Working with Complexity/ Working Systemically

As traditional official development assistance decreases attention is turning to how best to catalyse private funding for development.  However, private companies need to generate returns on their investments. To what extent does this limit private financing from reaching the poor and marginalised, referred to by Paul Collier as the ‘bottom billion’? In other words, can financing solutions involving private sector actors be inclusive?

Authors: Edwards, D.
Publication date: 2014

The Making All Voices Count programme aims to foster and support new ideas to improve governance and achieve greater social justice. This think-piece examines how programmes such as Making All Voices Count might utilise innovation as a strategy for addressing complex governance problems. 

Authors: Shahrokh, T. & Wheeler, J.
Publication date: 2014 (IDS Evidence Report no 73)

This pilot evaluation explores how citizenship and agency among social activists can be fostered in contexts of urban violence at the local level. The focus of this pilot is to understand how a sense of democratic citizenship and the ability to act on that citizenship at the local level can contribute to reducing different types of urban violence and promote security; and how becoming an activist against violence can contribute to constructing a sense of citizenship.

Author: Andrews, M.
Publication date: 2013

Governments can play great roles in their countries, regions, and cities; facilitating or leading the resolution of festering problems and opening new pathways for progress. Examples are more numerous than one might imagine and raise an important question: ‘how do governments become great?’.

Author: Scoones, I. et alii. (for STEPS Centre)
Publication date: 2007

Dynamism, uncertainty and complexity dominate today’s world. Yet many policy interventions ignore this, and so often fail. What is missing is a rigorous and systematic approach to addressing dynamics, one that encompasses an understanding of complex system dynamics and provides a useable guide to action. This paper is a first attempt by the STEPS Centre to address this challenge.

Author: Compiled and edited by Guénéheux, D. & Bottomley, A.
Publication date: 2014

The CIVICUS Self-Regulation Guide, a new addition to the Legitimacy, Transparency and Accountability (LTA) programme, is the result of research conducted by CIVICUS and its members and partners. It features more than 20 case studies from around the world, lessons learnt, innovations and practical advice.

Authors: Amy Cutter (Stakeholder Forum), Ian Fenn (Stakeholder Forum) and Freya Seath (CIVICUS)
Publication date: 2014

This advocacy toolkit is for civil society and other stakeholder organisations, coalitions and individuals that wish to influence the post-2015 development agenda, including the design of the Sustainable Development Goals. It aims to equip you with relevant information and tools to enable you to develop and implement an effective post-2015 advocacy strategy.

Author: CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Publication date: 2014

In 2013, civil society in six West African countries - Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone - undertook an assessment of the health and conditions of civil society. They applied the CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation Civil Society Index-Rapid Assessment (CSI-RA) tool. This summary report draws from the six country reports to present key common findings, particularly as they
relate to the health of and conditions for civil society organisations (CSOs).

Authors: Heeks, R. et alii. 
Publication date: 2013

There is increasing policy, practice and academic interest in “inclusive innovation”. Based on a three-country interview study with 37 policy-makers, strategists, private sector and NGO sector representatives – and founded on a review of existing literature on inclusive innovation – this paper reports findings about research priorities in inclusive innovation. 

Author: Patel, S.
Publication date: 2014

Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI) is a social movement of the urban poor which began in India, networked initially in Asia and then moved to South Africa, and to the other parts of Africa. SDI created knowledge and strategies to help communities of the poor to transform themselves from beneficiaries and consumers of aid and assistance into actors who demonstrated possible ways for city governments and international agencies committed to development to explore solutions.