Complexity of Social Construction: Bridging Contemporary Meta-Theories in Social Sciences

该项目的目的是确定复杂性理论和社会建构主义的基本假设之间的异同。这是一项重要的任务，因为复杂性理论和社会建构主义都带来了重要的理论和方法创新。这两种元理论中出现的一些主要见解之间也存在联系，例如异质性和多重现实、路径和历史依赖、社会网络和社会嵌入性之间的联系。然而，遵循这些元理论的研究者的研究方向和方法却各不相同。因此，双方的研究人员如何从彼此的工作中受益，或者如何在跨学科项目中协同合作，并不总是显而易见的。为了澄清这两种元理论是否可以联系起来，本项目将旨在确定复杂性理论和社会建构主义的基本假设之间的异同。它还将致力于促进为此特定目的精心设计的混合方法研究的发展。本项目旨在发起80位从事复杂性理论、社会建构主义或新制度经济学的早期和资深研究人员之间的对话。在这些不同的领域已经建立了研究人员网络。该项目将通过将研究人员与方法论创新的研究议程联系起来，将这些独立的网络连接起来。申请人管理一个研究中心（社会模拟研究中心）和研究项目，汇集了来自目标领域的研究人员。曼彻斯特创新研究所（Manchester Institute of Innovation Research）也将参与该项目，该研究所长期以来在复杂的适应系统和机构方面具有优势。该项目旨在通过国内和国际联系进一步开发这一潜力。网络成员之间的对话有望产生研究成果，确定两种元理论之间的制度联系，并澄清哪种研究方法最适合建立实证联系。通过揭示复杂性理论和社会建构主义之间的路径，该项目将促进在这些领域工作的研究人员之间的“创造性破坏”。

The aim of the project is to identify the similarities and differences between fundamental assumptions underlying complexity theory and social constructionism. This is an important task because both complexity theory and social constructionism have brought about important theoretical and methodological innovations. There are also connections between some of the main insights emerging from the two meta-theories, such as those between heterogeneity and multiple realities, path and history dependence, social networks and social embeddedness. Yet researchers following these meta-theories have very different research orientations and use different methods. Hence, it is not always obvious how researchers at both sides can benefit from each others' work, or work together synergistically in interdisciplinary projects. For clarifying if the two meta-theories can be linked, this project will aim to identify the similarities and differences between fundamental assumptions underlying complexity theory and social constructionism. It will also aim to facilitate development of mixed method research carefully designed for this particular purpose.This project aims to initiate a dialog between 80 early career and senior researchers working on complexity theory, social constructionism or new institutional economics. There are already established networks of researchers in these separate domains. This project will connect these separate networks by linking researchers with methodologically innovative research agendas. The applicant manages a research centre (Centre for Research in Social Simulation) and research projects that bring together researchers from the target domains. Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, which has long-standing strengths in complex adaptive systems and institutions, will also take part in the project. The project will aim to develop this potential further with national and international connections.The dialog between the network members is expected to produce research outputs that identify the institutional links between the two meta-theories and clarify which research approaches are most suitable for establishing empirical links. By shedding a light on the pathways between complexity theory and social constructionism, the project will promote the 'creative destruction' of the wall between researchers working in these fields.