Complex Systems Science and Social Work
Complex Systems Science and Social Work
- John HalloranJohn HalloranLewis University
- , and Fred WulczynFred WulczynChapin Hall at the University of Chicago
Summary
Extending social work’s familiarity with the metaphorical use of systems concepts, formal systems science enables macro social workers pathways of understanding and description of system-level behavior. Systems, in a formal sense, are coherently organized and interconnected sets of parts that, when operating together, perform a function. The behaviors of complex systems are not reducible to the behavior of individual components, and behaviors of systems are unique to the system as a whole. We introduce a formal approach to systems thinking, provide an overview of central concepts in complex systems analysis, and conclude with an in-depth example of an agent-based simulation model, which puts complex systems thinking into action in a research and practice context.
Keywords
Subjects
- Administration and Management
- Macro Practice
- Policy and Advocacy
Updated in this version
Content and references updated for the Encyclopedia of Macro Social Work.
