Chaos Theory in the Social Sciences: Foundations and Applications [Paperback]

L. Douglas Kiel (Editor), Euel W. Elliott (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1997

Chaos Theory in the Social Sciences: Foundations and Applications offers the most recent thinking in applying the chaos paradigm to the social sciences. The book explores the methodological techniques--and their difficulties--for determining whether chaotic processes may in fact exist in a particular instance and examines implications of chaos theory when applied specifically to political science, economics, and sociology. The contributors to the book show that no single technique can be used to diagnose and describe all chaotic processes and identify the strengths and limitations of a variety of approaches.

The essays in this volume consider the application of chaos theory to such diverse phenomena as public opinion, the behavior of states in the international arena, the development of rational economic expectations, and long waves.

Contributors include Brian J. L. Berry, Thad Brown, Kenyon B. DeGreene, Dimitrios Dendrinos, Euel Elliott, David Harvey, L. Ted Jaditz, Douglas Kiel, Heja Kim, Michael McBurnett, Michael Reed, Diana Richards, J. Barkley Rosser, Jr., and Alvin M. Saperstein.

L. Douglas Kiel and Euel W. Elliott are both Associate Professors of Government, Politics, and Political Economy, University of Texas at Dallas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: University of Michigan Press (November 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0472084720
• ISBN-13: 978-0472084722
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,413,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for individuals interested in Chaos in social science, January 7, 1999

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"pdavidso" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chaos Theory in the Social Sciences: Foundations and Applications (Paperback)

The title of this text is a little misleading in that the book deals with chaos in social science, political science, and economics as well as social systems. Within these four categories, there are a total of thirteen authors covering many fascinating fields.     The first chapter, written by the editors, is a great introduction for individuals uncomfortable with chaos theory, especially as it applies in the social sciences.  An area that was also intriguing was the explanation of Long Wave Theory as it applies to economics, written by Brian J. L. Berry and Heja Kim.  Long Wave Theory is typically the ground for Kenyon De Greene.  He appears, however, in this text, discussing "Field-Theoretic Framework for the Interpretation of the Evolution, Instability, Structural Change, and Management of Complex Systems."      This is a heavily quoted book and is a must for researchers in the application of chaos theory in human systems.

4.0 out of 5 stars Chaos theory and social dynamincs analysis, May 19, 2009

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Kay Maran "Katie" - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chaos Theory in the Social Sciences: Foundations and Applications (Paperback)

I recently purchased CHAOS THEORY IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES - Foundations and Applications, edited by L. Douglas Kiel and Euel Elliot, from Amazon. I purchased the book out of a strong need to find away to model the complexities in social dynamics in Southeast Asia, which combine very modern social forces of change - democracy, global economic impact on daily lives,& cantagious diseases such as HIV-AIDS, which require the use of Western analytical-clinical explanation with a foundation of very traditional local social systems and language.

Adopted explanations begin with borrowed terminologies (eg. HIV-AIDS) while attempts to explain its dangers and contagious characteristics must be couched in local cultural experience and language. Local concepts and words have local history,hence an established universe of discourse, hence the subject of HIV-AIDS must either generate its own semantic parameters, or face a run-away plethora of nuances and cliches. The result will be the incapability for a specific epidemiological acuity to emerge in the vernacular for HIV-AIDS. This is a vexing problem.

Chaos theory offers promise, more so than other mathematical tools previously used in social systems research; but is chaos theory ready?

Generally, the onset of using a new mathematical approach involves two extremes: those well-versed in the understanding of math and are open to applications, as against those who struggle with the complexities of empirical data, and find that existing models are inadequate, and now look towards chaos theory.

The above-mentioned work is an early attempt to bridge this gap, but weighted more in favor of chaos theory's potential, and less against the explication of the complexities of empirical data and the precise sense in which this complexitiy is inadequately represented by existing models.

This volume is encouraging more for the next step that it could lead to, where the requirements to explain data complexity are presented in a systematic fashion for chaos theory to determine its fit, together with discussion of what it can potentially offer to extend current models and explanations.

I will myself be addressing this target in the months ahead.
La Raw Maran PhD

4.0 out of 5 stars A Mathophope Review, June 29, 2008

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Gordon J. Brenner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chaos Theory in the Social Sciences: Foundations and Applications (Paperback)

I managed to read most of this book. To be honest, I had to skip the calculus portions because they were way, way over my head. However, the introductions, summaries, and conclusions of many of the article, especially the first and last two articles were enlightening to me. I will use this information in my continued studies of public administration and policy implementation.