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Cited by 160Contemporary Sociological Theory and PracticeGerman Social Sciences and HistoryComplex Systems and Dynamics

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 85 of the 85 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Can Social Systems Be Autopoietic? Assessing Luhmann's Social Theory

Mingers, John·2002·The Sociological Review
DOI 10.1111/1467-954x.00367
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Abstract

The theory of autopoiesis, that is systems that are self-producing or self-constructing, was originally developed to explain the particular nature of living as opposed to non-living entities. It was subsequently enlarged to encompass cognition and language leading to what is known as second-order cybernetics. However, as with earlier biological theories, many authors have tried to extend the domain of the theory to encompass social systems, the most notable being Luhmann. The purpose of this article is to consider critically the extent to which the theory of autopoiesis, as originally defined, can be applied to social systems – that is, whether social systems are autopoietic. And, if it cannot, whether some weaker version might be appropriate.

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Citations

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Research works printed but not linked: 22

  1. Buckley W., 1968, Modern Systems Research for the Behavioural Scientist
  2. Grosz E., 1994, Volatile Bodies: Towards a Corporeal Feminism
  3. Habermas J., 1971, Theorie der Gesellschaft oder Sozialtechnologie
  4. Luhmann N., 1984, Soziale Systeme
  5. Luhmann N., 1986, Sociocybernetic Paradoxes
  6. Luhmann N., 1987, Autopoiesis and the Law, 335
  7. Luhmann N., 1987, Autopoiesis and the Law, 12
  8. Luhmann N., 1989, Northwestern University Law Review, 83, 136
  9. Luhmann N., 1990, Essays in Self-Reference
  10. Luhmann N., 1992, Cardozo Law Review, 13, 1419
  11. Luhmann N., 1995, Social Systems
  12. Manicas P., 1998, Critical Realism: Essential Readings, 313
  13. Maturana H., 1975, Encyclopedie de la Pleiade, Series Methodique
  14. Maturana H., 1978, Psychology and Biology of Language and Thought: Essays in Honour of Eric Lenneberg, 27
  15. Maturana H., 1980, Autopoietic Systems in the Social Sciences, 11
  16. Maturana H., 1987, Physics of Cognitive Processes, 324
  17. Maturana H., 1993, Zeichen (Theorie) in der Praxis, 37
  18. Maturana H., 1995, Consciousness: Distinction and Reflection
  19. Maturana H., 1995, Biology Research, 28, 15
  20. Mingers J., 2001, Information and Organization (formerly Accounting, Management and Information Technology), 11, 103
  21. Morgan G., 1986, Images of Organisation
  22. Stokes P., 1990, Self-Steering and Cognition in Complex Systems: Towards a New Cybernetics

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Metadata

Authors
Mingers, J.
Affiliations
University of Warwick (GB)
Corresponding author
Mingers, John
ORCID
Mingers, John
Venue
The Sociological Review
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2002-05
Volume
50
Issue
2
Pages
278-299
ISSN
  • 0038-0261 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-954X
DOI
10.1111/1467-954x.00367
OpenAlex
W1978626743
Cited by
160
References
85
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 8
FWCI
11.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • The Sociological Review (publishedVersion)
  • Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › German Social Sciences and History
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › Complex Systems and Dynamics
Keywords
autopoiesis, social systems, Niklas Luhmann, second-order cybernetics, self-production, social theory, systems theory

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