Systems Research and Education

Abstract

Critical systemic “unfolding” of values and “sweeping in” social, economic, and environmental aspects are concepts used by West Churchman. The chapter is written as a conversational approach, in order to illustrate critical systemic “unfolding” and engagement with Mary Edson. Critical systemic “unfolding” of values and “sweeping in” the many factors that need to be considered when designing research is informed by West Churchman’s “design of inquiring systems approach.” The chapter is written in the form of a systemic conversation that reflects on the lessons learned while conducting my own research and fostering postgraduate MA and PhD students’ ability to address a range of social and environmental justice concerns. Our shared challenge was to design transformative research with the aim of enhancing policy and decision-making. In this chapter, I share conceptual tools to enable ontological, epistemological, and methodological literacy that can help support the research journey. They include Ulrich’s 12 questions, as well as FMA mapping to address specific areas of concern and consideration in subject scenarios, enabling students to consider the consequences of their policy proposals with those who are to be affected by the decisions. The 12 questions are used creatively through narratives, conversations, and workshops with diverse stakeholders spanning the public, private, and volunteer sectors, including administrators, members of the community, and policy researchers. The key guiding principle is Ashby’s Rule of Requisite Variety, based on the notion that the complexity of the decisions need to reflect the complexity of the people who will be affected as well as their own shared African, Antipodean, north or South east Asian, European, or South American or North American regional environment. The key policy (linked with this rule) is the principle of subsidiarity, namely that a decision needs to be made at the lowest level possible within a community, so that people can draw on local, lived experience. This exploration is presented in a conversational form with the author, Janet, responding to the editor’s (Mary, representing the systems research team) questions about the relationship between systems research and education.