scholarly journals Uninvited Dinner Guests: A Theoretical Perspective on the Antagonists of Journalism Based on Serres’ Parasite

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-98
Author(s):  
Gerret Von Nordheim ◽  
Katharina Kleinen-von Königslöw
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Primary System ◽  
Host System ◽  
Weak Points ◽  
System Output ◽  
Journalistic System

In the digital age, the crisis of journalism has been exacerbated by antagonistic actors infiltrating the journalistic system without adhering to its norms or logic. Journalism itself has been ill-prepared to respond to this challenge, but journalism theory and research have also had trouble in grasping these phenomena. It is thus the aim of this article to propose a theoretical perspective on a specific set of antagonists characterized by its paradoxical nature. It is ‘the excluded third, included’ as described by Serres, the parasite that is both part of the system and its antagonist. From the perspective of systems theory, the parasite is a subsystem that threatens the integrity of the primary system. Thus, the parasite is defined by the relations that describe its position, its behaviour towards the host system. Due to these peculiarities—this contradiction, this vagueness—it evades a classical bivalent logic. This may be one reason why the paradoxical nature of the antagonist from within, the ‘uninvited dinner guest,’ has not been described as such until now. The parasitic practices follow the logic of the hacker: He is the digital manifestation of Serres’ parasite. Accordingly, parasitic strategies can be described as news hacks whose attack vectors target a system’s weak points with the help of specific strategies. In doing so, they not only change the system output but also compromise its values and exploit its resources.

Systems Theory and Journalism

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armin Scholl ◽  
Maja Malik
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Functional Differentiation ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Niklas Luhmann ◽  
External Observer

Observing, describing, and analyzing journalism as part of society requires theories on a macro level. Unlike normative theories, which criticize journalism with respect to its achievements and failures within society, systems theory operates with the concept of function in a non-normative sense. Based on the groundwork of Talcott Parsons’ theory of social systems, Niklas Luhmann developed systems theory further and radicalized it by strictly avoiding any kind of structural conservatism. His approach is built on the assumption that social systems operate autonomously on the basis of the functional differentiation to their environment. Macro-level systems, i.e., societal systems, fulfill unique functions for and within society. Functional autonomy and singularity make a modern society highly efficient but force each system to rely on the functional performances of all other societal systems. Hence, societal systems are structurally coupled and interdependent. Epistemologically, systems do not exist as ontological units but are strictly observer-related, be the observer the system itself or an external observer, such as the scientific community is. In journalism research, Luhmann’s systems theory has been applied to journalism as a societal system. Several competing approaches with different perspectives on the system observed (journalism, the mass media, or the public sphere) have been developed with respect to identifying the basic characteristics on which the system operates. Despite their differences they have this in common: journalism is not considered the sum of individual journalists and their (individual) way of working, instead, the systems-theoretical perspective is holistic. However, compared to theories of professionalism, which is also a holistic concept, systems theory neither identifies journalism with the profession of journalism, nor commits it to professional journalism. Instead, the structure of journalism is flexible, i.e., functionally equivalent, as long as its function is fulfilled. This function can be specified: journalism provides society periodically with current, independent, factual, and relevant information. Empirically, systems theory helps defining the population of journalists by deducing it from its function. Unlike mere empirical approaches, which arbitrarily draw samples from an unknown population, it is possible to clearly draw distinctions between journalism and other forms of public communication, such as public relations, advertising, propaganda, or lay communication. Still, it is challenging to operationalize such an abstract theory, as it is not specially made for hypothesis-driven research.

Utilizing Systems Theory Insights and Reflexive Law to Negotiate the “Collision between… Un-connecting Worlds” in Family Law

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 212-243
Author(s):  
Tristan Cummings
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Legal Theory ◽  
Family Law ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
General Application ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This article defends an analytical framework based on systems theory, reflexive law, and Teubner’s regulatory trilemma. J v B exemplifies the numerous overlapping social relations, and forms a case study on the relationship between the State, community, and minority religious individuals, and on how this relationship can break down from the systems theoretical perspective. The article uses this case as a testing ground for a modified systems theoretical approach, treating this conflict between family law and religion as a regulatory problem. Although it centers on English family law, the article should be read as a piece of normative legal theory of general application. In the final section, it explores reflexive secularity and how this may apply in cases where law and religion interact, such as J v B.

Attractors and Locked-In Art: Art History as a Complex System

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Halsall
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Theoretical Approach ◽  
Art History ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Dominant Mode ◽  
Theoretical Terms ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Do So ◽  
Systems Of Support

My speculation in this paper is to consider, in short, what if art history is a system? In other words what does it means to think about art through the systems-thinking. To do so would mean understanding both art as a system and how art is also a part of other systems. It is my overall claim that to do so would require a rethinking of particular ideas about art and art history in ways that are both radical and effective. I begin by introducing some key feature of the systems-thinking approach. In short, systems thinking emerged in the mid 20th century along with related theories such as Cybernetics and Information Theory. Recently it expanded to incorporate the developments of 2nd order cybernetics (Bateson) and dynamical systems theory (von Bertalanffy); examples of such developments include the Social Systems Theory of Niklas Luhmann and the use of systems by Bruno Latour and Gilles Deleuze. Whilst often very different these theories share an interest in: self-organizing systems; their behaviour and how they are defined by their interactions with their immediate environment. Systems-theory understands phenomena in terms of the systems of which they are part. A system is constituted by a number of interrelated elements that form a ‘whole’ different from the sum of its individual parts. When applied to art discourse it means considering not only works of art but also art museums, art markets, and art histories as systems that are autonomous, complex, distributed and self-organising. Examples of these types of speculations are offered. I conclude with two key speculations as to what the adoption of the systems-theoretical approach within art history might entail. Firstly, I argue that it is particularly effective in dealing with art after modernism, which is characterised by, amongst other things: non-visual qualities; unstable, or de-materialised physicality and an engagement (often politicised) with the institutional systems of support. By prioritising the systems of support over the individual work of art, or the agency of the individual artist such an approach is not tied by an umbilical cord of vision to an analysis based on traditional art historical categories such as medium, style and iconography. Secondly, I identify a tradition within art historical writing – Podro called it the Critical Historians of Art – that is known in the German tradition as Kunstwissenschaft (the systematic, or rigorous study of art.) I do so both as a means of clarifying what I mean when I say art history; but also as a means of identifying a tradition within art history of self-reflexivity and systematic investigation of methods and limits. From a systems-theoretical perspective it is an interesting question in its own right to ask why model of Kunstwissenschaft has become the dominant mode of historiography (since the 1980s at least). As a discourse it has become, in systems-theoretical terms, ‘locked-in’ (via positive feedback). It is my view that the systems theoretical approach to art discourse places it within the art historical tradition of Kunstwissenschaft, and is not in opposition to it. In summary, it is not my intention to either attack or defend a straw-man, or flimsy stereotype of what art history is. I am rather, seeking a body of work, a canon, or discursive system, with which to engage. Overall my claim is that the systems theoretical approach to art discourse is a continuation of this rich and worthy heritage (of finding historical models to match the art under scrutiny)—not a break from it.

The Holon/Parton Structure of the Meme, or The Unit of Culture

2019 ◽  
pp. 795-811
Author(s):  
J. T. Velikovsky
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Evolutionary Systems ◽  
Symbol Systems ◽  
Scientific Tool

This chapter uses systems theory and complexity theory to describe the holon/parton structure of the unit of culture, also known as the meme. The structure of the unit of culture viewed as the holon-parton is a conceptual, theoretical, practical, and scientific tool for identifying and analyzing units (as parts, and as wholes), potentially within all symbol systems in culture. The theoretical perspective adopted in this chapter is evolutionary systems theory. Memes are defined as units of culture, or ideas, processes, or products.

Governance and democracy in European systems: on systems theory and European integration

2002 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
MATHIAS ALBERT
Keyword(s):  
European Integration ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Political System ◽  
Social Evolution ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
European Constitution ◽  
System A

The article proposes to conjoin the analysis of European integration and a modern systems theory of society. At first identifying some deficiencies in current debates on governance and democracy in Europe, it then introduces some tenets of modern systems theory relevant for the argument, focusing on the notions of ‘world society’;, ‘structural coupling’, and ‘social evolution’;. Using the debate on an emerging European constitution as an example, it then demonstrates how a systems-theoretical perspective can help to resituate the account of a European constitutionalism in the overall evolution of world society's legal and political systems. In an equal fashion, it proposes to sharpen the theoretical discussion on democracy in Europe by first outlining the function of legitimacy in a functionally differentiated political system. A concluding section comments on the ‘value added’ of a modern systems-theoretical perspective which is still uncommon in European Studies and IR.

Second Language Developmental Dynamics: How Dynamic Systems Theory Accounts for Issues in Second Language Learning

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosmawati
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Dynamic Systems ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Dynamic Systems Theory ◽  
L2 Development ◽  
Holistic Research

Dynamic systems theory (DST) is presented in this article as a suitable approach to research the acquisition of second language (L2) because of its close alignment with the process of second language learning. Through a process of identifying and comparing the characteristics of a dynamic system with the process of L2 learning, this article illustrates that L2 development is indeed a dynamic process. This article argues that DST has not only broadened the theoretical perspective, but also enriched the practical and methodological approaches in the second language developmental research enterprise. DST has the potential to bridge the gap between reductionist and holistic research practice in the Second Language Acquisition (SLA) field and to advance our understanding of L2 acquisition and development. This article argues that incorporating DST into cross-disciplinary inquiries will strengthen its practical application. It concludes by pointing out some directions to apply this framework and to expand beyond its current state.

scholarly journals The Effects of Juridification on States Exiting International Institutions

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-294
Author(s):  
Nicolas Kang-Riou ◽  
David Rossati
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
International Institutions ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Legal Regime ◽  
Legal Concept ◽  
Legal Context ◽  
The One ◽  
Endogenous Process

This article complements the doctrine of termination of membership by arguing that at times international organizations (‘ios’) can still exert considerable normative effects on states that withdraw or express the intent to withdraw from them. We capture this continuing influence, which can collide with the exiting state’s intended goal of regaining control over specific issues, with a theoretical framework based on juridification as a socio-legal concept of systems theory in the international legal context. The aim is to explain the endogenous process of legal growth within the io via bureaucratisation and expert rule, which eventually affects the norms of the wider legal regime where the io operates. With three case studies of io exits, we illustrate the continuation of normative structures promoted directly or indirectly by the io, according to two legal techniques of juridification: third-party interpretation on the one hand, and the extended reach of norms and processes through the work of non-state actors on the other. Overall, widening the theoretical perspective on state exits under systems theory can lead to more complete judgements on the tensions between domestic and supranational systems in the expansion of global normative regimes.

scholarly journals Theatrical Complicity as a Medium of Emancipation

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Thomas Rosendal Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Niklas Luhmann ◽  
Royal Court ◽  
Performance Group ◽  
Theatrical Representation ◽  
The Spectator ◽  
And Performance

How do we find a solution when we ourselves are the problem? This is the question posed by two contemporary performances that frame the spectator as an accomplice in the exploitation and representation of suffering and violence in a globalized and mediatized world: Sálo (2010), based on Pier Paolo Passolini’s film by the same name (1975), by the Danish performance group SIGNA in cooperation with Teater Republique; and the Royal Court Theatre’s production of Tim Crouch’s The Author (2009), co-directed by Karl James and a smith. By applying the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann, the two performances are analysed and compared as elaborately structured games of observation, where the spectators are made to observe their own acts of spectating as complicity in the reproduction of violence caused by theatrical representation. Jaques Rancière’s paradox of the spectator and Josette Féral’s concept of theatricality are re-described in a systems theoretical perspective in order to show how the theatrical attribution of guilt to the spectator can work as a medium of emancipation. The explication of the different dramaturgies makes it possible to distinguish between how self-righteous, self-examining, progressive and ‘tragicist’ conceptions of emancipation are given form in different ways and measures in the two performances. In this way, the article aims to contribute to the qualification and expansion of a critical discourse on participatory theatre and performance beneath the loosely defined horizon of a modern theatre of emancipation.

Capability Search and Redeem across Digital Ecosystems

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisen Selander ◽  
Ola Henfridsson ◽  
Fredrik Svahn
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Device ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Visual Basic ◽  
Digital Music ◽  
Digital Ecosystems ◽  
Digital Ecosystem ◽  
Focal Firm

Prior research on digital ecosystems focuses on the focal firm (e.g., a platform owner) and its ecosystem governance. However, there is a dearth of literature examining the non-focal actor, that is, an ecosystem participant who is at the periphery of a digital ecosystem. This paper proposes a theoretical perspective of the non-focal firm's participation across digital ecosystems for cultivating its innovation habitat through capability search and redeem. Capability search involves the location of external capability deemed valuable for extending the firm's innovation habitat. Capability redeem refers to the firm's use of external capability to develop, distribute, and/or monetize its products and services. We generate and sensitize the proposed perspective in the context of Sony Ericsson's innovation habitat by interpreting the mobile device manufacturer's participation across four digital ecosystems (Visual Basic, Java, Digital Music, and Android). Our findings suggest that the non-focal actor cannot rely on a single ecosystem for addressing all relevant layers of innovation. It benefits from pursuing a pluralistic strategy, operating across digital ecosystems to avoid investing all efforts in the same ecosystem. The model of ecosystem capability search and redeem, which is a result of ideographic research explanation, extends current perspectives on digital ecosystems and contributes to the emerging literature in the digital age.

Means vs ends: theorizing a definition of human resource development

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1165-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg G. Wang ◽  
Jon M. Werner ◽  
Judy Y. Sun ◽  
Ann Gilley ◽  
Jerry W. Gilley
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Hard Core ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Western World ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Host System ◽  
Definition Of

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extant human resource development (HRD) definition research literature and theorizes a new definition of HRD. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopted keyword and content analyses to examine selected 32 HRD definitions in relation to different organizational and sociopolitical contexts base on theory development criteria and methodology for definition research. Findings From a theoretical perspective, the extant definitions were mostly empirical descriptions of HRD practice with conceptualization being absent. From a context perspective, the definitions were based on HRD phenomena indigenous to the western world, especially the USA and Western Europe. They can hardly explain HRD phenomena in a non-western context. The glaring gaps lead to theorizing a new definition by focusing on the hard core of HRD in defining and criterial attributes. The defining attribute of HRD is its host-system-dependence, and the criterial attributes are its shaping and skilling mechanisms. Research limitations/implications This study unveils that HRD is a means to support the ends defined by the corresponding host system, and not an end in itself. This definition is applicable to different sociopolitical, cultural, and organizational contexts. It provides clear criteria and boundaries to gauge the relevance of HRD research and shows the unique identity of HRD, thus offering new directions to expand the landscape of HRD research. Practical implications The new definition can help human resources practitioners better understand the role and mechanism of HRD that the worldwide practitioners can resonate in various sociocultural and political contexts. Communicating the definition and goals of HRD will enhance internal clients’ understanding and appreciation of the value of HRD. Originality/value This study fills important research gaps in HRD definition research. It is the first HRD definition derived through a rigorous theory development process. The new definition connects the HRD research niche to the general human resource literature and lead to new HRD research.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document