The Implications of Complexity for Development - Owen Barder
The Kapuściński Lecture by Owen Barder
In this lecture, adapted from his Kapuściński Lecture of May 2012, Owen Barder explores the implications of complexity theory for development policy. He explains how traditional economic models have tried and failed to understand why some countries have managed to improve living standards while other countries have not. Using complexity theory, he shows that development is a property of a system, not the sum of what happens to the people within it. Drawing on the understanding of complex adaptive systems in physics and biology, this suggests important policy implications for policymakers who want to bring about faster development in their own country, or to help other countries to make faster progress. The lecture finishes with seven policy recommendations for development.
If you prefer, you can download the audio of this presentation as a podcast, either from the Development Drums website or from Development Drums in iTunes. You can also view the slide show in PDF version here.
The lecture is accompanied by three blog posts: the first is, 'What is Development?' The second and third blog posts, on the implications of complexity theory for the UK's 'Golden Thread' approach to development and the implications for the results agenda in development, will be published in the coming weeks.
