Paul Hartzog

Bio

Paul B. Hartzog, one of the coiners of the word "panarchy," is an independent scholar and hacker, currently teaching at the University of Michigan's School of Information. Recipient of an NSF IGERT to study complex systems, he has a Masters in Globalization and Environmental Politics from the University of Utah, and a Masters in Political Theory from the University of Michigan.  His work on panarchy hybridizes political philosophy/economy, network culture, complex systems, and critical social theory. His work online ranges from "Panarchy and the Wikification of Politics" to an important conversation with Trebor Scholz "Toward a Critique of the Social Web."  In addition to articulating emerging dynamics, Paul also is a cofounder of The Forward Foundation a consulting group that develops open-source infrastructure for collaboration and sharing. His clients include Howard Rheingold, Stanford University, and The Institute for the Future. He lives in Ann Arbor with his wife and two sons.

Abstract

Panarchy:  Politics, Production, and Polycentrism

The current transition into a fluctuating multitude is a moment for both celebrating freedoms as well as acknowledging new dangers. Current conceptions of work and play, production and consumption, mass
and individual, succumb to the weight of history and lose clarity in the light of new constellations of labor and value.  Where might we look for guidance and insight in our attempts to navigate the waters ahead? 
A hybrid political philosophy of panarchy, informed by network and complexity theory, offers some hope for those who resist despair and seek a sustainable way through.