Boundary of social system
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| - | According to the German social scientist Niklas | + | According to the German social scientist [[Niklas Luhmann]], [[social systems]] are systems of [[communication]]. They have no fixed delimitations. Every individual is a system in its own because every individual has his own meaning en perspective. |
This would cause a enormous complexity of all kinds of meaning, communication and an infinite number of individual systems. To reduce that complexity a system is formed by a group of actors who use a certain set of communication forms and perspectives. | This would cause a enormous complexity of all kinds of meaning, communication and an infinite number of individual systems. To reduce that complexity a system is formed by a group of actors who use a certain set of communication forms and perspectives. | ||
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The system selects her own specific types of communication. A system is therefore a boundary in itself, created in relation to other systems. The boundaries are related to perspectives, observations and situations. | The system selects her own specific types of communication. A system is therefore a boundary in itself, created in relation to other systems. The boundaries are related to perspectives, observations and situations. | ||
| - | A system can always be found in some form of relation to its environment. Difference is created | + | A system can always be found in some form of relation to its environment. Difference is created because the system exists in an environment, and its boundaries make it different from other systems. For a research question an observation to a specific system, the boundaries and differences are use full to study. This way for observing is valid to a certain extend because boundaries and [[meaning]] can change over time. |
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Published by Ingram Smit (s4091841) & Henkjan van Maanen (s4069048) | Published by Ingram Smit (s4091841) & Henkjan van Maanen (s4069048) | ||
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| + | Links added by [[User:BoudewijnIdema]], 17 October 2011, 20:43 (UTC) | ||
Revision as of 18:43, 17 October 2011
According to the German social scientist Niklas Luhmann, social systems are systems of communication. They have no fixed delimitations. Every individual is a system in its own because every individual has his own meaning en perspective.
This would cause a enormous complexity of all kinds of meaning, communication and an infinite number of individual systems. To reduce that complexity a system is formed by a group of actors who use a certain set of communication forms and perspectives.
The system selects her own specific types of communication. A system is therefore a boundary in itself, created in relation to other systems. The boundaries are related to perspectives, observations and situations.
A system can always be found in some form of relation to its environment. Difference is created because the system exists in an environment, and its boundaries make it different from other systems. For a research question an observation to a specific system, the boundaries and differences are use full to study. This way for observing is valid to a certain extend because boundaries and meaning can change over time.
References:
Vermeer, H.(2006) Luhmann’s “social systems” theorie: preliminary fragments for a theorie of translation.
Gren, M. & Zierhofer, W. (2003) The unity of difference: a critical appraisal of Niklas Luhmann’s theory of social systems in the context of corporeality and spatiality. In: Environment and Planning A. Vol. 35, pp. 615-630.
Published by Ingram Smit (s4091841) & Henkjan van Maanen (s4069048)
Links added by User:BoudewijnIdema, 17 October 2011, 20:43 (UTC)
