About Next System Studies at Mason

We are in a transitional period in world history. Signs of economic, political, and ecological dysfunction are everywhere. New systems, including a new world system, appear inevitable. What will they bring?

As developed here at George Mason University, Next System Studies involve research into the relationships between systemic crises, system design, system change, and systemic movements – questions that ask, “Where are we going and where do we need to go? How might we get there? What must we do to get there?”

As a new area for study, one purpose of Next System Studies is to establish space, resources, and recognition for scholarship and public engagement on next system questions. Thus, next system scholarship involves: 

• Production of practicable and reliable knowledge of use to policymakers, communities, activists, and others about system design, systemic movements, systemic crises, and system change; and
• Research and action uniting community members, practitioners, students, and senior scholars in collaborative work; and,
• The raising of new cohorts of community leaders, policymakers, lawyers, engineers, technologists, social entrepreneurs, managers, academics, and other specialists educated in the methodology and theory of Next System Studies.

Next System Studies is an initiative of the Center for Social Science Research and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, with support from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University.

We thank them as well as our partners, advisors, and donors. We invite you to collaborate with us: Take a look at our projects, news, events, and reach out.