Network Logic - Index of

Network logic
have been hidden under a veneer of conformity or ‘respectability’.
Tensions are an inescapable part of community life, and the capacity
to resolve conflicts is essential for a cohesive and inclusive society. As
Fritjof Capra recognises in his model of the ‘web of life’, ethnic and
cultural diversity plays the same role in human societies as that of
ecological diversity in ecosystems. A diverse community is resilient,
with the capacity to adapt to changing situations: ‘However, diversity
is a strategic advantage only if there is a truly vibrant community,
sustained by a web of relationships. If the community is fragmented
into isolated groups and individuals, diversity can easily become a
source of prejudice and friction.’ 5
We actively and symbolically construct communities according to
the conditions we find, the challenges that we encounter and the
choices we make. Many communities organise themselves along lines
that perpetuate injustice and segregation. Traditions and structures
are overly rigid and social connections simply repeat patterns of
informal interaction among people who are broadly similar or who
obey conventional mores. Such communities are often isolated and
unwilling to adapt to change. They become stagnant, defending
themselves against newcomers rather than seeking opportunities for
engagement and learning.
Organisation studies and complexity theory provide useful insights
into the important functions played by network-type linkages in
helping complex systems to manage themselves within turbulent
(ever-changing) environments. Complex systems that are sufficiently
well connected demonstrate a tendency to ‘self-organise’ over time,
with clusters and groups emerging from the pattern of interactions
among the participating ‘members’. In some cases these configurations
evolve as formal structures that survive so long as they fit
a niche in the organisational environment. Network modes of
organising are said to reduce transaction costs, though in reality these
are simply transferred to less public arenas, where invisible emotional
work builds trust and mutuality. Networks operate as highly effective
communication channels, gathering intelligence from a range of
sources and processing it to become collective wisdom or ‘common
150 Demos