The resources in this theme are aimed at helping you understand the complexity of the challenges we are facing. The first two resources in this section give examples of the complex interconnectedness of the challenges , the third video and the reading introduce a metaphor that describes how the individual issues we are facing combine into an overall challenge.

2.1.1 America´s dirty divide - how heat is hurting life from birth by The Guardian Feb 16, 2021. (6:17 min)

2.1.2 Complexity in Action by James Ayers March 1, 2021 (6:56 min)

2.1.3 Why is sustainability important? A tip to explain it by Sustainability Illustrated. Dec 4 2013: (4.31 min)

2.1.4 Navigating towards Sustainable Development

Ref: Hjorth, P. and Bagheri, A., 2006. Navigating towards sustainable development: A system dynamics approach. Futures, 38(1), pp.74-92. http://www.homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucessjb/S3%20Reading/hjorth%20and%20bagheri%2006.pdf

2.1.5 The Sustainability Challenge- Chapter 1 in the Sustainability Handbook

Ref: Robèrt et al. 2019. Sustainability Handbook. Chapter 1. Lund: Studentlitteratur; p. 3-17.

OPTIONAL:

Systems Academy. 2015. "Systems Thinking". March 2, 2015. Video. 5:40.

Systems Academy. 2014. "Complexity Theory". Apr 12, 2014. Video. 3:30.

Systems Innovation. 2014. "Complexity Science Overview." June 28, 2014. Video. 5:08.

Systems Innovation. 2014. "What is a complex system". May 6, 2017. Video. 10:23.

Systems Innovation. 2014. "Complexity Adaptive Systems Overview." May 14, 2014. Video. 4:53.

Systems Innovation also has an entire short course on Social Complexity with 17 videos. It can become a little abstract at times but is highly recommended if you are interested in understanding in detail how to apply systems thinking to social systems. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsJWgOB5mIMB87pvTL9Jx5-FIywmJbFCk

As you can see, our issues are quite interlinked, creating a complex system of causes and effects. So how do we manage to become more strategic if it is all such a mess? This is what the next theme will focus on.