Complex phenomena such as play, creativity or innovation are familiar, yet difficult to describe in a systematic manner. In this short article I propose six necessary conditions for any comprehensive description of play. Against this background I discuss my systems-theoretic, constructivist and practice-informed approach to play.
The authors are tackling the issue of strategic steering ofmodern societies. Strategic processes are social processes, eventuating in a special field between individual and collective actors and the emergent social structures. The analysis must therefore take both micro and macro level into account. Social dimensions of these processes can be explained by the “social becoming” approach to the analysis of social reality. Within this approach strategy is located on the level of agency, between individuality and totality. This is the reason for “path-dependent” nature of strategic processes and of development, implying “choice within constraints” approach. Strategic actors have freedom of strategic choice, but this choice is constrained by the social structures and culture.
Complex phenomena such as play, creativity or innovation are familiar, yet difficult to describe in a systematic manner. In this short article I propose six necessary conditions for any comprehensive description of play. Against this background I discuss my systems-theoretic, constructivist and practice-informed approach to play.
Artykuł stawia tezę że między dostępem do prawa i interesem publicznym istnieje sprzeczność. Twierdzenie to uzasadnia przeprowadzając przegląd wybranych argumentów na rzecz dostępu do prawa I odnosząc się do danych empirycznych. Następnie interpretuje sprzeczność przy użyciu socjologicznej teorii prawa, pozwalającej na wskazanie strukturalnych przyczyn tej sprzeczności. Aby pogodzić dostęp do prawa z interesem publicznym, system prawny musi wytworzyć semantykę pozwalającą na lepsze pojmowanie warunków inkluzji społecznej. W szczególności, system prawny powinien w końcu odrzucić przednowoczesną koncepcję dostępu do prawa, zorientowaną na dobroczynność, być w stanie odnieść się do dostępu do prawa jako całości I podejmować kwestię warunków inkluzji prawnej. Jeśli to się nie stanie, konflikt między obydwiema wartościami będzie się reprodukował. Ujęcie dostępu do prawa zaproponowane przez Cappellettiego et al w latach 70 XX wieku jest dobrym punktem wyjścia, ale jest dalece niewystarczające…
EN
The paper argues that there exists a contradiction between access to justice and public interest. It substantiates this claim by reviewing selected arguments for access to justice and by referring to empirical evidence. The contradiction is then interpreted using a sociological theory of law, which enables establishing the structural reasons for such a clash. In order to reconcile access to justice with the public interest, the legal system must develop the semantics allowing for a better understanding of social inclusion conditions. In particular, the legal system must finally do away with pre-modern charity-oriented concept of access to justice, be able to grasp access to justice in its totality and reflect on conditions of legal inclusion. If it fails to do that, it is doomed to reproduce the conflict. The concept of access to justice developed by Cappelletti and others in the 1970s is a good point of departure here, but it is by far insufficient.
The aims of this article are: 1) to offer a deeper and more theoretically grounded understanding of the dysfunctions of the institutional support system for people with disabilities in Poland; and 2) to propose inspirations for a new, ‚agile’ disability policy. To this end the author applies concepts from Niklas Luhmann’s theory of social systems and its more recent interpretations, as well as ideas from so-called complexity theory. It is shown that the dysfunctions of the institutional system can be interpreted as resulting from the system’s autopoiesis and insensitivity to the complexity of the environment. Yet, as the system/environment relationship is precarious, the system could be motivated to redefine itself and to implement solutions that would make it more responsive to the environment. It is argued that an agile disability policy, based on the assumption that complexity is a crucial environmental feature, could be a solution to this problem.
The aim of this article is to describe the phenomenon of teenage depression in the context of the impact of depression on the functioning of the family system. The first part of the paper shows the understanding of the concept of the family on the basis of the system theory, paying special attention to the family life cycle and the function of symptoms in the family system. The second part of the article presents the etiology, symptoms and specificity of teenage depression. The developmental tasks characteristic for the age of adolescence were also reconstructed. The last part of the article is devoted to the ways in which depressioncan be understood from a systemic and family therapy perspective The possible ways and directions of working with a teenager and his parents are also indicated.
In this paper the author interprets the changing role of mass media in social processes over recent decades. Society’s perception of mass media is also investigated, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. The author explores mass media’s position in the societies of the region, asking how these societies interpret media messages. He analyzes the context of people’s reservations about media messages (people’s misgivings, conditioned by social history). One of the key arguments of the paper is that the majority of audiences in the countries concerned have grown more sceptical of mass media messages than have the audiences of Western European countries. According to the author, various social groups consider that the mass media is heavily politicized and that its construction of reality has little in common with their own interpretations.
This study proposes to apply an automated lexical analysis to the European Security Strategy of 2003, entitled “A Secure Europe in a Better World”, and the European Union Global Strategy of 2016, entitled “Shared Vision, Common Acton: A Stronger Europe”. The findings are not limited to supporting the predominant interpretations of scholars and experts, but aim at exploring the usefulness of text mining techniques in the interpretation of EU documents. Furthermore, the conclusions drawn from the lexical analysis are discussed in the light of complex systems theory, which may be beneficial for the proper understanding of the concept of resilience (mainly its multidimensional nature) and its subsequent operationalization. The last part of the paper includes an in-depth analysis of the EU rhetoric on the UN fora (period: 2014–2019) regarding the concept of resilience, in particular its linkages with human rights.
This article provides a theoretical conceptualization of the role of public relations in society based on the “organic theory” of public relations and on Luhmann’s systems theory as well as on the concept of trust. In a postmodern, hypercomplex society, we claim that the main role of public relations is to strengthen system interactions through the creation of trust among systems. To enhance, maintain and ensure trust, public relations practitioners must think, not only strategically, but “metastrategically,” beginning with a normative theory of society that is built on the foundation of existing social theory, e.g. Luhmann, but also on contemporary social theory that must be built within a framework of communication technology.
The trouble of proving the effects of participation lies in the mismatch between three aspects of ownership: physical (possession), legal (ownership proper) and psychological (participation). In our interdisciplinary systemic model of ownership, we propose 10 relationships related to ownership/participation from: „A is a part of B” - greatest involvement to „A does not know about B” - the least involvement. „A” and „B” may take different values of: a person, an institution, a community, a group, an object (material, energetic, informational, purchasing). Once formalized we can view the studies in participation from one, system theory point of view, and formulate hypotheses related to many aspects of ownership. A multilevel analysis with multiple measures of both participation and effectiveness from two data sets has supported the proposed model.
Niklas Luhmann (1927–1998) is one of the most distinguished sociologists of the twentieth cen-tury and the author of systems theory, which to a great extent has been accommodated into lin-guistics. Dietrich Schwanitz (1940–2004), an anglicist, is one of the most interesting interpreters of Luhmann on the basis of literary studies. Schwanitz is also known as a writer and author of the novel Campus (Der Campus, 1995). The main character, a sociologist, Hanno Hackmann, is wrongly accused of the sexual harassment and rape of a student. His reckless romance is exploited by various people in the university milieu to achieve their own goals. In fact, these people are, however, only the representatives of various social systems, especially politics and the media. Striving for re-election, the university rector needs this matter for his campaign, and the media are only interested in a scandalous story to be exploited for some time. Social communication does not reflect reality, and, at the same time, can be described as based on the “reduction of complexi-ty” (“Komplexitätsreduktion”). This is one of the most important concepts in Niklas Luhmann’s work. It turns out that systems theory provides the specific key to interpret the novel.
The concept of “information metabolism” by Antoni Kępiński and “autopoiesis” by Niklas Luhmann refer back to the structure of biological cells. Both authors assign these biological structures to their respective fields of application. While Kępiński seeks to determine the functioning of the psyche, Luhmann integrates the biological approach into his theory of living and psychic systems. While reading Kępiński’s and Luhmann’s work, it becomes clear that both authors point to the close relationship between the psychological system and the psychic system with their respective environment. In Luhmann’s work, the relationship between the system and the environment is extensively described and elaborated. Against this background, his remarks are used in this paper to reflect on Kępiński’s idea of “information metabolism”, understood as the relationship between the psyche and the environment.
DE
Die Konzepte „Informationsmetabolismus“ von Antoni Kępiński und „Autopoiesis“ von Niklas Luhmann rekurrieren auf die Struktur biologischer Zellen. Beide Autoren übertragen diese biologischen Strukturen auf ihre jeweiligen Anwendungsfelder. Während Kępiński die Funktionsweise der Psyche zu bestimmen sucht, integriert Luhmann den biologischen Ansatz in seine Systemtheorie der lebenden und psychischen Systeme. Bei der Lektüre von Kępińskis und Luhmanns Arbeiten wird deutlich, dass beide Autoren das Verhältnis zwischen einerseits Psyche und andererseits psychischem System mit ihrer jeweiligen Umwelt näher bestimmen. In Luhmanns Werk ist das Verhältnis zwischen System und Umwelt umfangreich beschrieben und ausgearbeitet. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden seine Ausführungen im Folgenden verwendet, um Kępińskis Überlegungen zum „Informationsmetabolismus“, dem Verhältnis von Psyche und Umwelt, zu reflektieren.
The e aim of this article is to cultivate Schmitt’s concept of the political, employing a funcional-systematic framework which was formulated in German sociology and social philosophy. By way of Luhmann’s systems theory and Habermas‘ systemising reconstruction of Weber’s conception of spheres of value, a model of intensity is worked out, which is constituted by two concepts: differentiation and politicisation. Whereas the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann is significant for the final delineation of the political as a system, Habermas’s Kantian differentiation of culture grounds the semantics of politicisation. This semantics also exploits considerations about re-distribution and recognition, with particular attention on Nancy Fraser’s “perspectival dualism”. The reason for cultivating Schmitt’s concept of the political is to develop the political as an independent concept which is an alternative to a conception that concentrates the political in politically active or activated civil society.
The article deals with the issue of structural and cohesion funding by the European Union in Poland. Although all funds for the first programming period 2004–6 were allocated, the process did not occur without problems. Therefore, in our paper we point to the weaknesses of the system and some of the crucial barriers that hindered efficient fund allocation: faulty institutional and legal framework, bureaucracy, corruption and personnel deficits. We base our findings on research of interviews carried out in four regions of Poland. Referring to Niklas Luhmann’s theory of autopoietic system, we sketch an image of an unevenly differentiated political system, in which administration and politics prevail over the underdeveloped and weak public, incapable of counteracting trends of politicization and expanded bureaucracy. By showing evolution and reproduction of the system, we relate to its deficits and their importance to future use of the flow of EU funds.
W 2017 r. podjęto decyzję o zamknięciu Biura Narodów Zjednoczonych ds. Sportu na rzecz Rozwoju i Pokoju (UNOSDP). Niniejsze badanie jakościowe ma na celu przeanalizowanie przyczyn zamknięcia, a także jego wpływu na rolę sportu w aspekcie rozwoju i pokoju w Organizacji Narodów Zjednoczonych. Opierając się na teorii systemów, przeprowadziliśmy wywiady z uczestnikami z odpowiednich organizacji. Wykazano, że Biuro NZ ds. Sportu na rzecz Rozwoju i Pokoju zmieniło tryb pracy, a nowo wyznaczone zadania, jak również ich realizacja, wzbudzały kontrowersje. Ponadto, szerzej zakrojone zmiany w polityce rozwojowej wytyczyły nowe ramy dla krzewienia idei sportu na rzecz rozwoju i pokoju.
EN
In 2017, it was decided that the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) is to be closed. This qualitative study aims to analyse the reasons for the closure as well as its effects on Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) in the United Nations. Against the background of the systems theory, we conducted interviews with participants from relevant organisations. It is shown that the way the UNOSDP worked underwent a change and that the new tasks as well as their fulfilment were viewed controversially. Additionally, broader changes in development policy set a new frame for SDP.
Структурная политика обладает значительным влиянием на менеджмент инноваций в секторе электроэнергетики. Чтобы быть эффективной, структурная политика должна быть адаптирована к местным, национальным и международным условиям. С целью определения, как эффективно провести адаптацию структурной политики, необходимо внимательно изучить сложившуюся ситуацию. Для развития сектора возобновляемой электроэнергии структурная политика играет даже еще более важную роль. Краткий анализ литературы по данной теме показал, что для развивающихся стран, имеющих низкий уровень доступа к электричеству, внедрение миниэлектросистем открывает новые возможности. На местном уровне в каждом отдельном случае необходимо определять, какой тип миниэлектросиситем внедрять, а также как увеличить долю возобновляемой энергии, подаваемой в миниэлектросистему. Также важно рассмотреть существующие структурные механизмы, используемые в области применения миниэлектросистем и развития возобновляемой энергетики, обращая внимание на то, как каждый из механизмов влияет на инновации в энергетическом секторе. Данное исследование посвящено анализу типов применяемой структурной политики.
UK
Структурна політика має значний вплив на менеджмент інновацій в секторі електроенергетики. Щоб бути ефективною, структурна політика повинна бути адаптована до місцевих, національних та міжнародних умов. З метою визначення, як ефективно провести адаптацію структурної політики, необхідно уважно вивчити ситуацію, що склалася в кожній окремій місцевості. Для розвитку сектора відновлюваної електроенергії структурна політика відіграє навіть ще більш важливу роль. Короткий аналіз літератури по даній темі показав, що країни, що розвиваються, мають низький рівень доступу до електрики, і впровадження мініелектросистем відкриває для них нові можливості. На місцевому рівні в кожному окремому випадку необхідно визначати, який тип мініелектросісітем впроваджувати, а також як збільшити частку відновлюваної енергії, яка подається в мініелектросистему. Також важливо розглянути існуючі структурні механізми, застосовані в області мініелектросистем і розвитку відновлюваної енергетики, звертаючи увагу на те, як кожен з механізмів впливає на інновації в енергетичному секторі. Дане дослідження присвячене аналізу типів структурної політики, що можуть бути застосовані.
EN
The framework policy has a significant impact on the management of innovation in the electricity sector. To be effective, the framework policy should be adapted to the local, national, and international context. In order to find out how to adapt the policy framework efficiently, it is important to carefully examine the existing situation. When considering the development of renewable energy technology for electricity generation, policy framework plays a more important role. A short literature review analysis on the topic reveals that for developing countries having a low electricity access rate, the deployment of mini-grid presents a huge opportunity. In each local context it is important, however, to define which type of mini-grid should be adapted and how to increase the renewable energy share of mini-grid. It is also important to review the different existing policy mechanisms related to mini-grid and renewable energy development and consider how each mechanism can influence innovation in the electricity sector. The current research is dedicated to the framework policy analysis only.
Pod koniec pierwszego ćwierćwiecza XXI w. rzucają się w oczy narastające dysfunkcje i patologie wielkich systemów oraz ich elementów, a zarazem, za pośrednictwem wszechobecnych związków i zależności wzajemnych, całych mgławic mniejszych podmiotów łącznie z rodzinami i mini firmami. Autor stawia pytanie, czy nie należałoby powrócić do niektórych założeń, instrumentów i metod podejścia systemowego z lat 50., 60. i 70. XX w., które według zamierzeń jego twórców miało umożliwiać uzdrawianie wielkich systemów. Czy osiągnięcia badawcze ostatnich dziesięcioleci pozwalają wypełnić te luki poznawcze, które zdecydowały o niepowodzeniach podejścia systemowego w ubiegłym wieku? Owe luki to przede wszystkim społeczne mechanizmy funkcjonowania zorganizowanych systemów. Nie ma najmniejszych wątpliwości, że dokonał się w tym obszarze ogromny postęp głownie dzięki badaniom interdyscyplinarnym i prowadzonym w ramach wyłonionych w ostatnich latach dyscyplin „hybrydowych”, takich jak socjologia i psychologia ekonomiczna, organizacji i zarządzania czy ekonomia behawioralna lub finanse behawioralne, nowoczesna ekonomia polityczna, ale także hybrydowe nauki prawne, takie jak ekonomia, socjologia i polityka prawa, nauki polityczne i analizy strategiczne. Zdaniem Autora potrzebna jest próba swoistej reaktywacji podejścia systemowego w zastosowaniu do diagnostyki i uzdrawiania, czyli przeprojektowywania systemów organizacyjnych, a właściwie dynamicznych powiązań w sieci. Konieczna jest modyfikacja klasycznej procedury analizy systemowej i dostosowanie jej do specyfiki zmiennych układów powiązań sieciowych w XXI wieku.
EN
As we are nearing the end of the first 25 years of the 21st century. What is increasingly noticeable is the growing dysfunction and pathology of big systems and of their elements, including – given the omnipresent interrelations and interdependencies – entire masses of smaller entities, together with micro- and family businesses. The author asks a question of whether it could be reasonable to consider returning to some of the assumptions, instruments, and methods adopted within the framework of the systems approach from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, which was originally conceived and created to treat big systems. Do the achievements made in the field of research in recent decades make it possible to bridge the cognitive gaps that determined the failure of the systems approach in the past century? These gaps are mainly the social mechanisms of functioning of organised systems. There is absolutely no doubt that we have seen huge progress in this domain, mostly thanks to interdisciplinary research and research conducted in recently-emergent “hybrid” disciplines like economic or organisational sociology and psychology, sociology and psychology of management, behavioural economics, behavioural finance, contemporary political economics, but also hybrid legal sciences such as: economics, sociology, and politics of law, political sciences and strategic analyses. The author argues that we need an attempt of a certain reactivation of the systems approach in the context of diagnostics and treatment, meaning a redesign of entire organisational systems– or dynamic connections in a networked structure, actually. It is necessary to modify the classical procedure of systems analysis and adapt it to the specific nature of the changeable networked structures of the 21st century.
Ecological (environmental) security can be defined as a permanent state of no threats to environmental balance. The security understood that way is analyzed in the context of national security. National security is more and more often being described as a system. This publication assumes that no state will be able to maintain its integrity unless it provides an appropriate level of ecological security perceived as systemic environmental protection. A secure state is the one taking care of the natural environment. This approach results from the systems philosophy, promoted in the publication, concerning the perception of ecological security as one of the areas (subsystems) of the global national security system (supersystem). A proper condition of the natural environment framed by state borderlines is reflected in other system-related domains shaping the global national security system. The issues mentioned in the publication are going to be juxtaposed with the concept of the national security of Poland; still, these remarks are going to be of general nature, going beyond the context of Poland.
Pojęcia dewiacji i anomii rozpatrywane w ujęciu systemowym mogą ułatwić szersze spojrzenie na bardzo wiele zachodzących we współczesnym świecie zróżnicowanych zjawisk, które można określić jako dewiacyjne bądź bliskie dewiacji, a także dostrzeżenie czynnikow je wyzwalających. Każdy system społeczny wymaga zachowania minimalnego porządku - wyznaczenia liczby dopuszczalnych zachowań, normalności zbudowanej nie na wskazaniu porządku, lecz na ograniczeniu nieporządku, czyli wyznaczeniu ilości i rodzaju dostępnych informacji, a więc ustanowieniu zakresu „normalności”. Współcześnie za sprawą dyferencjacji system społeczny przyzwala na coraz większy zakres nieporządku (Luhmann 2007b, s. 111-113). Poza procesem dyferencjacji w systemie społecznym o charakterze funkcjonalnym obserwuje się procesy odpływu latencji, refleksyjności, a przede wszystkim stałą anomię społeczną. Współczesna powszechność dewiacji, zwłaszcza takich, które można określić jako „słabe”, bądź też z pogranicza dewiacji, a także niejasność tego, co dewiacyjne, związana jest z szybkim tempem przemian z jednej strony, płynnością i skomplikowaniem struktury, a z drugiej z trwałością percepcji i semantyk, zachowywaną za sprawą socjalizacji i ciągłości kultury.
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