Theory Building

Beyond the Buzzword: Rethinking Polycrises in Public Policy and Administration Research

The author examines the use of the polycrisis concept in public policy and administration research, highlighting its potential for addressing complex challenges but noting a frequent lack of conceptual clarity and analytical depth. Polycrises are often treated as static and uniform, despite their dynamic and multifaceted nature. To strengthen its application, the author proposes clearer […]

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Polycrisis Patterns: Applying System Archetypes to Crisis Interactions

This paper illustrates the potential of systems thinking by applying system archetypes to advance the conceptual understanding of the polycrisis. It explores three archetypes adapted to the study of polycrises: Converging Constraints (based on the Limits to Growth archetype), Deepening Divides (from Success to the Successful), and Crisis Deferral (from Policy Resistance). By mapping feedback

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From Polycrisis to Metacrisis: a short introduction

The authors explore the relationship between polycrisis and metacrisis, proposing a three-layer logic model to explain their connection. While polycrisis refers to the entanglement of interconnected global crises that intensify one another, metacrisis points to the foundational conditions that generate these crises. Just as symptoms indicate an underlying illness, polycrisis is seen as a manifestation

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Complexity-Congruent Research: Methods and Methodology. In: Global Crises

This chapter examines ‘restricted complexity’ research approaches and their effectiveness in addressing global polycrisis. It explores the potential of ‘complexity-congruent’ designs, which incorporate key traits such as temporal dynamics, multi-level scaling, and participatory methods. The chapter outlines a three-pronged framework: employing complexity-congruent methods, identifying time–space leverage points for intervention, and constructing scenarios of ‘boundary objects’

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The polycrisis is here, and system dynamics can help: a call to action

The authors call for action from the System Dynamics (SD) community to address global polycrisis and leverage SD’s strengths in modelling complexity, feedback loops, and nonlinear dynamics. They emphasize five key features of the SD approach and community that uniquely position it to contribute to polycrisis analysis: endogenous point of view, scenario analysis, interdisciplinary collaboration,

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Chartbook 343 : Polycrisis & the Critique of Capitalocentrism

Adam Tooze explores the concept of polycrisis as a framework for understanding the complex and interconnected challenges we face in the modern era. He critiques the reliance on traditional social theories from the 20th century, arguing that they often underestimate the unprecedented scale and speed of contemporary issues. Tooze emphasizes the value of the concept

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Global Polycrisis can be Tackled by Institutional Innovation Towards Democratic Efficacy

Hanno Scholtz argues that the world’s polycrisis is caused by an outdated democratic model of “partitioning representation,” where citizens vote periodically and are represented by governments in global affairs. He proposes “Civil Democracy,” a new model that gives citizens and civil society more responsibility in decision-making, offering a path to solving global crises.

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Achieving Inter- and Transdisciplinarity in Ecohealth: Insights from a Rodent-Borne Disease Project in a Polycrisis Era

The authors explore the challenges of addressing “wicked problems,” such as emerging zoonotic diseases, and the potential of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research (ITDR) to tackle them. Using a case study on rodent-borne diseases (RBDs) in Europe, they examine the factors influencing ITDR’s success. The article highlights the limited adoption of ITDR in RBD research and

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