Die Spur der Gesellschaft: Reflexionen zur Gesellschaftstheorie nach Luhmann

Publication: Book/ReportDissertations

Abstract

Since world society has existed, the question of its theoretical reading has adjusted contingency and complexity. The most differenciated and tested observational device is the theory of societal systems as constructed by Niklas Luhmann (in critical connection to Talcott Parsons). These systems-oriented ‘self-thematizations’ of world society have been criticized from the very beginning. A crucial point of criticizing systems theory is the question of adequacy but evenmore the outlook to another theoretical option of making it ‘better’. My main point will be that the issue of problematizing normativity is the major challenge for constructing a ‘new’ theory of world society (a theory ‘after Luhmann’). The theory and practice of society both need to consider its normative foundation and the architectonical consequences. My thesis will be that a theory of society which rejects the theory of systems oriented society as an inadequate form of reading (or observing) society needing to be designed as a normative theory relating social conditions of liberty and hegemony. The examination of normativity could be imported from the context of philosophy of modern law (Christoph Menke) into the context of theoreticization of the society. In order to relate sociological systems theory to its sociological attempts of transcending or depotentializing (Gesa Lindemann, Heinz Bude, Uwe Schimank, Andreas Reckwitz, Oliver Marchart; critical system theory) and to the philosophy of law, I will utilise the concept Mediale Moderne. I consider the reflection on the relation between contingency/complexity and contingency/normativity as preliminary to understanding the constellations in modern sports, modern politics, modern education and so on.
Original languageGerman
Place of PublicationWeilerswist
PublisherVelbrück
Number of pages266
ISBN (Print)978-3-95832-206-6
Publication statusPublished - 2020

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