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Robert Johannson has joined ISSS in 19XX. He/She is .....Robert Johannson is a playwright and cyberneticist, as well as a recovering politician, a recovering
Shakespeare scholar, a recovering United Church minister, a recovering system administrator, and a
recovering accountant. He has been variously called a “polymath” and “one of our local eccentrics.” He is
also a proud husband, father and grandfather.
Personal Life Rev. Robert Johannson graduated Grade XII at Transcona Collegiate Institute where he joined his first
political party and has been politically active ever since. He studied Chartered Accountancy for two years
at the firm of Touche, Ross, Bailey and Smart. He received an honours degree in English Literature from
the University of Manitoba. Robert was a Winnipeg City Councillor for six years. He was baptized as an
adult at Augustine United Church, and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. He was a candidate for
ministry from Augustine United Church, has a Masters of Divinity from St. Andrew's College in
Saskatoon, and was ordained by the Conference of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.
Robert and his wife Joan taught parenting courses in the inner-city of Winnipeg and produced two books:
Empowerment: A systems approach to people and groups, and The Family Zoo: leadership for parents.
They have three children and five granddaughters. His interest in cybernetics comes from discovering the
negative effects of behaviourism as a parenting model, and turning instead to the study of Gregory
Bateson and the Macy Conferences on Cybernetics.
Robert served as the systems administrator for Journeys Adult Education Centre in Winnipeg which
involved maintaining a computer lab, and Internet connection, as well as designing the school's data
bases.
Robert is a playwright and has been produced by CBC radio, the Manitoba Association of Playwrights,
Prairie Theatre Exchange, the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival and the Edmonton Fringe Theatre
Festival. His plays include Charles Wesley: A Musical Play; The Ecstasy of St. Teresa; and Never Trust a
Naked Marriage Counsellor. He is currently working on a play about the Trial of St. Paul.
Robert retired in 2009 after serving First United Church in Dauphin. In his retirement Robert studied
Physics, Mathematics, Statistics and Mathematical Statistics at the University of Winnipeg. He has
published two books on systems theory: Process Dualism: Resolving the Mind/Body Problem; and most
recently Green Rising: An Alternative Future which deals with the cultural roots of the environmental
crisis. He is the Chair of the Holistic Systems Theory Special Integration Group of the International
Society for the Systems Sciences.
Academia and Career Years of Service: 2021-224
Post: Chair: Holistic Systems Theory SIG
Degrees: Bachelor of Arts (Hons.); Master of Divinity
Fields of Study: Cybernetics, General Systems Theory, Theatre, Theology, Philosophy, Leadership,
Organization
Universities: University of Manitoba, St. Andrew's College, University of Winnipeg
Notable works: Process Dualism: Resolving the Mind/Body Problem;
Green Rising: An Alternative Future.
Social: Winnipeg City Counselor; Canadian Association of the Non-Employed; Green Party
Books
Power: Woodsworth and W. L. Mackenzie King
Charles Wesley: A Musical Play
The Ecstasy of St. Teresa
Never Trust A Naked Marriage Counsellor
The Red Saloon
Voluspa: The Prophecy
Process Dualism: Resolving the Mind/Body Problem
Green Rising: An Alternative Future
with Joan Johannson
The Family Zoo: Leadership for Parents
Empowerment: A Systems Approach to People and Groups