TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– To explore the sociological concept of autopoiesis (N. Luhmann), investigate its interdisciplinary roots and demonstrate its practical relevance.Design/methodology/approach– The biological concept of autopoiesis (H. Maturana/F. Varela) and the philosophical concept of meaning (E. Husserl) are first discussed with respect to their contribution to the development of the sociological concept of autopoiesis. The autopoietic mechanism of three different social systems is then described, and the practical relevance of the sociological concept of autopoiesis demonstrated using the example of governance.Findings– The scientific positioning of the sociological approach to autopoiesis is two‐fold. On the one hand, it is firmly rooted in the scientific tradition and, on the other, its originality is determined by the adaptation and new combination of existing concepts. Although this adaptation‐combination process has provoked some criticism, the result does matter because it enriches the theoretical and empirical analysis which we use to explain the dynamics of modern societies.Practical implications– The application of the sociological concept of autopoiesis to politics gives new insights into the opportunities and barriers of governance processes.Originality/value– Positioning of the sociological concept of autopoiesis within the scientific tradition and its application (beyond metaphorical usage) as an analytical tool.
VL  - 35
IS  - 3/4
SN  - 0368-492X
DO  - 10.1108/03684920610653674
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920610653674
AU  - Buchinger Eva
ED  - Bernard Scott
ED  - Vissela Misheva
ED  - Cor van Dijkum
PY  - 2006
Y1  - 2006/01/01
TI  - The sociological concept of autopoiesis: Biological and philosophical basics and governance relevance
T2  - Kybernetes
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 360
EP  - 374
Y2  - 2021/03/06
ER  -