Department of Public Administration
College of Business and Public Management
University of La Verne
2220 Third Street
La Verne, CA 91750
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS / PAPERS
COMPACT Work II
Challenges Of Making Public Administration and Complexity Theory Work
La Verne, California, The United States, June 5-8, 2013
The American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) Section on Complexity and Network Studies
(SCNS) and the research group on Governance of Complex Systems (GOCS) at Erasmus University Rotterdam, will
jointly organize the second research conference on the Challenges of Making Public Administration and Complexity
Theory Work (COMPACT) at the University of La Verne on June 5 - 8, 2013. Participants of this conference will
discuss the advances in complexity theory and the applications of the methods of complexity research and network
analysis in public policy, governance, public decision-making, and public management. We kindly invite you to
submit a paper proposal for this special conference.
The topics and methods that can be addressed in conference papers may include one or more of the
following, but not limited to them:
Complexity and metropolitan governance
Governance of complex ecosystem
Complexity and the art of informing practitioners
Complexity and social economic considerations
Complexity and globalization
Complexity thinking and methodological, influence and practice challenges
Paper proposals should be no longer than 500 words and written clearly and concisely. All submitted paper
proposals will be peer-reviewed. The number of papers to be presented at the conference will be limited to
approximately 40 to enable in-depth discussions.
Conference papers will later be considered for publications in a special volume to be published by
Emergent Publications and three journals: Emergence: Complexity and Organization, the Journal of Globalization
Studies and ASPA/SCNS Section’s new journal, International Journal of Complex Governance Networks. Also,
conference participants will jointly develop white papers at the end of the conference. These white papers will be
distributed to those in the scientific community and governments who may be interested in the applications of
complexity thinking in their works.
Timetable of Proposals
· November 16th, 2012: deadline to submit paper proposals
· December 21st, 2012: acceptance decisions on proposals by reviewers
· May 6th, 2013: deadline to submit papers
· June 5 - 8, 2013: conference
Please submit your paper proposal to Jack Meek, University of La Verne at Jmeek@laverne.edu
Conference organizing committee: Lasse Gerrits (Erasmus University), Chris Koliba (University of Vermont),
Göktuğ Morçöl (Penn State Harrisburg), Asim Zia (University of Vermont), Naim Kapucu (University of Central
Florida), Erik Johnston (Arizona State University), Mary Lee Rhodes (Trinity University), Jack Meek (University of
La Verne), Kevin Marshall (University of La Verne)
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Conference format
All paper presentations will be made to the entire group of participants during the three days of the
conference. There will be no breakout sessions. The conference format will include traditional presentations but
emphasis will be placed on dialogue and discussion among all participants. The conference will also include guest
speakers who are known for their interest in complexity theory from multiple disciplinary perspectives.
Conference Themes for COMPACT II - University of La Verne, June 5 – 8, 2013
Complexity and metropolitan governance
The combination of the complexity sciences, urban planning and metropolitan governance have proven to
be a successful combination, ranging from Forrester’s work on cities as systems in the 1960's, to the seminal works
of e.g. Allen, Batty and Portugali, to the recent Ashgate series edited by De Roo, among others. Two approaches
towards cities as complex adaptive systems have emerged over the years. The dominant approach has been to
research the complex aspects of the urban using computational (systems dynamics and agent-based) models. A
second approach focuses on the deployment of concepts from the complexity sciences as metaphors and other
heuristic devices to explore what urban complexity entails. We believe that these approaches are valuable as ways of
inquiry into urban complexity and welcome papers that will explore advances in them. We also welcome papers that
will address the following questions: In what ways have the complexity sciences increased our understanding of the
urban phenomena? How does our understanding of cities as complex systems inform our recommendations for
metropolitan policymaking?
Governance of complex ecosystems
For some time, ecosystems have been understood as complex systems. In turn, this has informed
approaches to the governance, management and development of such systems, usually under the banners of adaptive
governance or adaptive management (see e.g. the works of Holling, Gunderson, Folke or Scheffer). These
approaches have quite successfully introduced concepts such as resilience and hysteresis in to thinking about the
governance of ecosystems. But it could also be argued that the sophistication of the analysis of ecosystems as
complex systems has yet to be translated into a sophisticated approach to the governance of such systems.
Ostensible sound recommendations such as adaptive governance run aground if they don't account for the real
dynamics of governance, such as the distribution of power, policy learning, normative stances, and the use of images
to reinforce normative stances. What is needed to arrive at realistic modes of the governance of coupled socialnatural systems? Which intellectual and practical challenges are ahead of us?
Complexity and the art of informing practitioners
Complexity sciences have inspired applications by policy makers and public managers. The works of
Senge, Flood, Stacey and Jaworski are testimonies to the success in such applications. The concepts of complexity
sciences open new avenues of thinking, but also pose challenges for practice. The applications of the concepts of
emergence and self-organization are examples. These concepts may attain an entirely different meaning in practice.
Emergence may become “great results with small incentives,” self-organization may become “letting teams work
without controlling them.” These shifts in meanings raise questions of theory transfer and applicability. We
welcome papers that would address the following or similar questions. Exactly how do the complexity sciences
inform policy advisors and public managers? Is it necessary to maintain theoretical purity in the messy reality of
policy making? What new results have been obtained in cases where the complexity sciences were used for extra
guidance?
Complexity and social and economic considerations
Complex economic issues need to be addressed within a wider context where interdisciplinary inquiry
brings insights. We welcome papers where contemporary social economic issues are examined through the lens of
complexity theory and offer new insight into theory and practice. How can complexity thinking inform social
economic issues beyond current economic disciplinary boundaries? How can complexity thinking develop our
understanding of economic issues for practitioners, citizens, business leaders and policy makers?
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Complexity and globalization
The processes and problems in our societies, economies, and metropolitan areas and in our relations with
natural environments are heavily influenced by globalization. This raises a number of concerns for policy
responses. Papers with this focus should emphasize challenges of globalization to socio-economic problems. Of
particular interest to us would be papers that specifically address the affects of globalization on local governments
from complexity theory perspectives. How are local governments and agencies responding to pressing global issues?
How are local culture, traditions and institutions affecting the agencies’ responses to global challenges?
Other themes and crosscutting approaches
Papers that explore crosscutting themes—methodological challenges, embracing complexity-friendly approaches,
and lessons in applying complexity theory practice—are welcome.
Methodological and epistemological challenges complexity theory poses to public policy and
administration research and practice
Complexity theorists generated new concepts and analytical methods. These concepts and methods have
implications also for how we conduct inquiry. Although there are different interpretations of the implications of
these concepts and methods, arguably they challenge the Newtonian and positivistic orthodoxy in scientific thinking.
Conference participants may want to challenge this assertion or build on it to show what specific alternatives
complexity theory offer in epistemology and methodology.
Complexity thinking and its connections with and influence on other theories of public policy and
administration
Some of complexity theory concepts, such as self-organization, resonate well with other theories.
Researchers who may not call themselves complexity researchers use these concepts and complexity-related
methods, such as agent-based simulation and social network analysis. Researchers of the Institutional Analysis and
Development Framework and Advocacy Coalition Framework may be cited among them. It is important to build
bridges between the communities of researchers who apply complexity theory and others for mutual learning and
better understanding of social phenomena. Conference participants may address the potential connections between
complexity theory and others.
Putting complexity theory in policy practices
Papers that specifically address the direct application of complexity theory to practice are most welcome.
The central focus of COMPACT conferences is on the application complexity thinking in public policy and
administration. Papers that focus on the application of complexity thinking and demonstrate or highlight benefits of
the approach inform us further as to how we can make a difference in addressing our common social, political, and
environmental issues.
Please forward this call for papers to all interested parties. Thank you.
Send conference inquiries and proposals to Jack W. Meek, University of La Verne at Jmeek@laverne.edu
A conference web site will be available in October 2012.
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