CFP | Luhmann Conference 2023 | Environments. Observed with social systems theory

Call for papers to the Luhmann Conference 2023 on “Environments. Observed with social systems theory” Venue: Inter-University Centre (IUC), Dubrovnik, Croatia Address: Don Frana Bulicá 4, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia Dates: 12-15 September 2023 Pre-conference dinner: 11 September 2023 Theme Commonly associated with nature or ecology, the concept of environment is foundational to social systems theory. A “system is the […]

Release | Market therapy? On intervention in the consociation with non-members

Abstract: While the majority of market interventions is concerned with market interventions that are good for particular market participants, this article is interested in interventions that are good for markets. We draw on observations of historical markets as presented by Hamilton Grierson and Max Weber to rediscover markets as forms of communication that systematically transcend […]

Release | Ten systems. Toward a canon of function systems

Roth, S. and Schütz, A. (2015), Ten systems. Toward a canon of function systems, Cybernetics and Human Knowing, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 11-31. Article available for download here. Abstract: There is no description of modernity without functional differentiation. The distinction of function systems such as economy, science, art, or religion, is a key to modernity. Modern science, […]

Release | Is the future a political economy?

Abstract: This article tests whether the field of foresight and futures studies shows significant variable selection biases in the modelling of the future in general and the impact of function systems in particular. We performed a word frequency analysis to measure the relative importance of the political system, the economy, science, art, religion, law, sport, […]

Release | Serious gamification

Abstract: We challenge the idea of the paradoxical nature of the concept serious games and ask how researchers and designers need to conceive of serious games so that they at all appear paradoxical. To develop and answer this question, we draw on a theory–method that considers all forms of observation as paradoxical. We then use the […]

Call | Conflicting Systems: Observed with social systems theory

Conflicting Systems: Observed with social systems theory Time: 14-18 September 2015. Place: International University Centre (IUC), Dubrovnik, Croatia Conference organizers: Gorm Harste, Aarhus University, Denmark; Steffen Roth, ESC Rennes School of Business, France, and Yerevan State University, Armenia. Conference description: Systems do not evolve as unities. They develop their complexities due to differences, and handle complexities due to […]

Call | Management and Function: From Added Values to Augmented Realities

Call for papers to a special issue of Systems Research and Behavioral Science (ABS2*) Management and Function: From Added Values to Augmented Realities Guest Editor: Dr. Steffen Roth, ESC Rennes School of Business, France The distinction of function systems such as the political system, the economy, science, religion, or the legal system is considered a key principle of […]

Interview | The Globe and Mail on Entrepreneurship and Piracy

Canada’s newspaper of record, The Globe and Mail, has published an article on Piracy and Entrepreneurship Education featuring our recently released special issue on Entrepreneurship and Piracy as well as a short interview section on dismoralized piratology. Read “Disruptors are just pirates on the high seas of capitalism” by Dana Lawrence online or download the PDF-version of the full article.

Surprise | There is no such thing as “economized” societies

Roth, S. (2014), Fashionable functions. A Google ngram view of trends in functional differentiation (1800-2000), International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, Vol. 10 No. 2, 34-58 [FNEGE*, CNRS*]. Abstract: Computer communication is revolutionizing modern society to the same extend as the invention of writing or the printing press have unsettled the archaic or the ancient society, […]