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Roman Krznaric explores the conditions in which crises lead to transformative societal change. He finds that transformative responses are most common in conditions of war, disaster, revolution, and disruption. The latter refers to “a moment of system instability that provides opportunities for rapid transformation” which is created by the “disruption nexus” of crisis events (typically […]
The Disruption Nexus Read More »
In this four-part essay series, Jacob Bornstein and Mesa Sebree explore the concept and nature of the polycrisis. The series offers insight into topics such as how social change works in a polycrisis era, the next steps for dealing with polycrisis, and factors for societal resilience in a polycrisis era. Subsequent posts in this series
Local Organizing in a Polycrisis Era, American Politics, Healthy Democracy, Polycrisis Read More »
This article argues that as “we increasingly rely on [globalized complex adaptive systems], we surrender more and more individual autonomy and agency, diminishing our ability to actually control our outcomes and wellbeing.” Concomitantly, “the illusion that we as individuals–or even as a society–can fully control the modern complex systems-of-systems that enable modern living is a
A delusion of control: Loss of agency in modern complex systems Read More »
This blog post is the first in a series of posts in which Jeremy Brecher advocates a Global Green New Deal as the remedy to polycrisis. He argues that the present features a global polycrisis that is unique from crises of the past due to the interconnections between crises in multiple sectors, particularly geopolitics, economics,
“The Whole World is in a Terrible State o’ Chassis” Read More »
Motivated by a desire to strengthen the social relevance of geography in the quest for global sustainability, Matlovic and Matlovicova discuss how the subdisciplines of geography and the rich heritage they present, as well as other related disciplines, can be integrated into the geographical study of polycrisis in the Anthropocene epoch. The authors identify polycrisis
In an interview with CIVIS (Europe’s Civic University Alliance), University of the Witwatersrand International Relations Professor Malte Brosig shares his definition of polycrisis (“multiple interlinked crises, which condition each other creating a system in their own right. A strong emphasis is placed on crisis interconnection cross cutting many spaces and policy fields”) and responds to
A Polycrisis Q&A with Malte Brosig Read More »
Nick King argues that industrial civilization has created many persistent and severe hazards (such as nuclear waste, methane leaking hydrocarbon infrastructure, contaminated sites, landfills, and deforested land), polycrises in the near future may significantly constrict humanity’s ability to manage these hazards, and therefore societies should prioritize long-term remedial actions now, while they still have the
‘Pre-Polycrisis’ Hazard Mitigation Read More »
The authors explore the challenges decision makers face to address the impact of polycrisis on essential operational functions such as risk management and strategic planning. They offer insights and tools designed to enhance decision-makers capacity to make informed and effective decisions in the face of interconnected risks.
Decision-Making in the Polycrisis Era Read More »
This study examines the dynamics of societal collapse based on Joseph Tainter’s theory of the “collapse of complex societies.” It explores how rising societal complexity influences productivity and the likelihood of collapse. The findings show that increasing complexity, driven by external stresses, increases the risk of collapse, highlighting the direct link between complexity and vulnerability
This commentary introduces “Polycrisis in the Anthropocene,” a special issue of Global Sustainability journal. It elaborates upon three major contributions of the issue’s lead article, “Global Polycrisis: The Causal Mechanisms of Crisis Entanglement,” and it explores three key debates surrounding the polycrisis concept: Are we in a polycrisis, at risk of a polycrisis, or neither?
Polycrisis in the Anthropocene: An Invitation to Contributions and Debates Read More »
