Complex dynamic systems (CDS) theory offers a powerful metaphorical model of applied linguistic processes, allowing holistic descriptions of situated phenomena, and addressing the connectedness and change that often characterise issues in our field. A recent study of Kenyan conflict transformation illustrates application of a CDS perspective. Key CDS concepts and tools for thinking are described. I argue that the CDS perspective can, and should, include an inherent ethical/moral dimension that applies to every choice made by researcher and participants. Adding the ecological notion of ‘affordances’ allows the CDS metaphor to better address human creativity. Methodological principles for a CDS perspective are described. The author’s Discourse Dynamics model is presented for further development and research.
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1994A Dynamic Systems Approach to the Development of Cognition and Action. Cambridge MA: Bradford Books/The MIT Press.
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1983Human Systems are Different. London: Harper and Row.
Cited by
Cited by 8 other publications
Hiver, Phil, Ali H. Al-Hoorie & Diane Larsen-Freeman
2022. Toward a transdisciplinary integration of research purposes and methods for complex dynamic systems theory: beyond the quantitative–qualitative divide. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching 60:1 ► pp. 7 ff.
Jackson, Stephen
2024. When huskies bite back: A complex systems metaphor perspective on information technology project management. Systems Research and Behavioral Science 41:2 ► pp. 354 ff.
Kubanyiova, Magdalena
2019. Language Teacher Motivation Research: Its Ends, Means and Future Commitments. In The Palgrave Handbook of Motivation for Language Learning, ► pp. 389 ff.
Liu, Delin
2022. Book review: Peter Richardson, Charles M Mueller and Stephen Pihlaja, Cognitive Linguistics and Religious Language: An Introduction. Discourse Studies 24:3 ► pp. 380 ff.
Mueller, Charles M., Peter Richardson & Stephen Pihlaja
2019. Book review: Stephen Pihlaja, Religious Talk Online: The Evangelical Discourse of Muslims, Christians, and Atheists. Discourse & Communication 13:1 ► pp. 138 ff.
2020. Blasphemy and persecution: Positioning in an inter-religious discussion. Text & Talk 40:1 ► pp. 75 ff.
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