Event | When Programmes Disagree About Programmes: Code Poetry and the Problem of Programme–Programme Communication

What happens when programmes interpret programmes? As decision-making becomes increasingly mediated by computational procedures, interactions between programmes themselves come into view as a potential site of communication. This workshop explores the challenge of programme–programme communication through the case of code poetry—an artefact that simultaneously invites formal execution and semantic interpretation. Drawing on a moderated dialogue […]

Event | Wolfson Tool Factory

On 23 April 2026, we will convene for the first-ever Wolfson Tool Factory meeting—an experimental workshop dedicated to the co-production of theory-based management and consulting tools. This event is supported by the Wolfson College Research Networks. The idea is simple but ambitious: To bring together social (systems) theorists and consultants working with for-profit, non-profit, and […]

Event | Inaugural Meeting of the Next Society Institute Limited

The Next Society Institute Limited (in foundation) conducts and supports research on the structures and semantics of modern societies, with a particular focus on social systems theory and its contemporary extensions. Its formal establishment will be marked by an inaugural meeting held at Clare College, University of Cambridge, on Thursday, 05 March 2026.

Talk | Can social theory run like code? @Wolfson College, University of Cambridge

I look forward to sharing my thoughts on how digitalisation reshapes social theory at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. Title: Digital Transformation of Social Theory Date: 25/11/2025 Venue: Gatsby Room (Chancellor’s Centre), Wolfson College, Barton Road, Cambridge, United Kingdom & Teams Overview: This talk outlines a programme to build a universal social theory machine: a […]

CFP | JOCM | Reprogramming. Observed with social systems theory

Special Issue of the Journal of Organizational Change Management (SSCI 2.7, Scopus Q2, CABS**, FNEGE**, VHB***) on Reprogramming. Observed with social systems theory Guest Editors: Steffen Roth, Excelia Business School, France; University of Cambridge, United Kingdom Vladislav Valentinov, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies, Halle, Germany; Next Society Institute, Kazimieras Simonavičius University, Lithuania […]

CFP | MD | Programmes in management and organisation. Observed with social systems theory

Special Issue of Management Decision (SSCI 5.1, Scopus Q1, CABS**, FNEGE**, VHB***) on Programmes in management and organisation. Observed with social systems theory Guest Editors: Steffen Roth, Excelia Business School, France; University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, roths@excelia-group.com Augusto Sales, Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration, Brazil; Yale University, United States of America, augusto.sales@fgv.br Closing date for manuscripts submission: 31/01/2026 The issue […]

Announcement | Luhmann Conference 2025 Book of Abstracts

The Book of Abstracts for the Luhmann Conference 2025 at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, is available for download here.

Announcement | Luhmann Conference Programme 2025

The preliminary version of the programme for the Luhmann Conference 2025 at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, is available for download here.

Membership | Wolfson College, University of Cambridge

I am honoured to be joining Wolfson College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, as a Visiting Fellow today! See you at Wolfson, for instance for our Niklas Luhmann Reading Group meeting in mid-April.