Systems theory : from science to a sustainable society

The course Systems Theory: From Science to a Sustainable Society introduces students to systems thinking as an analytical framework for understanding and addressing sustainability challenges. Rather than considering environmental, social and economic issues separately, the course examines how these issues emerge from interactions between multiple components, actors and processes operating across different spatial and temporal scales.

The course first establishes the context in which systems thinking becomes necessary. Students explore sustainable development through the articulation between planetary boundaries and social foundations, and examine several major sustainability challenges through the study of ecosystems, food production, climate change and energy systems. These topics are not considered in isolation, but as interconnected socio-ecological systems shaped by physical processes, human activities, institutions and societal choices.

Building on this foundation, students are introduced to the main concepts of systems theory: system boundaries, elements and interactions, stocks and flows, feedback loops, delays, non-linearities, resilience, equilibria and emergent behaviour. Particular attention is given to the relationship between a system’s structure and its behaviour over time.

Students progressively move from qualitative representations of systems, using tools such as causal loop diagrams and system maps, towards more formal representations based on stocks and flows as well as simple quantitative models. They learn how to translate assumptions and causal relationships into model structures, analyse how different parameters influence system behaviour, and use models to explore scenarios, thresholds and possible interventions. Models are considered as simplified representations of reality whose relevance depends on their purpose, assumptions and boundaries, rather than as tools capable of perfectly predicting the behaviour of complex systems.

The final part of the course focuses on understanding and transforming systems. Recurring system patterns, such as policy resistance, tragedy of the commons, escalation, shifting the burden, competitive exclusion and the pursuit of poorly defined goals, are used to analyse why apparently reasonable interventions may generate unexpected or undesirable consequences. Students explore different levels of intervention in a system, ranging from changes in parameters or flows to changes in rules, goals, information structures and underlying paradigms.

Throughout the course, scientific, economic and societal perspectives are brought together. Students are encouraged to identify relevant actors, question system boundaries and assumptions, distinguish direct effects from indirect or delayed consequences, and recognise trade-offs between different objectives. The course also examines how narratives, social norms and representations influence our perception of causal relationships, responsibilities and possible courses of action.

Applied case studies — including climate change, the energy transition, resource exploitation, eutrophication and food systems — allow students to mobilise these concepts to diagnose complex problems, construct systemic representations and critically assess different interventions and their potential consequences.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• Apply systems thinking to sustainability challenges by identifying the main components of a system, their interactions, feedback loops, system boundaries, and relevant spatial and temporal scales.

• Explain the interdependencies between human and natural systems, and analyse how environmental, social and economic processes can influence one another and generate direct, indirect or delayed consequences.

• Represent and analyse the structure and dynamics of complex systems using appropriate qualitative and quantitative tools, including causal loop diagrams, stock-and-flow representations, and simple system models.

• Integrate different perspectives into the analysis of complex problems, recognising that different actors may pursue distinct objectives and face different constraints or hold different representations of the same system.

• Assess different possible interventions in a system, taking into account feedback effects, trade-offs, unintended consequences, and the different levels at which systemic change can be considered.

Required and Corequired knowledge and skills

 

Courses requiring this course

The course consists of 30 hours of ex cathedra lectures, complemented by guided independent exercises equivalent to approximately 12 hours of practical work.

These exercises allow students to apply the concepts, system representations and modelling tools introduced during the course to concrete problems. Detailed solutions are provided to enable students to assess their understanding and consolidate their mastery of the methods covered.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

 

Course notes

• Université virtuelle

Additional information

 

Contacts

Bertrand Collignon (coordinator) : bertrand.collignon@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination
• Oral examination

written examination

Oral examination

 

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

The assessment consists of a written examination.

Students who obtain a grade of at least 6/20 on the written examination are eligible to take an optional oral examination in order to improve their final grade.

Language(s) of evaluation

• english