A field of study that applies systems theory and cybernetics to social sciences. It views societies as complex, self-regulating systems and seeks to understand the interactions and feedback loops that drive social dynamics.
Published in Chapter:
People-Centered Urban Governance in Latin America and the Caribbean: Sociocybernetics, Climate Justice, and Adaptation
Copyright: © 2024
|Pages: 23
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-8963-5.ch006
Abstract
This chapter delves into the complexity of sustainable urbanization, climate justice, social inclusion, and participatory governance. Grounded in a one-year descriptive ethnographic study and meta-synthesis, the analysis deconstructs the disparities between the urban rich and poor in Jamaica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Columbia, across five key development domains- wellbeing, education, security, infrastructure, and governance. Through sociocybernetics, the decision-making processes in urban ecosystems are interrogated, revealing unique challenges faced by the urban poor, trapped in a cycle of recovery, versus the mitigation-oriented urban rich. The analysis extends to the role of urban citizens, designers and integrators, governance structures, levels of social inclusion, resource allocation, and their amalgamated implications for socio-climate justice. It evaluates the international policy arena, translation of global mandates into local development plans, and the need for hyperlocal strategies that encourage a more people-centred planning approach for sustainable urbanization.