Mary Parker Follett: prophet of chaos and complexity

The writings of Mary Parker Follett can inform the current debate regarding whether or not concepts from the field of nonlinear dynamics should be incorporated into the social sciences. The paper argues that Follett’s writings serve as an ideological bridge between these two camps, and also reflect a rich understanding of nonlinear dynamics in social phenomena. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications that Follett’s writings hold for social scientists today in the area of research methodology.