediators navigate complex social dynamics, identifying culturally appropriate solutions acceptable to all sides. By promoting communication and dialogue, they create safe spaces for discussions, reduce tensions, and foster understanding between conflicting parties. Their involvement in drafting peace agreements ensures proposals align with ground realities, enhancing their implementability and long-term sustainability. Moreover, insider mediators contribute to their viability by fostering ongoing communication and cooperation, identifying potential conflicts, and acting as early warning systems. Recognising and supporting the role of insider mediators is essential for inclusive and effective conflict resolution, promoting healing and reconciliation within conflict-affected societies.
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Arasu, Sibi, and Kaavya Pradeep Kumar. Ways of Telling: A Handbook for Reporting on Climate Change in South India. Indian Institute for Human Settlements, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.24943/wthrccsi02.2021.
Abstract:
Stories around climate change are not easy to tell. They are complex, technical, and develop slowly. In newsrooms where speed is king, accurate and comprehensive reporting on environmental crises often takes a hit. Scientific rigour and accuracy, sensitive representations and consistent reportage on more slow-onset events such as drought and sea-level rise are critical to build public awareness and set the agenda for more ambitious climate policies that cater to the needs of the most vulnerable.
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McKenna, Patrick, and Mark Evans. Emergency Relief and complex service delivery: Towards better outcomes. Queensland University of Technology, June 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.5204/rep.eprints.211133.
Abstract:
Emergency Relief (ER) is a Department of Social Services (DSS) funded program, delivered by 197 community organisations (ER Providers) across Australia, to assist people facing a financial crisis with financial/material aid and referrals to other support programs. ER has been playing this important role in Australian communities since 1979. Without ER, more people living in Australia who experience a financial crisis might face further harm such as crippling debt or homelessness. The Emergency Relief National Coordination Group (NCG) was established in April 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to advise the Minister for Families and Social Services on the implementation of ER. To inform its advice to the Minister, the NCG partnered with the Institute for Governance at the University of Canberra to conduct research to understand the issues and challenges faced by ER Providers and Service Users in local contexts across Australia. The research involved a desktop review of the existing literature on ER service provision, a large survey which all Commonwealth ER Providers were invited to participate in (and 122 responses were received), interviews with a purposive sample of 18 ER Providers, and the development of a program logic and theory of change for the Commonwealth ER program to assess progress. The surveys and interviews focussed on ER Provider perceptions of the strengths, weaknesses, future challenges, and areas of improvement for current ER provision. The trend of increasing case complexity, the effectiveness of ER service delivery models in achieving outcomes for Service Users, and the significance of volunteering in the sector were investigated. Separately, an evaluation of the performance of the NCG was conducted and a summary of the evaluation is provided as an appendix to this report. Several themes emerged from the review of the existing literature such as service delivery shortcomings in dealing with case complexity, the effectiveness of case management, and repeat requests for service. Interviews with ER workers and Service Users found that an uplift in workforce capability was required to deal with increasing case complexity, leading to recommendations for more training and service standards. Several service evaluations found that ER delivered with case management led to high Service User satisfaction, played an integral role in transforming the lives of people with complex needs, and lowered repeat requests for service. A large longitudinal quantitative study revealed that more time spent with participants substantially decreased the number of repeat requests for service; and, given that repeat requests for service can be an indicator of entrenched poverty, not accessing further services is likely to suggest improvement. The interviews identified the main strengths of ER to be the rapid response and flexible use of funds to stabilise crisis situations and connect people to other supports through strong local networks. Service Users trusted the system because of these strengths, and ER was often an access point to holistic support. There were three main weaknesses identified. First, funding contracts were too short and did not cover the full costs of the program—in particular, case management for complex cases. Second, many Service Users were dependent on ER which was inconsistent with the definition and intent of the program. Third, there was inconsistency in the level of service received by Service Users in different geographic locations. These weaknesses can be improved upon with a joined-up approach featuring co-design and collaborative governance, leading to the successful commissioning of social services. The survey confirmed that volunteers were significant for ER, making up 92% of all workers and 51% of all hours worked in respondent ER programs. Of the 122 respondents, volunteers amounted to 554 full-time equivalents, a contribution valued at $39.4 million. In total there were 8,316 volunteers working in the 122 respondent ER programs. The sector can support and upskill these volunteers (and employees in addition) by developing scalable training solutions such as online training modules, updating ER service standards, and engaging in collaborative learning arrangements where large and small ER Providers share resources. More engagement with peak bodies such as Volunteering Australia might also assist the sector to improve the focus on volunteer engagement. Integrated services achieve better outcomes for complex ER cases—97% of survey respondents either agreed or strongly agreed this was the case. The research identified the dimensions of service integration most relevant to ER Providers to be case management, referrals, the breadth of services offered internally, co-location with interrelated service providers, an established network of support, workforce capability, and Service User engagement. Providers can individually focus on increasing the level of service integration for their ER program to improve their ability to deal with complex cases, which are clearly on the rise. At the system level, a more joined-up approach can also improve service integration across Australia. The key dimensions of this finding are discussed next in more detail. Case management is key for achieving Service User outcomes for complex cases—89% of survey respondents either agreed or strongly agreed this was the case. Interviewees most frequently said they would provide more case management if they could change their service model. Case management allows for more time spent with the Service User, follow up with referral partners, and a higher level of expertise in service delivery to support complex cases. Of course, it is a costly model and not currently funded for all Service Users through ER. Where case management is not available as part of ER, it might be available through a related service that is part of a network of support. Where possible, ER Providers should facilitate access to case management for Service Users who would benefit. At a system level, ER models with a greater component of case management could be implemented as test cases. Referral systems are also key for achieving Service User outcomes, which is reflected in the ER Program Logic presented on page 31. The survey and interview data show that referrals within an integrated service (internal) or in a service hub (co-located) are most effective. Where this is not possible, warm referrals within a trusted network of support are more effective than cold referrals leading to higher take-up and beneficial Service User outcomes. However, cold referrals are most common, pointing to a weakness in ER referral systems. This is because ER Providers do not operate or co-locate with interrelated services in many cases, nor do they have the case management capacity to provide warm referrals in many other cases. For mental illness support, which interviewees identified as one of the most difficult issues to deal with, ER Providers offer an integrated service only 23% of the time, warm referrals 34% of the time, and cold referrals 43% of the time. A focus on referral systems at the individual ER Provider level, and system level through a joined-up approach, might lead to better outcomes for Service Users. The program logic and theory of change for ER have been documented with input from the research findings and included in Section 4.3 on page 31. These show that ER helps people facing a financial crisis to meet their immediate needs, avoid further harm, and access a path to recovery. The research demonstrates that ER is fundamental to supporting vulnerable people in Australia and should therefore continue to be funded by government.