Complexity and the International Arena, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

In association with the London School of Economics Complexity Group and funded through the ESRC Research Seminar, 'Applied Complexity Science as the New Framework for Public Policy', The Department of Politics and International Relations, Lancaster University is pleased to announce a seminar on

For decades, international relations experts and practitioners have recognised the growing interdependence, connectedness and complexity of the global environment. Despite this, and a variety of intellectual challengers, realism with its simple and parsimonious tools based on a traditional scientific Newtonian paradigm remains the dominate framework in international relations and policy. The Complexity approach, emerging out of the physical and natural sciences in the late 20th century, can provide both a new, more realistic, paradigm and a range of simple and commonsensical tools (both metaphorical and modelling based) that can help move academics and practitioners beyond the limits of the current debates. In this workshop we will bring together a range of younger and established academics to explore the potential and practicality of integrating the new 'science' of complexity into the international arena.

The seminar is free and open to all. However, due to the limited space available participants must register in advance with the workshop administrator, Emilie Secker e.secker@lancaster.ac.uk. Spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Papers for the presentations will be made available in advance of the seminar on the workshop website.

Seminar Practicalities

Welcome (9:30 - 9:45) Welcome address from Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Prof. Tony McEnery

Session A (9:45 - 10:00) Introduction to the Grand Challenges of Complexity, Prof. Eve Mitleton-Kelly (LSE) and Prof. Robert Geyer (Lancaster University)

Session B (10:00 - 10:40) Presentation by Prof. John Urry (Lancaster), 'Complexity, the international arena and global climate (20 minute presentation/20 minute open discussion)

Coffee Break 10:40-11:00.

Session C (11:00 - 12:30) will be based on three presentations. Each presenter will have 15 minutes to present their papers and 15 minutes for discussion. The session will be chaired by Prof. Lee Miles (Liverpool).

· Prof. Robert Geyer (Lancaster) 'Applying the tools of complexity to the international realm: from fitness landscapes to complexity cascades'

· Dr. Kai Lehmann (Liverpool) 'Complexity theory and foreign policy: crisis-response as a process of self-organization'

· Dr. Mehmet Tezcan (Free University Brussels) 'Mechanisms of complexity in International Relations'

Lunch from 12:30-13:30

Session D (13:30 - 15:00) will be based on three presentations. Each presenter will have 15 minutes to present their papers and 15 minutes for discussion. The session will be chaired by Prof. Lee Miles (Liverpool)

· Dr. Antoine Bousquet (Birkbeck, University of London) and Dr. Simon Curtis (LSE) 'Complexifying the language: A new conceptual language for IR?'

· Dr. Armando Geller (George Mason University, USA) 'Complexity based models of International Relations'

· Dr. Christine Brachthaeuser (University of Tubingen) 'Governance as a multi-level process'

Coffee Break 15:00 - 15:30

Session E (15:30-17:00) Open discussion/Group Session of the Grand Challenges of Complexity Research led by Prof. Eve Mitleton-Kelly and Prof. Robert Geyer.

Seminar Concludes

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