Doctor Lesley Kuhn

• Biography
• Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise
• Grants / Current Projects
• Awards and Recognition
• Selected Publications
• Contact Details

Biography

Dr. Lesley Kuhn is an applied philosopher who has always been interested in the human condition. With degrees in music, education and environmental science and a doctorate in philosophy she brings a transdisciplinary perspective to the study of organisations. Her hopes are for a tolerant, democratic and egalitarian society where people are aware of how they are structured and categorised by social and cultural dictates, ideologies and the declarations of those who think they have a monopoly on what is right and should be known.

Over the past 13 years Dr. Kuhn has been bringing complexity (science/theory) habits of thought to study of organisations. Complexity thinking creates flexible practices that can adapt rapidly in response to changes in the environment in which the organisation operates. It focuses on uncertainty, non-equilibrium and disorder - the edge of chaos being the zone within which there is most potential for success. Complexity thinking sees the value of a workforce as in its diversity; where everyone has theories about how things might be done better, what the problems are in an organisation, what changes need to be made. Through applying the principles of complexity in organisations, she has contributed to the development of approaches whereby all involved might contribute in thoughtful, rational, and dynamic ways and managers broaden their perspective enough to hear what needs to be heard.

Dr. Kuhn has authored more than 40 book chapters and published papers and led more than 30 research projects.

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Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise

• Applied Philosophy Complex systems – Systems Theory, Cybernetics, Complexity Theory
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• Creative and Critical thinking
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• Ethics in a pluralistic society
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• Epistemology
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• Research: Fundamental, conceptual research into Complexity Science as a paradigm for organisation studies. Ethics and responsibility. Study of complex organisations. Epistemology and organisations.
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• Teaching: Organisation studies

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Grants / Current Projects

• 2007-2008 Learning and Teaching Action Plan, University of Western Sydney. Project Title: Research into growing post-graduate Indigenous programs at UWS Funding $19,900
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• 2005-2006 Sir Ian Potter Foundation, Chain Reaction Foundation. Project Title: Inquiry into Community Enabling: A Review of the Mt Druitt Enabler’s Program Funding $19,420
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• 2005-2006 Department of Community Services (DoCS), Marist Youth Care. Project Title: Repositioning young people in a communicative landscape: Research into the design and development of the Hebersham Aboriginal Youth Service Funding $24,693

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Awards and Recognition

• Qualifications: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD); Master of Environmental Science; Bachelor of Education (Music); Diploma in Teaching (Primary).
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• 2008 Invited Keynote Conference Speaker, ‘Trois religions, un seul homme’, Faculte de Philosophie et des Science humaines, Universite Saint-Esprit de Kaslik, Liban: The Daily Things We Do: Towards Global Citizenship.
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• 2005 Invited Keynote Conference Speaker, ‘Dieu et le droit a la difference’, Faculte de Philosophie et des Science humaines, Universite Saint-Esprit de Kaslik, Liban: From Solid Ground to Soulful Living.
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• 2000 – 2001 Visiting Professor, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Innovation Studies and History of Technology, Republic of Hungary.
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• 2000 – 2001 Hungarian Government Scholarship, Budapest, Republic of Hungary.
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• 1999 Visiting Professor, Faculty of Education Illinois State University, Springfield, Illinios, USA.
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• 1995 Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Education, Educational Studies, University of British Columbia, Canada.

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Selected Publications

Books

• Kuhn, L. (2009) Adventures in Complexity for Organisations Near the Edge of Chaos. Axminster: Triarchy Press.
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• Dimitrov, V., Kuhn, L. and Woog, R (Ed’s) (2002) Complexity Thinking: A Catalyst for Creativity, SELL, UWS.
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• Kuhn, L. (Ed) (2001) Social Ecology and Lifelong Learning Occasional Papers Volume One, SELL, UWS.
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• Kuhn, L (1999) Guide to Research Candidature, Centre for Systemic Development, UWS-H Monograph.
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• Blunden, S., Gamble, D. and Kuhn-White, L.J. (1993) When Families Farm Together, Research Report to the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).
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• White L (1991) A Guide to Qualitative Research Design, School of Social Ecology, UWS-H Monograph.
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• Edwards, J., Reid, J., White (Kuhn), L. and Webb, M.(1984) Mt Evelyn’s Original Garden: Plants of the Northern Dandenongs, Mt Evelyn Environment Protection and Progress Association.

Book Chapters

• Kuhn, L. (2008) “Complexity and Educational research: A Critical reflection” in Complexity Theory and the Philosophy of Education. Ed. Mark Mason. London: Blackwell.
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• Kuhn, L. (2005) “From solid ground to soulful living” Chapter in Dieu le droit a la difference Annales de Philosophie & des Sciences Humaines, Universite Saint-Esprit de Kaslik, Lebanon, pp.413-422.
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• Kuhn, L. (2003) “Making Expertise in Environmental Issues” Chapter in Expertise and its Interfaces: The Tense Relationship of Science and Politics Gotthard Bechmann and I Hronszky (Ed’s) Springer-Verlag, pp.185-202.
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• Kuhn, L (2002) “Health Promotion and Complexity Theory: An Approach for the 21st Century” in Dimitrov, V. and Naess, T. (2002) Health Ecology: Learning to Cope with Complex Realities, NaKuHel, Asker, Norway, pp.135-146.
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• Kuhn, l. (2002) “Trusting Tourists: An Investigation into tourism, trust and Social Order’ in Dann, G. (Ed), The Tourist as a Metaphor of the Social World, CABI Publishing, pp.109-120.
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• Woog, R., Kuhn-White, L. and Dimitrov, V. (1998) “Fuzzy Logic as an Evocative Framework for Studying Social Systems” in Fuzzy Systems Design, Social and Engineering Applications. Physica-Verlag, New York pp.105-116.
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• Kuhn-White, L. (1994) ‘Action Research Still has to Buy the Groceries: Some Dilemmas in Doing Action Research in an Academic Setting’, in Qualitative Research in Adult Education, Centre for research in Education and Work, University of South Australia, Eds.
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• Neville, B., Willis, P. and Edwards, M. Chapter 4:38-4.

Refereed Papers

• Packman, A. and Kuhn, L. (2009) “Looking at Stuttering through the lens of complexity” in International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, Special Issue, Dysfluency: Stuttering and Cluttering, 11(1): pp.77-82.
• Kuhn, L. (2008) ‘Complexity and Educational research: A Critical reflection’ in Educational Philosophy and Theory, Vol. 40, No. 1, 2008.
• Kuhn, L. (2007) ‘Utilising complexity as an integrated framework and as fostering transformative learning’, Workshop presentation at the First European Interprofessional Education network Conference (EIPEN), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland, 12-14 September.
• Kuhn, L. (2007) Guest Editor, Special Issue: Interpreting Human Experiential Space: Bringing a Complexity Approach to Social Inquiry World Futures, The Journal of General Evolution, Vol. 63, No’s 3-4, April – June.
• Kuhn, L. (2007) ‘Introduction’ in World Futures, The Journal of General Evolution, Vol. 63, No’s 3-4, April – June, pp.153-155.
• Kuhn, L. (2007) ‘Why utilize complexity principles in social inquiry?’ in World Futures, The Journal of General Evolution, Vol. 63, No’s 3-4, April – June, pp.156-175.
• Kuhn, L. and Woog, R. (2007) ‘From complexity concepts to creative applications’ in World Futures, The Journal of General Evolution, Vol. 63, No’s 3-4, April – June, pp.176-193.
• Levick, D. and Kuhn, L. (2007) ‘Fractality, organizational management and creative change’ in World Futures, The Journal of General Evolution, Vol. 63, No’s 3-4, April – June, pp 265 - 274.
• Kuhn, L. (2007) ‘Sustainable tourism as emergent discourse’ in World Futures, The Journal of General Evolution, Vol. 63, No’s 3-4, April – June, pp.286-297.
• Kuhn, L. (2007) ‘Denouement’ in World Futures, The Journal of General Evolution, Vol. 63, No’s 3-4, , April – June, pp.298–299.
• Kuhn, L. (2006) ‘Updating inquiry techniques: from dialogos and hermeneutikos to fractal and attractor narrative analysis’, Proceedings ACSPRI Social Science Methodology Conference 2006.
• Kuhn, L. (2005) ‘A Critical Reflection on the Legitimacy of Utilising a Complexity Approach in Social Inquiry’ Complexity, Science and Society Conference, Liverpool University, Liverpoo,l UK, 11-14 September 2005.
• Kuhn, l. and Woog, R. (2005) “Vortical Postmodern Ethnography: Introducing a Complexity Approach to Systemic Social Theorizing” in Journal of Systems Research and Behavioural Science, Vol. 22, pp.139-150.
• Kuhn, L. and Woog, R. (2003) ‘Learning Our Way to a Better World: A Complexity Approach to Systemic Social Theorizing’ Proceedings, 47th Annual Conference, The International Society for the Systems Sciences, Iraklion, Crete, Greece, July 7-11, CD 03-057.
• Kuhn, L., Woog, R. and Hodgson, M. (2003) ‘Applying Complexity Principles to Enhance Organisational Knowledge Management’, Proceedings, Global Business and Technology Association Conference: Challenging the Frontiers in Global Business and Technology: Implementation of Changes in Values, Strategy and Policy, Budapest, Hungary, July 8-1, pp.754-762.
• Kuhn, L. (2002) ‘Trusting Tourists: An Investigation into Tourism, Trust and Social Order’, XV World Congress of Sociology, Brisbane, Australia, July 7-13.
• Kuhn, L. (2002) ‘Complexity, Cybernetics and Human Knowing’, Journal of Cybernetics and Human Knowing, Vol.9, No.1, pp.39-50.
• Kuhn, L. and Woog, R. (2002) ‘From Getting It Right to Getting It Human: Reclaiming Imprecise Interpretations for Being and Knowing in the World’ , International Systems Conference, Deakin University, Victoria, December, pp.324-328.
• Kuhn, L. (2000) ‘Expertise and the Lifecycle of Environmental Paradigms’, invited paper for the Expertise and its Interfaces Workshop, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary, October 2-3.

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