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Complexity Management, Democracy and Social Consciousness: Challenges for an Evolutionary Learning Society

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Abstract

Most of the recent approaches to support evolutionary learning communities have offered tools to support agreements on a shared vision. Few have explained how to effectively implement the agreed actions from such a shared vision. From a cybernetic perspective, the present paper explains why the development of structural conditions for democratic involvement is a necessary condition for the effective implementation of evolutionary development at the societal level. It offers insights from cybernetic theory on how to encourage increased participation and social consciousness. Finally, it presents an example of how to design and develop local Agoras, following these criteria.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Dr. Jon Walker’s support and comments to the different drafts of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scarborough Management Centre, Hull University Business School, North Yorkshire, YO11 3AZ, England, UK

    Angela Espinosa

  2. The University of Hull, Hull, Hu6 7RX, UK

    Roger Harnden

Authors
  1. Angela Espinosa
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  2. Roger Harnden
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Correspondence to Angela Espinosa.

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Roger Harnden is an independent researcher.

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Espinosa, A., Harnden, R. Complexity Management, Democracy and Social Consciousness: Challenges for an Evolutionary Learning Society. Syst Pract Act Res 20, 401–412 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-007-9075-3

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