Invitation to join Metaphorum in the celebration of Stafford Beer’s 100 years
Stafford Beer, the Father of Organisational Cybernetics, would be 100 years old on September the 25th, 2026. Metaphorum Cooperative is organising a 100 Year Anniversary project – to celebrate Stafford’s life and his contributions to science, business and society.
The project will include the development of:
- A short video documentary called ‘A 100 Years of Stafford Beer: A documentary celebrating the visionary who fused science, art, and spirit to reimagine society’. (tbc)
- A ‘100 Years of Stafford Beer- Festschrift’ book – an online edited book with contributions from invited authors to summarise Stafford’s legacy, and the way his theories continued to be developed and can still potentially address main challenges we are experiencing in the XXIst Century. Co-edited by A. Espinosa, M. Schwaninger, and J.Perez Rios’.
- A conference to take place 17th-19th of September 2026, at Alliance Manchester Business School, Manchester UK. Registrations will open soon.
- Other publications to be launched in 2027 (i.e.., a special issue in a cyber-systemic journal (e.g., SRBS, SPAR – tbc) with best works from the annual centenary celebrations and the Metaphorum conferences.
- Several memorial events at other cybernetics and systems partner organisations
- Keynote by Angela Espinosa on ‘Stafford Beer: a truly holistic man and scientist: the nature of his legacy’, at the conference ‘Systems Thinking and Systems Practice conference’ (24–26 March 2026), organised by the CSS (Centre for Systems Studies, University of Hull), SCiO and the IFSR (International Federation for Systems Research) celebrating M.C. Jackson’s Annual Lecture.
- Special Stream at ISSS 2026: ‘Elevating Systems Sciences to address humanity biggest challenges’ on June 22-26, 2026, Cyprus on ‘Stafford Beer’s Centenary’, led by Allenna Leonard.
- Special stream at ASC (American Society of Cybernetics): ‘Viable Confluences: 100 Years of Stafford Beer in Conversation with Latin America‘, led by Juliana Alves, at the ASC annual meeting in Brazil (2-7 August 2026).
- Keynote by Angela Espinosa and Special Stream on Beer’s legacy and development at OR68 stream’s title to be confirmed) (Operational Research Society 2026 conference) – ‘From Data to Decisions: The Power of Operational Research’ in Nottingham, September 8th-10th 2026.
Be part of this unique celebration of Stafford Beer’s centenary and shaping the future of Organisational Cybernetics. Conference registration opens January 2026—mark your calendar!