Tom R. Burns

Radical new technologies are developing in Western societies at ever-increasing rates but contemporary democracies often lack the appropriate organizational forms to confront these developments. Creative Democracy discusses the failure of politicians and democratic institutions to cope with modern challenges, and proposes a specific strategy to address these problems in contemporary society. The authors propose new strategies to increase public awareness of, and democratic control over, major technological developments explaining the advantage of democratic discourse and consensus formation over voting, and insisting that scientists must work with politicians to formulate and articulate their alternative futures for major technological developments. Overall, Creative Democracy provides a thorough, scholarly and practical analysis in support of democratic dialogue.

In Man, Decisions, Society (1985) the authors offer an innovative approach to social science research: a new methodology, actor-system dynamics, makes possible a more effective analysis of modern societal developments and problems. Using flow charts, this methodology brings out the critical aspects of social phenomena, making complex processes visible and comprehensible.

Originally published in 1994. The energy crisis of the 1970s provided an opportune climate for public sector entrepreneurship to develop. The authors present case studies from six innovative and diverse municipalities in Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States. The studies document problems these communities encountered while implementing new ideas in energy conservation and changes in energy supply and municipal planning. Each community was selected on the basis of its early, vigorous response to the energy crisis, and then followed up to examine roadblocks along the way to innovation in the public sector. The case studies highlight the challenges policy entrepreneurs face and the tactics they employ, revealing crucial differences between public and private sector entrepreneurship.

Originally published in 1994. The energy crisis of the 1970s provided an opportune climate for public sector entrepreneurship to develop. The authors present case studies from six innovative and diverse municipalities in Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States. The studies document problems these communities encountered while implementing new ideas in energy conservation and changes in energy supply and municipal planning. Each community was selected on the basis of its early, vigorous response to the energy crisis, and then followed up to examine roadblocks along the way to innovation in the public sector. The case studies highlight the challenges policy entrepreneurs face and the tactics they employ, revealing crucial differences between public and private sector entrepreneurship.

The Shaping of Social Organization introduces a new social theory - social rule system theory - and shows how it can provide fresh insights into the major institutions of modern social life. The book advances a distinctive approach to the study of actor-structure dynamics, placing itself in a rich scholarly tradition developed by major thinkers such as Weber, Lindblom, Giddens and Goffman. It presents social rule system theory as a framework with which to investigate social institutions, and clarifies the principles behind their formation, maintenance and transformation. Drawing on a wide range of case studies, the authors also demonstrate the relevance of the theory for research programs. As a result, they are able to provide innovative perspectives on the structure and performance of markets, information, technocracy and the sources of social and structural incoherence in modern societies. The Shaping of Social Organization was among the finalists for the amalfi European Prize in Sociology and Social Science.

The Shaping of Social Organization introduces a new social theory - social rule system theory - and shows how it can provide fresh insights into the major institutions of modern social life. The book advances a distinctive approach to the study of actor-structure dynamics, placing itself in a rich scholarly tradition developed by major thinkers such as Weber, Lindblom, Giddens and Goffman. It presents social rule system theory as a framework with which to investigate social institutions, and clarifies the principles behind their formation, maintenance and transformation. Drawing on a wide range of case studies, the authors also demonstrate the relevance of the theory for research programs. As a result, they are able to provide innovative perspectives on the structure and performance of markets, information, technocracy and the sources of social and structural incoherence in modern societies. The Shaping of Social Organization was among the finalists for the amalfi European Prize in Sociology and Social Science.