{"product_id":"the-social-labs-revolution-isbn-9781626560734","title":"The Social Labs Revolution","description":"Current responses to our most pressing societal challenges—from poverty to ethnic conflict to climate change—are not working. These problems are incredibly dynamic and complex, involving an ever-shifting array of factors, actors, and circumstances. They demand a highly fluid and adaptive approach, yet we address them by devising fixed, long-term plans. Social labs, says Zaid Hassan, are a dramatically more effective response. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Social labs bring together a diverse a group of stakeholders—not to create yet another five-year plan but to develop a portfolio of prototype solutions, test those solutions in the real world, use the data to further refine them, and test them again. Hassan builds on a decade of experience—as well as drawing from cutting-edge research in complexity science, networking theory, and sociology—to explain the core principles and daily functioning of social labs, using examples of pioneering labs from around the world. He offers a new generation of problem solvers an effective, practical, and exciting new vision and guide.\u003cb\u003eFOREWORD \/ Joi Ito, Director MIT Media Lab\u003cbr\u003e PREFACE  \u003c\/b\u003eNotes from a practicing heart \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eINTRODUCTION  \u003c\/b\u003eWHAT ARE SOCIAL LABORATORIES? \u003cbr\u003e Introducing the social lab\u003cbr\u003e Playing In the World Cup\u003cbr\u003e What Does it Mean to be Winning?\u003cbr\u003e The Scale-Free Laboratory\u003cbr\u003e A Cascade of Social Labs\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER 1  \u003c\/b\u003eTHE PERFECT STORM OF COMPLEXITY \u003cbr\u003e The perfect challenge\u003cbr\u003e What is a complex social challenge?\u003cbr\u003e The futile optimism of optimization\u003cbr\u003e Yemen as a natural experiment\u003cbr\u003e Too big to fail, Too big to jail\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER 2  \u003c\/b\u003eTHE STRATEGIC VACUUM  \u003cbr\u003e Business-As-Usual\u003cbr\u003e The Expert-Planning Paradigm\u003cbr\u003e Flying autopilot in the perfect storm\u003cbr\u003e A lack of genuine strategic intent\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER 3  \u003c\/b\u003eTHE SUSTAINABLE FOOD LAB: FROM FARM-TO-FORK\u003cbr\u003e “Ten Global Problems In Ten Years”\u003cbr\u003e The race to the bottom\u003cbr\u003e The multiple \u0026amp; conflicting logics of food\u003cbr\u003e Systemic spread betting\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER 4  \u003c\/b\u003eTHE BHAVISHYA LAB: THE SILENT EMERGENCY \u003cbr\u003e The Indian Experiment\u003cbr\u003e The Moonshot\u003cbr\u003e Movement requires Friction\u003cbr\u003e Fail early, Fail often\u003cbr\u003e Business-As-Usual and It’s Radical Refusals\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER 5  \u003c\/b\u003eTHE NEW ECOLOGIES OF CAPITAL \u003cbr\u003e The End of the Beginning\u003cbr\u003e Emerging forms of capital\u003cbr\u003e Preventing Collapse\u003cbr\u003e The dumbest idea in the world\u003cbr\u003e More rainforests, fewer plantations \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER 6  \u003c\/b\u003eTHE RISE OF THE AGILISTAS \u003cbr\u003e Unlearning project management\u003cbr\u003e The practical wisdom of social labs\u003cbr\u003e Events rupture dispositions\u003cbr\u003e The Right Stuff\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER 7  \u003c\/b\u003eSTEPS TOWARDS A THEORY OF SYSTEMIC ACTION\u003cbr\u003e Slaves of some defunct economist\u003cbr\u003e First Requirement - Constitute a diverse team\u003cbr\u003e Second Requirement - Design an iterative process\u003cbr\u003e Third Requirement - Create systemic spaces\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCHAPTER 8  \u003c\/b\u003eSTARTING A SOCIAL LAB: 7 HOW-TO’S\u003cbr\u003e Strategic versus Tactical Thinking\u003cbr\u003e #1 Clarify Intention\u003cbr\u003e #2 Broadcast Invitation \u0026amp; #3 Work Networks\u003cbr\u003e #3 Work Your Networks\u003cbr\u003e #4 Recruit Willing People \u0026amp; #5 Set Direction\u003cbr\u003e #5 Set Direction\u003cbr\u003e #6 Design In Stacks  \u0026amp; #7 Find Cadence \u003cbr\u003e #7 Find Cadence \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eCONCLUSION  \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003eNEXT-GEN SOCIAL LABORATORIES \u003cbr\u003e Averting the Zombie Apocalypse\u003cbr\u003e State Collapse: A stabilization strategy\u003cbr\u003e Climate Change: A mitigation strategy\u003cbr\u003e Community Resilience: An adaptation strategy\u003cbr\u003e The battle of the parts versus the whole\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eACKNOWLEDGMENTS\u003cbr\u003e NOTES\u003cbr\u003e BIBLIOGRAPHY\u003cbr\u003e INDEX\u003cbr\u003e ABOUT THE AUTHOR\u003cbr\u003e ABOUT REOS PARTNERS\u003c\/b\u003e“This book provides decision makers with a practical guide to addressing complex challenges. It offers a clear-eyed, hopeful, and realistic approach that is timely and much needed.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Cherie Blair, CBE, QC, founder, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Welcome to the social labs revolution—and to Zaid Hassan’s splendid account from the front lines of this movement bringing new ways to tap and focus collective intelligence for systemic innovation.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Peter Senge, Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Sustainability, MIT Sloan School of Management, and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Fifth Discipline\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “This book should be compulsory reading for anyone whose ambition is to change the systems that perpetuate poverty and inequality rather than just to mitigate the symptoms.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Kate Wareing, Head of Innovation and Learning, Oxfam GB\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A profoundly important and timely book. Hassan has been at the center of the social labs revolution since its beginning and explains this powerful new approach to tackling the world’s most pressing challenges in a clear, concise, and compelling fashion.” \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Joseph Jaworski, author of the international bestseller \u003ci\u003eSynchronicity\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Zaid Hassan offers an innovative, powerful new approach for tackling our toughest global challenges and bringing about lasting social change.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Minh-Thu Pham, Director of Public Policy, United Nations Foundation\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Increasingly we face complex social problems that we can solve only through working together, not only with friends and colleagues but also with strangers and opponents. Zaid’s book shows us a new way of doing so. It represents an important milestone in learning how to address our most profound challenges.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Adam Kahane, author of \u003ci\u003eSolving Tough Problems\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Power and Love \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eTransformative Scenario Planning\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “We know that social, experimental, prototyping, and systemic approaches have worked in the Internet ecosystem and for entrepreneurs—Zaid Hassan’s radical book shows us how they can work for complex social issues.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Howard Rheingold, author of the bestsellers \u003ci\u003eVirtual Reality\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Virtual Community\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSmart Mobs\u003c\/i\u003e, and\u003ci\u003e Net Smart\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Anyone interested in doing something about the complex, multicultural, economico-politico-social problems that the planet is facing must read this book.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Edgar H. Schein Professor Emeritus, MIT Sloan School of Management, and author of \u003ci\u003eHumble Inquiry\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Democracy, society, and civilization are all undermined by those who seek only to profit from the future. \u003ci\u003eThe Social Labs Revolution\u003c\/i\u003e opens up the space to see, seed, and grow better future possibilities.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Dr. Angela Wilkinson, Counselor for Strategic Foresight, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Real transformational change requires a radical transformation in the way civil society creates strategy. \u003ci\u003eThe Social Labs Revolution\u003c\/i\u003e offers a promising approach to achieving just that.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Wael Hmaidan, Director, Climate Action Network International   \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Through his hard-won practical wisdom, Zaid Hassan bravely and honestly outlines a radical new approach to solving our toughest social challenges. Read this brilliant book.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Mustafa Suleyman, cofounder and Chief Product Officer, DeepMind Technologies\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A powerful and practical book—read it.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Tim Harford, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Undercover Economist Strikes Back\u003c\/i\u003e and Senior Columnist, \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “This truly personal, analytical, and luminous work based on years of research, reflection, and experience is essential reading for all those who aspire to effect deep and sustainable social change.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Gabriella Etmektsoglou, Director, New York University Berlin\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “This is a highly readable, provocative narrative, filled with insights, questions, and, above all, a deep yearning to know how best to make a difference in this troubled time.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Margaret J. Wheatley, author of\u003ci\u003e Leadership and the New Science \u003c\/i\u003eand, most recently, \u003ci\u003eSo Far from Home\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Zaid Hassan’s extremely compelling and readable manifesto is for people looking for effective solutions beyond packaged development programs and short-term or one-off social entrepreneurship projects. It is a work of information and insight that can be applied right now.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Melissa Finn, Lecturer, Department of Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Drawing from his own experiences, Zaid Hassan shows how to engage with complexity in the real world and offers a compelling alternative to plans that can often be outdated by the time they are written.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Danny Burns, Team Leader, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Required reading for policymakers, practitioners, academics, and engaged citizens everywhere.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Milla McLachlan, Director, Southern Africa Food Lab\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Read this book if you seek wisdom and practical experience with solving tough problems. Hassan is a facilitative leader of systemic change, not merely an observer, and he writes well.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Hal Hamilton, Codirector, Sustainable Food Lab\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “This is the type of book I will always have two copies of: one as an immediately useful narrative with insights on every page, and one to share with others.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—George Roter, CEO and cofounder, Engineers without Borders Canada\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Innovative, informative, accessible, and relevant, Zaid Hassan’s book is a necessary tool in understanding today’s volatile, exciting, and dynamic world. Strongly recommended.” \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Wajahat Ali, cohost of Al Jazeera America’s @AJAMStream\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e“A must-read for all those who are in the business of trying to tackle the many social problems afflicting our planet.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Kamran Bokhari, Vice President, Middle Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Stratfor, and coauthor of \u003ci\u003ePolitical Islam in the Age of Democratization\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Zaid Hassan brings many years of experience understanding processes of social change. He rightly identifies that the world is going through a very challenging period—and his thoughts deserve to be engaged with thoroughly in addressing those challenges.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Dr. H. A. Hellyer, Nonresident Fellow, Foreign Policy, The Brookings Institution\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “All our important problems are systemic; this book will help you not just find better answers to the problems but learn how to build better strategies for changing the systems themselves.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Alex Steffen, Planetary Futurist in Residence, IDEO, and author of \u003ci\u003eCarbon Zero\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eZaid Hassan is managing partner at the Oxford office of Reos Partners, an international organization dedicated to supporting and building capacity for innovative collective action in complex social systems. He has worked on many complex challenges all around the world, ranging from public health care to climate change to finance.","brand":"Berrett-Koehler Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46303285936357,"sku":"NP9781626560734","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781626560734.jpg?v=1767741571","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-social-labs-revolution-isbn-9781626560734","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}