Accessible introduction to rapidly growing field of interest across disciplines. Explains key constructs: chaos; complexity; dynamic systems; emergence etc. Demonstrates applications to areas of applied linguistics. Illustrates how complex systems thinking can challenge established ideas. Discusses implications for theory, research, and practice.

This book introduces key concepts in complexity theory and demonstrates the applicability and usefulness of these concepts to a range of areas in applied linguistics, including first and second language development, language teaching, and discourse analysis.

'...this book succeeds in putting forward the complexity theory as a potentially interesting avenue of research in Applied Linguistics in an engaging and readable way which grants the lay-person an insight into this fascinating branch of science.'