Synthesis, part of a Special Feature on Applied Research for Enhancing Human Well-Being and Environmental Stewardship: Using Complexity Thinking in Southern Africa Exploring the implications of critical complexity for the study of social- ecological systems.

The complexity of social-ecological systems is well recognized (Berkes et al. 2003, Norberg and Cumming 2008). However, in the study of such systems, it is often the uncertainty that results from nonlinear interactions that forms the focus of discussion. Here, the normative implications of complexity for our knowledge of such systems are emphasised, by drawing largely on the work of Cilliers (1998, 2005a), who introduced the term "critical complexity." This perspective on complexity is distinct in bringing the value-based choices that frame our knowledge generation strategies to the fore. It is from this view that we investigate the implications of complexity for social-ecological systems research. Based on these implications, we propose a set of five key questions to guide the incorporation of insights from critical complexity into such research. We end with a brief application of the questions proposed to the National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPA) project in South Africa, to illustrate their potential use in the context of resource management. Here, we investigate the implications of complexity for the study of social-ecological systems from this unique perspective. These implications are discussed in terms of two broad categories, namely, (1) those that relate to engaging with different knowledge systems and types; and (2) the normative context governing our research scope. Based on this discussion, we propose five key questions to guide the design of research processes in a way that recognizes critical complexity. These questions can be used as a conceptual tool in explicitly defining the research frame when studying social- ecological systems. To illustrate the potential use of these questions, we have applied them to the National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPA) project undertaken in South Africa. The NFEPA project demonstrates how elements of critical complexity may be incorporated into the formulation of research and intervention strategies pertaining to social-ecological systems.