Realist Complexity between Causal and Complex Systems Conference
- Organisation
- International Institute of Social Studies
- Start date
Wednesday 26 Jan 2022, 00:00
- End date
Friday 28 Jan 2022, 00:00
- Location
- International Institute of Social Studies
- Spoken Language
- English

Postponed from April 2021, on 26-28 January 2022, the International Institute of Social Studies will host a conference aiming to capture and specify what Critical Realism (CR) can contribute to the literature on complexity.
Although part of the conference is closed, several of the speakers will give public presentations.
About the conference
Against the background of previous attempts that have subsequently coalesced the two under the rubric of ‘Complex Realism’, the primary objective here takes stock of the various analytical shortcomings of ‘Complex Realism’ and aims instead to understand how CR scholars analytically treat complexity.
In so doing, it asks three central questions:
- What is ‘Realist Complexity’?
- Is this ‘Realist Complexity’ complex?
- What is the difference between complexity and some things being complex?
Themes
The organizers aim to receive contributions dealing with these questions in relation to the following themes:
- Ontology and epistemology
- Causality (Critical Realist and other perspectives)
- Systems (open and/or closed)
- Any combination of the themes listed above
Contributors
Among the contributors to this conference are: Rani Lil Anjum, Margaret Archer, Dave Elder Vass, Phil Gorski, Bob Jessop, Alan Norrie, Douglas Porpora, Elena Rocca, Colin Wight and Yi Yang
Registration to public lectures
- Email address
- knio@iss.nl
For registrations to attend the public lectures offered by a selection of the contributors during the conference, please contact Dr Karim Knio.
- More information
Note: This conference has been postponed from 7-9 April 2021.