Systemic Change

The purpose of this paper is to lay the ground for an open source pattern language for systemic transformation (PLAST) based on systemic interpretation. This pattern language will help change agents and practitioners on the ground make sense of complex systemic phenomena and dynamics so they can build truly transformative solutions and create greater coherence between disparate actions, thus leveraging and catalyzing agency and capacity for change wherever it may be found.

The end goal is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and thrivable world, through the awareness and fostering of sustainable socio-economic dynamics regenerative of commons. Commons are understood here as the distributed factors of opportunity and renewal of the system, which need to be perpetually maintained to ensure the on-going sustainability and thrivability of the system and its components.

Paper prepared for the PurplSoc Workshop - Pursuit of Pattern Languages for Societal Change, at Danube-University, November 14/15, 2014

This Practice Note shares experiences of designing and implementing a monitoring, evaluation and learning system for a project that seeks to promote learning and capacity building in a multi-agency partnership. This was not a simple process of picking a ready-made tool off the shelf and applying it. Instead the experiences shared in this Practice Note are a story about how a number of approaches were tried yet failed, and how we eventually arrived at something useful. Or so we thought. The journey continues to be a work-in-progress and whether it is the right fit for such a complex project remains to be seen.

This chapter looks at the relationship between effective altruism and the challenge of systemic change. It argues that, in the context of global poverty at least, effective altruists have been reluctant to endorse mid-level interventions even though there is reason to believe that these may have greatest overall impact. To explain the 'missing middle' in EA calculations, the chapter explores various priors associated with an 'Enlightenment worldview' and a 'Political worldview'. We suggest that effective altruism embodies elements of the first perspective, and that the movement may need to revise its attachment to the ideal of political neutrality if it is to have the greatest overall effect.

A far-ranging review of a new book for young readers on how to get involved in and build a real movement, here & now, to transform awareness and take local action hands- and hearts-on as active agents in confronting climate change: a transformation eco-agenda: Naomi Klein, HOW TO CHANGE EVERYTHING. The Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other. With Rebecca Stefoff. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division 2021. Written by Canadian-born, US social activist and public intellectual Naomi Klein, it is meant for young readers still in school, esp. tweens and teens (and their teachers). It is loaded with information and stimuli to take practical action to stem climate change, and also to change various aspects of our grossly unequal society and economy.

The objective of this work is to recognize, throughout diversity, the cultural and social values present in the Estrada Real Territory, proposing a systemic approach, with instruments able to assimilate the relations inherent to the local tourism and its consequences, due to the social and cultural qualities of the territory.

The relationship territory and environment, their diversities and interconnected qualities, reinforce the exploratory interest of this research, as well as the current and mainly the future consequences, in regard of the diversities that are the issues addressed in this study, traversing the Paths of the Estrada Real, “scars” in the mineiro territory, traced by Portuguese people, slaves and indigenous, who portray the Minas Gerais State in its nearly 1.600km (994 miles) of history and culture.

The specific objective of the proposed study is focused on the current analysis of the Estrada Real Territory, composed by Touristic Regions, traversed by four paths: the Path of Diamonds (Caminho dos Diamantes) – 350km / 317 miles –, the Path of Sabarabuçu (Caminho do Sabarabuçu) – 160km / 99 miles –, the Old Path (Caminho Velho) – 515km / 320 miles – and the New Path (Caminho Novo) – 630km / 391 miles. In the current scenario, throughout a mapping developed with the systemic methodology, we have observed the specific characteristics of their communities and traditions and their inter-relationships in the territory context, focused on the process, understanding their potentialities for innovation and their perspectives in the point of view of design.

The study and appliance of a systemic methodology, related to and established by design, as a discipline and research tool, assume strategic values, giving importance to human, social and economical values, which are essential in the processes of activation, promotion and diffusion of the innovation, under a humanistic point of view.
At last, having stood out the applied methodology of systemic design, we foresee the creation of a new theoretical scenario for the process, emerging the cultural, environmental and territorial specificities, disposed between the actors and the environment, established in this particular universe of the Estrada Real and its deep influence in the mineira culture.

Keywords: Design and territory, sociocultural diversity, systemic design, sustainable development, man and environment.

This study investigated the effects of personalized instruction on the attitude and performance of Bahraini students towards algebraic word problem solving. A total of 49 students in College Algebra enrolled in the first trimester, SY 2011 – 2012 was used as subjects of the study. A pre-test was
administered and scored as the basis of determining the high and low ability levels of students in Mathematics. The examination used as pre-test was formulated by the author and was field tested by the Algebra professors before it was conducted for this purpose. Personalization in instruction was
introduced through a personalized modular instruction (in terms of content and procedure with translation in Arabic) followed by exercises/drills (also written in English and translated in Arabic). Students were engaged in active learning through direct instruction using the Mayer’s model from the
teacher, small group discussion, peer mentoring and follow-up session/s by the teacher. Analysis of transcripts was done to determine the remediation to be utilized. After the execution of the lessons for 6 sessions, the students were given a post-test and student attitude survey. It was found out that
students who were exposed to the constructive learning environment through personalized instruction performed better and developed better attitude towards algebraic word problem solving tasks: a highly significant effect on the academic performance of the student towards problem solving and a
moderately high impact model of variability (90.8 %) in their academic performance.
Keywords: Personalized Instruction, Academic Performance, Student Attitude, Constructive learning environment, Cooperative Learning, Direct Instruction, Active Learning, Small Group Discussion.

The main point of departure for this article is the incapacity of current international relations theorizing to explain both change and continuity without shifting between levels of analysis. The previous research agenda on system studies was renounced before it realized its potential. The concept of a subsystem has great potential for resolving this challenge. This article argues that the properties of the international system, including anarchy, are not constant, and show variation. To factor in this variation, first we need to identify subsystems (e.g. geographical or functional) that diverge across issue areas and functions. Then we need to look at the interactions between subsystems, which is a neglected aspect of the literature on subsystems. This article contributes to the debate by setting out a new research agenda to study the interactions between subsystems and their effects on the general system; that is, to identify when the system is stable and when it changes. This agenda suggests a particular focus on the inconsistencies, contradictions, and challenges that lie at the intersections of different subsystems

The term “effective altruism” has no official definition, meaning that different authors will inevitably understand the term in different ways. Since this harbours the potential for considerable confusion, William MacAskill, one of the leaders of the effective altruism movement, has contributed a chapter aimed at forestalling some of these potential confusions. In this chapter, MacAskill first outlines a brief history of the effective altruism movement. He then proposes his preferred definition of “effective altruism”, aiming to capture the central activities and concerns of those most deeply involved in the movement. Finally, he replies to various common misconceptions about the movement. These include the views that effective altruism is just utilitarianism, that it is purely about poverty alleviation, that it is purely about donations, and that it in principle ignores possibilities for systemic change.

Il volume è un contributo circa l'analisi, critica e innovazione della progettazione educativo-pastorale salesiana. Dopo un primo periodo di entusiasmo sull’efficacia della progettazione si sono resi evidenti diverse problematiche. Tra essi si può notare l’arduo passaggio "dalla carta alla vita", la moltiplicazione esagerata dei progetti interconnessi, la formalizzazione dell’educazione, la percezione prevalentemente tecnica della progettazione, l'assenza di principi spirituali e pastorali o i tempi di attuazione troppo brevi. Vari indizi mostrano che le difficoltà nei riguardi della progettazione derivano dal modello antropologico e dal metodo della progettazione per obiettivi del periodo postconciliare.
Valorizzando modelli progettuali più integrali e più consoni con l’educazione salesiana, il presente studio affronta la questione in tre momenti che costituiscono le tre parti del volume: 1. Descrivere l’evoluzione della progettazione educativo-pastorale salesiana dal Concilio Vaticano II ad oggi. 2. Analizzare le fonti teoriche d’ispirazione metodologica e studiare gli ultimi sviluppi nell’ambito delle scienze organizzativo-pedagogiche. 3. Proporre un quadro teorico e una metodologia più integrale del discernimento e della progettazione educativo-pastorale.

This article presents Culturally Responsive Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (CRPBIS), the first framework to operationalize cultural responsiveness in the context of positive behavioral interventions and supports
in the United States (Bal 2011). To develop the CRPBIS framework, I first conducted a systematic review of literature. Then, I developed the CRPBIS framework based on the literature review and interdisciplinary literature
from cultural psychology, organization studies, learning sciences, critical geography, cultural studies, as well as education research. Finally, to test and refine the framework in practice, a multisite, mixed-methods formative intervention study was conducted in the state of Wisconsin between 2012 and 2015 (Bal et al. 2014; Bal 2016; Bal et al. 2016; Bal 2017; Bal, Afacan, and Cakir 2017; Bal, Afacan, and Clardy 2017).

This paper explores the case for system change as theorised by the idealist/humanist tradition in International Relations theory with the most explicit example of Alexander Wendt’s constructivism, as the difficult to accomplish, yet creative solution to the climate crisis. The paper aims to offer an innovative, original account of the climate crisis based on studies of specific authors within constructivism, international political economy and philosophy. The paper excels in examining the significance of a complex issue that has been 'a tough nut to crack' as clearly as possible summarizing a lot of complex information into a well-organized synthesis of ideas by relying on meditative flow followed by objective analysis and policy recommendations. Climate change is persistent just as the predominant theory of International Relations, Realism, is. To solve it, scholars have to change paradigm. Although among the top leadership, progress within the existing global climate governance architecture is steadily proceeding in averting the worst security impacts of climate change by attempting to significantly reduce global carbon emissions, there is also a common perception among societies that action happening within the system is disappointingly slow, even considered ineffective. Despite the existence of several solutions such as: 1) climate negotiations within the system of global governance focused on significantly reducing global carbon emissions, 2) the commitment within the private sector, that is, a hundred companies in the world that produced 70 percent of the world’s emissions, 3) introducing of the carbon tax, 4) reforming capitalism, 5) giving more credibility to the scientific community and scientific solutions and 6) politicising the issue to the point when people can vote for climate leaders who make climate as the number one priority; none of the above offers a sufficiently comprehensive or lasting solution. The idea is to introduce radical solutions that could have a massive, exponential impact. The unconventional solution offers a more spontaneous way out of the problem. The research problem is the most profound issue humanity has ever attempted to solve in the history of civilization, arguably requiring a complete transformation of the system. It comes down to the conscious evolution of human species to act in time since the climate clock will soon be surpassing tipping points which make humanity close to transgressing planetary boundaries after which cataclysmic climate change occurs alongside the increased risk of conflicts over water, migration crises, food shortages and humanitarian disasters. Paper consist of an introduction, the chosen method, educational research on creativity is explained; a brief overview of constructivism where the possibility of system’s transformation is explained; an overview of the system change theory; an evaluation of whether system change is a viable way forward; plus section explaining pathways of advancing civilization to the next level followed by conclusions. A major, analytical finding is that with people’s power inspired by hope even the most difficult, seemingly impossible is possible. Agency, the capacity to make things happen to envision and enact change, can bend and shove the structure. The majority of people have bought into the false idea that we have to serve, and behave, and be enslaved else chaos will engulf the world. We need to carry out objective analysis of the situation to the point where people believe in change and make change happen. If the majority of people continue as up to this point, then the fate of the whole planet might be in peril. Why are so many so submissive? Why are they so forgiving to gangsterism and horrendous evil done to the planet by the autocratic and corrupted politicians, 'big fish' who impudently swim in the water of the system. The answer may be that the established structure of the system is not only very entrenched but also increasingly sophisticated in its perfection of subliminal mechanisms of control of the people and exploitation of the planet. It is not only through the action or inaction of authoritarian tyrants or grandiose, imperialistic thinking of obsessive dictators or through press releases and the enforced idiocy of television, the drama of the dying world has been turned into a soap opera for most people. People do not understand that climate change is their story and that they will be in one way or another affected by climatic changes. At the end, all will be affected. Earth must be healthy and Nature benign again. Our Lady of Fátima on 13th May 1917 asked for the Consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If Her requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. ''In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.'' (Santos, Fatima in Lucia's Own Words I, 2003: 123–124). There must come a moment for penance, repentance, turning back to God, prayer and belief in salvation of one's soul. Humans cannot be happy without God in our lives. There must come time of global, spiritual awakening, accepting the beauty of the Earth, rejecting militant conquests, enslavement of humanity under repressive doctrines which justify militarily invasions, conforming to rapacious materialism and secularism. There is a need for cleaning up of the system, giving a second chance to the planet, draining of the water, getting rid of the ageing 'big fish' swimming in the dirty water of system - climate-denialist politicians who do not respect the ecological balance with nature. The rise of the movement is inevitable when the machinery or machinations of the unjust structure of the system become so odious, and so exposed that people are willing to strive for change and force the re-evaluation of the situation. The forces of the status quo weaponize gangsters in the system who want to thwart change. As Steffen (2022) noted, ''We need a politics of boldness and possibility, one that brings people and institutions together to achieve spiky successes and strong ruggedization.'' Somebody has to stand against the unfair structure of the system, defend trees, and somebody has to make the point: we disown our past, and we will start living according to our own inner being and create our own future. We will not allow the past to create our future…. And, it could be done by marching for the Earth, claiming our vision, our being, our intuition and acting from that without regret inspired by hope. More recently, a broad array of influential climate action advocates started to demand immediate, disruptive changes to destroy fossil fuel demand and drop emissions in decisive ways. Change comes from the people - to beat a machine, change the structure of the system with a movement. Climate change is a global, multi-generational threat featuring impacts that lie entirely outside anything that modern humanity has ever experienced. Indeed, the most sustainable society is the one which passes forward the best possibilities to future generations. Justifiably, the issue of global climate change has moved to the centre of the international agenda. Actively, rapidly and deliberately driving high-carbon industries out of business is an unavoidable step in every real climate action strategy. Those industries do not deserve our sympathy. It is their own predatory delay over decades that has led to their on-rushing demise. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Address to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on August 16, 1967) reminded, ''the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Change takes a long time, but it does happen. Energy transition from addictive and dirty fossil fuel structures is inevitable. As François Jacob said, ''It is hope that gives life meaning. Hope is based on the prospect of being able one day to turn the actual world into a possible one that looks better.'' Thus, ''let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe, working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that is able to make a way out of no way and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows.'' (Martin Luther King, Jr, “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” Speech given at the National Cathedral, March 31, 1968). In the service of the above, this paper constitutes a modest, cutting-edge, interdisciplinary policy-relevant research with the aim of exposing a pertaining political problem through an experiment with Gordian-knot, style-resolved, possible creative solutions leading to cascading dynamics of solution activating momentum.

Youth from nondominant racial communities have been disproportionately subjected to exclusionary disciplinary actions for less serious and more subjective incidents in the United States. This racial disproportionality in school discipline is associated with negative academic and social outcomes, further exacerbating the historical marginalization of nondominant communities. Grounded in cultural-historical activity theory and informed by an interdisciplinary literature, this article presents a formative intervention methodology, Learning Lab, as means of designing culturally responsive behavioral support systems from the ground-up with local stakeholders. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Question: What is Class Size Research Telling Us?
Answer: There is A Renewed Need for us to Focus on Instructional

This paper was requested by the Government of Alberta to assist in the design of strategic funding for schools ($90 million) and school systems engaging in systemic change, instructional change and innovation in K-12 Education.

Abstract:

Good teaching is good teaching.
To teach in a continuously improving school, we must be able to shop well for teaching strategies that make a difference. This synopsis offers such a guide and some content for such shopping.
It is said that the primary role of education is to “increase student capacity for personal growth, social growth and academic learning” and that this is accomplished primarily by good teaching practices (sometimes called “methods” or “instructional methodologies”) that form the core of a part of today’s professionally created, successful learning environments in schools (Joyce, Weil & Calhoun, 2004, p. v). This paper surveys the literature on instruction in the information age, indicating curriculum and instruction trends for policy makers, school principals and teachers across the province.

Este trabajo está íntegramente dedicado a explicar un recurso técnico en terapia de pareja: la carta relacional. Se trata de una herramienta surgida de la terapia narrativa, que está diseñada para revitalizar la ética relacional de las parejas mediante una intervención breve que consta de dos entrevistas y una tarea escrita. En el texto, se explica primero el origen de la técnica y su base teórica. Después, se describe cómo llevar a cabo el proceso con instrucciones específicas paso a paso. En un tercer apartado, se reflexiona sobre el potencial de la técnica para generar cambio relacional y los mecanismos de funcionamiento involucrados. Se presenta también un estudio de caso en el que se analiza el impacto de la técnica en el bienestar de la pareja. Por último, se discuten las limitaciones del procedimiento y se señalan futuras líneas de desarrollo.


This paper is entirely focused on a specific therapeutic resource in couple therapy: the relational letter. This is a tool, that emerged from narrative therapy, designed to revitalise couples’ relational ethics and consists of two interviews and a writing task. First, the origin of the technique and its theoretical basis are explained. Then, we describe how to carry out the process with specific step-by-step instructions. In a third section, we reflect on the potential of the technique to generate relational change and the mechanisms involved. A brief case study is also presented, analyzing the impact of the technique on the couple’s welfare. Finally, the limitations of the procedure are discussed and future lines of development are outlined.

Paper presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences - "Realizing Sustainable Futures" - University of Colorado – 23 - 30 July 2016. Soon to be published in the ISSS Journal – 60th meeting - Creative Commons Licence CC-BY-ND 4.0.

Working towards more sustainable systems is a critical endeavor of the 21st century requiring collaborative efforts for the broad development of systemic literacy. This paper explores the potential of patterns and pattern languages as tools for systemic change and transdisciplinary collaboration, investigation and design, and outlines the ways they could be further operationalized to develop and leverage collective intelligence and agency towards Curating the Emergence of Thrivability and Realizing Sustainable Futures in Socio-Ecological Systems.

This toolbox has been developed to collate different tools and methods that can be used for food system analysis. It is specifically based on systems thinking for food system analysis, with the aim to formulate actionable recommendations that can bring about systemic change.
It describes both the process of a food system analysis, as well as a set of tools that can be used at different stages. The toolbox does not present a stepwise recipe for a food system analysis; it is rather a cookbook that aims to inspire anyone with an interest in food systems to get involved in food system analysis, regardless of whether you are a policy maker, practitioner, or researcher. It helps to make informed strategic decisions on the design of policies or interventions in the domains of food, agriculture and development. The food system analysis as described in this guide is thus understood as an ex-ante assessment to inform the policies, strategies, or programs that seek
to contribute to systemic change in a food system.

This toolbox describes the process of doing a food system analysis, the quality principles we believe such an analysis should adhere to, the different components of the analysis, and tools that can be used for the analysis.

The Systems Movement celebrates a field of inquiry, action and appreciation that includes the theory, practice, perception, thinking, design, development and innovation of systems.  The theme of this special issue of Spanda is Systemic Change and its power to make the world a better place. In order to apply systems thinking as a catalyst for future creating, life affirming and opportunity increasing change, it is necessary to understand what types of social innovation and emerging technology can be fostered to greatest effect and affect by systems thinking.  This is critically important if we are to do more than merely create networks of social dysfunction and ever increasing environmental degradation.  As a species, we already know how to do that.  What we need are Technologies of Organizational Communion (TOCs) to serve as evolutionary guidance systems for the Technologies of Information and Communication (TICs – aka ICTs) that now stand the chance of connecting us not only with each other, but with the planet, with future generations, and most importantly, with ourselves.  If we wish to shepherd in a new era of global peace, prosperity and thrivability, we must use systems thinking to inform social innovation and emerging technologies so that they connect us with life.  This article suggests ways of understanding technology from a systems perspective.  Based on this understanding, it considers the role of technologies of social interaction – also known as soft technologies – in creating the conditions for the emergence of healthy and authentic communities, from local to regional to national to global.  A case is made for the importance of consistently generating TOCs in conjunction with the development of TICs.  Given the framework presented for the interpenetration of hard and soft technologies, the essential interdependence of the two becomes evident if more harmonious ways of doing, being, and interacting with all life on Earth are the desired outcome of social innovation and emerging technologies.  Finally, the article suggests that a key role of systems thinkers who understand how to live into the systems they design is to foster social innovations and emerging technologies that stand the best chance of giving rise to a glocal eco-civilization — one that is simultaneously locally and globally attuned. 

Key words:  Systems thinking, evolution, development, consciousness, creativity, thrivability, curation, emergence, social innovation.

Even though emerging city-makers are increasingly organized to trigger social changes, it is still hard to apprehend their real power to transform space and the way we live together. In this chapter, we explore how designerly approaches, such as hacking, making, and prototyping, can empower emerging city-makers to trigger a broader change and transformation process. It can be concluded that hackable city-making can make a difference when combining top-down public management with bottom-up social innovation. A patchable plug-in platform might enable emerging city-makers to create value for the city and for society. However, it asks for new ways of participatory governance that enable these emerging, heterogeneous city-makers to participate actively in exploring the collaborative envisioned potential and to have constructive dialogues aiming for transformational change for the common good.

This chapter from Systemic Therapy as Transformative Practice reframes systemic practice as research and offers several ideas and examples of research methodologies which are a close fit with what systemic practitioners are already doing! In effect, the chapters unravels and challenges the idea that reflexive, siutated practice is not already a collaborative form of inquiry.

Simon, Gail (2016). Systemic Therapy as Systemic Inquiry as Transformative Research. In McCarthy, Imelda & Simon, Gail (Eds.), Systemic Therapy as Transformative Practice. Farnhill: Everything is Connected Press.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Systemic-Therapy-as-Transformative-Practice/dp/0993072321/

The word “epiphany” derives from the ancient Greek and means “manifestation”. Something similar is described in the modern language of Systems Theory with the term “emergence”. I claim that when we focus on human communities and societies, and even on the behavior of individuals, “epiphany” may be more fitting in order to describe an “emergence” with the adequate emphasis on the aesthetical, transcendent and ethical aspects that are required.
In the course of history and also of everyday life, epiphanies of evil and epiphanies of right occur and recur, at times in alternation and at times simultaneously.
Both for what concerns evil and right, epiphanies are discontinuous changes but come out of processes.
For what concerns evil, I focus on some characteristics and on the long-term deadly effects of a “problem-based” state of mind. Molding the world in terms of problems and solutions is necessary and appropriate in limited and practical domains. The adopting of this attitude as a general state of mind, shaping our whole presence in the world, blurs and ultimately denies the reality of persons, putting in foreground a pretended “reality” made of problems and solutions.
For what concerns right, I focus on what I call “eleogenetic” practices. “Eleos” is a Greek word that means “mercy”. “Mercy” is often mistaken for a sickly-sweetish attitude of turning a blind eye. I claim instead that mercy is a way to know reality with more precision and beauty, since reality is first of all a reality of persons, with their expressions, activities, encounters and contacts. Eleogenetic practices allow us to develop this kind of knowledge of oneself, of others, and ultimately of the world.

Despite of persistent efforts from the part of organizations aiming to solve or to alleviate the
world’s most challenging issues, there are limitations of the current problem-solving system based
on hierarchical bureaucratic models. These are mainly related to the powerlessness of the profes-
sional sector when, alone, facing global issues of ever increasing complexity and uncertainty. The
current context often called “the network age” has in turn, supported and enhanced systems
which serve as means for coping with these complex and uncertain scenarios, such as the concept
of distributed cognition that leads (in its positive aspects) to collaborative, participatory and peer-
to-peer common oriented processes, including the emergence of decentralized systems as well as
the gradual empowerment of the civil society (overlapping with the latter); forming altogether,
the background of latent paradigm shifts. 
Concurrently there is the political discourse (driven by the UN) on Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) and of a Data Revolution, where the claim is that the latter is indispensable for
achieving the former. The Data Revolution’s main purpose is to fill data gaps in order to leave no
one behind and its realization is also crucial for unlocking other latent paradigm shifts. This thesis
introduces the core concepts of such a paradigm shifts whilst focusing on two collaborative ap-
proaches for data collection and analysis: crowdsourcing and citizen science; most specifically on
their role and challenges in the context of the current data revolution. Crowdsourcing and citizen
science (also citizen journalism and other participatory monitoring activities) are not just part of the
context of latent paradigm shifts, but do play a major role for the realization of a data revolution,
once professionals and machines do not currently suffice to fill those data gaps. This hinders proper
accounting, planning and distribution of resources and hence spoils efforts to tackle the critical
issues involved in the SDGs. 
Unfortunately there is wide reluctance from the part of the institutions (UN, INGOs and
governments) in adopting these approaches as valid data/information sources. The main goal of
this MA thesis is to identify the reason behind this reluctance, shedding light on deadlocks ham-
pering the consolidation of a data revolution. In order to do so, the problematic was approached
from multiple perspectives, characterizing a truly interdisciplinary inquiry, which, based on the
approach of the “informed grounded theory”, presents the main challenges of crowdsourcing
and citizen science in multiple levels and from multiple perspectives. 
From a pragmatic perspective, issues related with data quality as well as the issue of little un-
derstanding  have  been  the  most  cited.  Withal  the  fact  that  both  issues  are  not  exclusive  to
crowdsourcing or citizen science has shown to be crucial for the present inquiry, although widely
neglected  in  the  literature.  Thus  for  this  and  other  important  reasons  to  be  further  discussed
throughout chapters 3 and 4, an alternative to the “quality-centred” approach towards crowdsourc-
ing and citizen science is appropriate, nevertheless the quality issue should not be disregarded, as it
is reasonable, but eventually addressed in a different manner as part of the problematic, but not as
“the problematic” itself. 
In addition, prejudice from the part of professionals has been cited by some expert inter-
viewees as the “real” reason behind the reluctance vis-à-vis crowdsourcing and citizen science as
valid data/information sources. Analysis has shown that prejudice is omnipresent with regards to new technologies or any novel approach. For there is no time to wait for wider acceptance, given
the urgency of matters, and as prejudice shows to result from ignorance linked to the clash of
paradigms, this thesis also focuses on the question of what lays behind prejudice. In order to
answer this question, other crucial parts of the problematic encompassing constrained profes-
sional autonomy, risk and blame aversion are discussed throughout the thesis, forming altogether
a hypothesis advocating that the resistance from the part of institutions towards crowdsourcing
and citizen science is not just rooted on prejudice, but also on lack of trust in society; being both
resultants of excess of accountability which has been ultimately delineated by public discourse.
After a rough analysis, the latter has shown to be in unbalance, overemphasizing the need for
accountability and consequently (based on the premise of a necessary balance between trust and
control/accountability), inadvertently, undermining trust.
Paradoxically the overdose of accountability in public discourse reflects an attempt to restore
trust in society. This paradox can be found also within the discourse on the data revolution, hinder-
ing this and other latent paradigm shifts of thriving, as for them all mutual trust is a requisite. If
there is no trust from the part of organizations towards the public, there will be no room (ac-
ceptance) for approaches relying on citizen-generated data, leaving data gaps and many people and
countries behind. The outcomes of this analysis are useful for those stakeholders contributing to
the discourses on the fundamental role of a data revolution, as they should reframe the latter giving
more weight to “top-down” trust, if we are to see the realization of such a shift.

Since the inception of special education, scholars and practitioners have been concerned about the disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds among students identified with disabilities. Professional efforts to address this disproportionality have encompassed a range of tar- gets, but scholars increasingly view disproportionality as a com- plex, multiply-determined problem that requires systemic change to ameliorate disparities. In this article, we describe a framework for systemic change to foster equity in special education identifi- cation and placement. We discuss the use of ecologically oriented organizational consultation as a means of facilitating systemic change, emphasizing the role of stakeholders, and the implications for school psychology practice and training.

This essay discusses the arrogance of white supremacy through the lens of the tradition of musar, the Jewish ethical tradition focused on cultivating virtues and resisting vices. I consider ways in which musar traditions might or might not be helpful in the work of challenging and dismantling unjust systems.

This article is about organizational change based on the new perspective of Systemic Constellations, by means of a brief analysis of two doctoral theses, one in Spanish from Spain, one in English from the Netherlands. The results were obtained from various geographical and professional contexts, and suggest new ways of decision-making in organizations, more from the perspective of what can be done, than of what should be done.

Racial disproportionality in special education is a symptom of larger social justice problems in a racially stratified society. Despite the favorable expectation of the effects of culture-free, universal and objective "evidence-based" interventions in serving students from nondominant groups, overrepresentation of students of color in special education continues to hinder efforts at achieving equity in and through education. In this article, we draw on Deleuze and Guattari's rhizome metaphor and Vygotskian cultural-historical activity theory to analyze the dominant paradigm for intervention research in special education. We illustrate how the naturalized a priori assumptions and practices have contributed to the reinforcement of the racialization of disability. We then offer a rhizomatic research design as an alternative in which teachers, parents, students, administrators, university researchers, and community members engage in collective knowledge production and decision-making activities to develop systemic solutions to racial disproportionality within their local contexts.

The systemic community has cultivated a talent for living with perturbation and a graceful approach to not knowing. In this extremely unsettled era of what I am calling panmorphic crisis so much is in urgent need of our attention. In this paper, I discuss some of the many systems in play creating this panmorphic crisis and discuss the impact of changing temporality. Our existing approaches to therapy and the training of practitioners may not be enough to see us out of one era and meet the needs of a new, emergent world. To create a state of preparedness to change may involve some degree of fundamental overhaul structurally and theoretically. I go on to consider approaches to disruption and consider the homeostatic pull towards restorative positions. Crises create opportunities for not only exploring ideas and practices which we take for granted but also for re-organising the cultural foundations on which we build worlds with each other. I reflect on how the myth of return-to-normal is a dangerous agenda when the culture being restored is infused with historical social injustices. In order for systemic therapy and training programmes to make changes that are culturally relevant, we need to study and alter the impact on our work of colonising and pathologising practices and theory. I discuss systemic liminality, its limits and the impact of disruption to our cultural rhythms. Later, I propose the concept of Stolpersteine, stumbling blocks, to help us encounter hidden histories and our prejudices, and offer some questions for us to consider in our undertaking to decolonise and depathologise our practice and theory to meet the challenges of transmaterial living systems.

The enduring existence of disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education programs and disciplinary practices creates a double bind for educators, educational leaders, and families. Disproportionality is an adaptive systemic issue that is not under any entity’s control; thus, it demands collaboration and critical dialogue among local stakeholders. This article examined the implementation of Learning Lab, a new methodology of systemic transformation, for local stakeholders to collectively examine and address disproportionality in behavioral outcomes from the ground–up. Learning Lab aims to increase equity within the local implementations of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) by opening up decision-making and problem-solving processes with local stakeholders. Designed to increase authentic collaboration and dialogue among educators, families, and community based organizations, Learning Lab offers the possibility of contextually fit, culturally responsive implementations of PBIS and building the capacity for forming adaptive and inclusive schools.