PRE-CONGRESS TUTORIALS ON SOCIOCYBERNETICS

_____________________________________________________________ISA - International Sociological Association

XVIth WORLD CONGRESS OF SOCIOLOGYTHE QUALITY OF SOCIAL EXISTENCE IN A GLOBALISING WORLD

Durban, South Africa, July 23-29, 2006

RESEARCH COMMITTEE 51 (RC 51) ON SOCIOCYBERNETICS- Science of Social Systems -

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dtutrc51.doc 1

PRE-CONGRESS TUTORIALS ON SOCIOCYBERNETICS

(Still to be confirmed by the Congress Local Organizing Committee in Durban)

Official Congress timetable and proposed tutorials

2006 9:00-12:00 13:30-15:30 15:45-17:45 18:00-20:00 20:00 till late

Saturday22 July

RC51:Tutorials

RC51 Tutorials: 1) Systems Theory & Cybernetics 2) Constructivism 3) Cyberculture

RC51 Tutorials

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RC51 Tutorials

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Sunday23 July

RC51:Tutorials

RC51 Tutorials 4) Luhmanns Theory 5) Innovation 6) Methodology for Empirical Research

RC51 Tutorials

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RC51 Tutorials

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CongressOpeningCeremony.Reception

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Sociocybernetics - Social Science for Globalization and Complexity

A key phenomenon in globalization and the emergence of a worldwide knowledge societyis the rapidly increasing complexity of all areas of life which holds both promises andthreats for the quality of life of human beings and social entities likes groups,organizations, and society. Coping with overwhelming complexity is a need of the day anda sociology which is not capable of dealing with complexity and theorizing about it isdoomed to become irrelevant. If sociology is to survive and, much more, to developperspectives for the future, it necessarily has to become a science of social complexity.Implicitly or explicitly it is bound to become systemic. Sociology as systems science, orrather systems science in sociology, has been institutionalized within the InternationalSociological Association (ISA) in its “Research Committee 51 (RC 51) onSociocybernetics”. Sociocybernetics is systems science and cybernetics applied insociology and other social sciences. We talk about systems science, because the topic isnot only systems theory and cybernetics, but also axiology - i.e. the study of values andethics -, epistemology, methodology, application, and empirical research.

While the scientific programme of RC 51 will present the cutting edge of currentsociocybernetic research, the tutorial programme is designed to present in a coherent andsystematic way basic concepts and notions. These evidently cannot be explained in theframework of the scientific presentations although they are necessary to understand them.

The tutorial programme of RC 51 covers the two major streams of theory withinsociocybernetics (i.e. first-order and second-order cybernetics), possibilities of itsapplication, and methodology for empirical research.

RC 51 TUTORIAL PROGRAMME ON SOCIOCYBERNETICS

1. Theory 1: Introduction to Systems Theory and Cybernetics: Saturday, July 22, 2006. Bernard Scott, Cranfield University, Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham, Swindon, Wilts, UK. Duration: 1 day.

The development of systems theory and cybernetics will be presented, explaining theirinter-relations and overlaps along with their key concepts and findings. Activities andopportunities for discussion are designed to bring the concepts and findings to life.

2. Epistemology: Social and scientific constructivism explained: Saturday, July 22, 2006. Arne Kjellman, Stockholm University and KTH, Sweden. Duration: 1 day.

This tutorial presents an outline of holistic knowledge and thinking - the subject-oriented(subjectivist’s) approach, which neither divides mind from matter, the observer from theobserved nor the subject from the object. The aim is to pave the way for a reorientation ofhuman scientific thinking by pointing out severe shortcomings of the classical object-oriented (objectivist) approach to knowledge. The latter has been the prevailing scientificview since Galileo and Newton. It was useful in physics, but it can work neither in the life

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sciences and social sciences nor in quantum physics where the observations made veryoften affect their objects. A radical reorientation of our thinking is required – a real shift ofparadigm in the Kuhnian sense. This is what the tutorial is about.

3. Application 1: Introduction to Cybercultur@: Researching and Developing Infor- mation, Communication, and Knowledge Production Cultures from the Periphery: Saturday, July 22, 2006. Jorge A. González, Margarita Maass, and José Amozurrutia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico. Duration: 1 day.

The tutorial deals with the theoretical and practical construction of Cybercultur@, both asa research interest and as a process of cognitive and structural development against thenormal ideologies of the digital divide and the information society. It will involve apresentation and collective discussion about the way in which the so called developingcountries are playing a "designed" role in XXIst century society.

4. Theory 2: Niklas Luhmann's Theory of Social Systems: Sunday, July 23, 2006. Diane Laflamme, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada; Bernd R. Hornung, University of Marburg, Germany. Duration: 1 day.

On the background of general systems theory Luhmann's key concepts will be explainedsystematically and coherently. This will permit the participants to apply this framework toparticular sociological issues. The latter will be done in group work.

5. Application 2: Enterprise, Invention, Innovation, and Sociocybernetics: Sunday, July 23, 2006. Matjaz Mulej, University of Maribor, Slovenia. Duration: 1 day.

Sociocybernetics is about mastering complex human/societal relations. It applies systemstheory to support holistic thinking rather than over-specialization in an innovative society,in which today the most advanced 20% of humankind live. The term innovation denotesboth the process of making a successful novelty and its outcome. Humankind is facing theinnovation paradox whereby those who most urgently need innovation are the ones wholike it the least. The aim of this tutorial is to help its participants to understand the basics ofinnovation in the innovative society and to open the door to innovation management.

6. Methodology: Sociocybernetic Methodology and Methods for Empirical Systems Research: Sunday, July 23, 2006. Chaime Marcuello, University of Zaragoza, Spain. Duration: 1 day.

A problem-oriented systematic conceptual reference model will be presented forelaborating specific theoretical frameworks for the analysis of different problems rangingfrom the global level to local issues and from transnational organizations to small groups.It will be shown how the toolkit of existing methods of empirical research can beintegrated and used in a sociocybernetic context and methodology.

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Language

All tutorials will be given in English, one of the official languages of the XVIth WorldCongress of Sociology and of the ISA. All course materials will be provided in English.The participants are expected to take an active part in the tutorials and will therefore need asufficient command of English.

Place and Date

The tutorials will be held in the time between 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. during the two dayspreceding the XVIth World Congress of Sociology:

Saturday, July 22, 2006: Tutorials 1, 2, and 3.Sunday, July 23, 2006: Tutorials 4, 5, and 6.

All tutorials will start at 9:00 am.

The venue still has to be agreed with the ISA Congress Local Organizing Committee inDurban. It will be announced to the participants in due time.

Registration and Payment

FEES: 100 USD per person.

Students with a valid student ID receive a reduction of 50 %. This has to be requested atthe time of registration.

Participants booking 2 tutorials receive a reduction of 50% on the second tutorial booked.

Since the number of places available in each tutorial is limited such as to permit adequatepossibilities for questions, discussions, group work, etc., places will be allocated on a first-come first-serve basis.

REGISTRATIONS can be made by fax or by e-mail contacting:

Diane Laflamme, Tutorial Manager and Treasurer of RC51Fax: (514)-987-4337Université du Québec à MontréalMontréal, Canada

On-the-spot registration will be possible depending on open places.

PAYMENTS are to be made in cash in Durban at the tutorials in order to simplify andeconomize on administrative procedures.

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Tutorial Organization Committee and Contacts

Barry Gibson, Tutorial Programme Chairperson, <[email protected]>Diane Laflamme, Tutorial Manager & Treasurer RC51, <ad.laflamme @sympatico.ca>Felix Geyer, Honorary President of RC 51, <[email protected]>Bernd R. Hornung, President of RC51, <[email protected]>Karl-Heinz Simon, RC 51 World Congress Programme Coordinator,

<[email protected]>

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TUTORIALS ON SOCIOCYBERNETICSDetailed Descriptions

Tutorial 1Duration: One Day

INTRODUCTION TO SYSTEMS THEORY AND CYBERNETICS

Tutorial with activities presented by

Bernard Scott

Senior Lecturer in Electronically-Enhanced LearningCranfield UniversityRoyal Military College of ScienceShrivenham, SwindonWilts SN6 8LAE-Mail: <[email protected]> Fax: +44 (0) 1793 782753

Historically, systems theory and cybernetics developed in different contexts. NorbertWiener (1948) first distinguished cybernetics as a new discipline, the science of controland communication in the animal and the machine, following the successes ofmathematicians, engineers and biologists, anthropologists, psychologists and others whohad shed light on the nature of purposive, goal-seeking behaviour in natural and man-madecomplex systems. A general theory of systems was independently proposed by Ludwig vonBertalanffy (1950). Von Bertalanffy emphasised the ”holistic” nature of the organisation ofcomplex systems, captured in the phrase ”the whole is more than the sum of its parts”.From the outset, key thinkers recognised that there is a fundamental unity of interestbetween cybernetics and systems theory: both study the organisation of complex systems.

This tutorial will give an account of the development of systems theory and cybernetics,explaining their inter-relations and overlaps. It will then go on to present key concepts andfindings, supported by activities and opportunities for discussion, designed to bring theconcepts and findings to life.

Concepts covered include: self-organisation, system emergence, black box, requisitevariety, hierarchy and heterarchy, redundancy of potential command, autopoiesis, first andsecond order cybernetics, epistemology and ethics of the observer.

Readings

Two papers will be made available to participants:Scott, B.: Cybernetics and the Integration of Knowledge.Glanville R.: Second Order Cybernetics.(Both are invited chapters for the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems, UNESCO.)

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SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC CONSTRUCTIVISM EXPLAINED

The Fundamentals of the Epistemologies of Western Science -Including an Outline of a Science of Becoming

by Arne Kjellman

Department of Computer and Systems SciencesStockholm University and KTH, Stockholm, SwedenE-mail: <[email protected]>

In the history of science always two epistemological approaches existed to the problem ofbuilding models of the presumed world: the subjectivist’s and the objectivist’s one. Theformer takes the cognitive subject and its experience (the impressions of the mind) as pointof departure, whereas the second proceeds from a consideration of the “worldly things”themselves and a postulation of their observer-independent existence - clearly articulatedor not. The tutorial will deal with the basic ontological assumptions of these approaches. Itwill show that the separation of observer/observed as enforced by the classical Newtonianscience has never been fully established – for the benefit of science. A science liberatedfrom all subjective elements – as proposed by Galileo and Newton – that cannot accountfor human feelings will without doubt leave out the most important factor affecting humandecisions – feeling and intuition. Therefore science is unable to understand humanconsciousness and social behavior. As shown by modern quantum physics, this traditionalapproach results in incompleteness and inconsistencies also in the natural sciences.

History shows, however, that classical science, in spite of its creed of objectivity, alwayshas taken guidance from the feelings and intuition of its practicioners. This suggests thatthe non-subjectivity of the detached scientific observer is a drawing-board product. Fact is,that this dictum is very often neglected in scientific practice. We claim that neglect of it isthe real reason for the (partial) success of modern science - rather than a soundness of itsbasic principles as compiled in the prevailing realist doctrine.

It will be argued that the realist doctrine is not defensible any longer and that to abandon itis an imperative necessity. This will at the same time remove the bewildering Cartesiandualism, the troublesome chasm between the natural sciences and humanities, and it willopen the door for a science of consciousness. The claim is that a subject-oriented approachto knowledge must take the place of the Newtonian (object-oriented) paradigm, so thatscience can gain consistency and the credibility of the science to come can be restored.

The subject-oriented approach is a collective conception that houses several movementslike phenomenology, phenomenalism, constructivism, autopoiesis, feminism, etc. – all ofwhich can be derived from cybernetics as defined by Norbert Wiener. The subject-orientedapproach will pave the way for a science of becoming and constitute a solid theoreticalfoundation for sociocybernetics. Once we understand that every object of knowledge ishoused in the ‘subject’, and there only, we also understand that the subject-orientedapproch is the only way out of today’s confused search for a scientific ontology and questfor truth.

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Tutorial 3

Duration: One Day

INTRODUCTION TO CYBERCULTUR@

Researching and Developing Information, Communication, and KnowledgeProduction Cultures from the Periphery

by Jorge A. González, Margarita Maass, and José Amozurrutia

Centro de Investigaciones Interdisciplinarias en Ciencias y HumanidadesUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México, MexicoE-Mail: <[email protected]>, Fax: + (5255) 5616 2988

The tutorial deals with some basic theoretical concepts about cybercultur@ (cyberculture),understood as the synthesis of three different “cultures”: information, communication, andknowledge powered by technological means.

It includes a collective and practical demonstration of communication, knowledge, andinformation systems. We will go through an examination of some examples usingconventional software handled as a generative platform of knowledge.

Confronting the common ideologies concerning the “digital divide”, “the informationsociety”, and “information and communication technologies” (ICT), the tutorial takes adevelopmental and sociocultural approach to collective and distributed intelligence basedon a dialogical methodology.

The participants in the Cybercultur@ tutorial will be asked to attend two sessions (morningand afternoon) that will consist of a brief exposition of concepts followed by a series ofpractical exercises.

The main goal of the tutorial is the introduction to cybercultur@ as a tool for theconstruction of what we have called “Emergent Local Knowledge Communities”. Wepropose this concept as a strategy for the reorientation of the displaced role that the so-called “developing societies” continue to play in 21st Century society.

Key words: Information society, digital divide, collective intelligence, knowledge society,technological vector, self-organization, cybercultur@.

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NIKLAS LUHMANN'S THEORY OF SOCIAL SYSTEMS

by Diane Laflamme*) (9:00-12:30) and Bernd R. Hornung**) (14:00-17:30)

*) Université du Québec à Montréal, CanadaCase postale 8888, succursale Centre-villeMontréal (Québec), H3C 3P8E-mail: [email protected], Fax: +1 514 987 7856**) University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbHData Protection OfficeRobert-Koch-Str. 5, D-33037 Marburg, GermanyE-mail: [email protected], Fax: +6421 286 6572

Sociology is far from having a unified theoretical approach. Also sociocybernetics, theapplication of systems science to sociology, has not yet developed a unified theory,although a wide agreement exists on basic concepts and theorems of general system theory.1st and 2nd order cybernetics, which are complementary rather than competing, are alsoreflected in sociocybernetics and sociology. Niklas Luhmann is doubtlessly the mostprominent and most important thinker applying 2nd order cybernetics in the form ofautopoietic theory to sociology. His declared aim is to propose a unified sociologicaltheory, including the "special" sociologies. To achieve this, sociological theory is to beformulated as "theory of society" at a level as abstract as possible.

On the background of general system theory the tutorial will present Luhmann's theoreticalkey concepts and will indicate how some of these concepts are rooted in husserlianphenomenology. It will provide an overview of the core of Luhmann´s large and highlydifferentiated theoretical apparatus. This should permit the participants to apply theframework presented to particular sociological issues. Part of the tutorial will be devoted tosuch applications in group work.

The first part of the tutorial will introduce key concepts of Luhmann’s theory: System andsystem boundary, environment and world, reference problems, build-up and reduction ofcomplexity, structural coupling and interpenetration, and others.

This will permit to situate Luhmann's sociological theory of autopoiesis, self-reference,communication, action, and double contingency in a wider framework. Going more intodetail, another theoretical complex will deal with meaning, meaning-constituting systems,knowledge, information, symbolically generalized media, and binary codes. Finally, takingLuhmann's theory of social differentiation as a starting point, the participants will try toapply the theoretical tools to problems and subsystems of society of their own choice.

The tutorial will take a critical view of Luhmann's theories, contrasting them, to the extentfeasible, with non-autopoietic systems theories. It will identify compatibilities andincompatibilities with these other approaches as well as strategic points in Luhmann'stheory which deserve further effort and development.

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ENTERPRISE, INVENTION, INNOVATION, AND SOCIOCYBERNETICS

by Matjaz Mulej

University of Maribor, Faculty of Economics and Business,SI-2000 Maribor, SloveniaE-mail: [email protected], Fax: 386-2-251 6681

Sociocybernetics is about mastering complex human/societal relations. It applies systemstheory to support holistic thinking rather than over-specialization in order to avoid crucialoversights which might lead to wrong selections of what is essential, wrong thinking,wrong decision-making, wrong action, thus resulting in failure or a lack of success.

Today, the most advanced 20% of humankind live in an innovative society. Informationsociety, knowledge society, learning society, knowledge-based society, post-industrialsociety, etc., are terms denoting parts of attributes of the innovative society and economy.The OECD in 1971, and the European Union in 1995, defined innovation as "Everynovelty proven beneficial and accepted by its customers". It is not up to the authors andowners of a new idea, product, process, management style, method of work andcollaboration, business program, education program, etc., to decide which novelty is aninnovation. Instead, it is up to its customers to do so. In other words: innovation =invention + successful commercialization/use. The term innovation denotes both theprocess of making a successful novelty and its outcome.

Today, the world is divided in the innovative 20% and the too-poorly-innovative 80%. Byglobalization and the world-wide free market the 20% may and can both help and exploitthe other 80%. This fact makes, among others, this issue a sociocybernetic, sociological,economic, and psychological issue, not only a technological one. It makes it indeed aninterdisciplinary issue requiring systems thinking. Humankind is, in addition, facing theinnovation paradox: The ones who need innovation the most, like it the least. But it hasbecome very difficult, if not impossible, to live (well) on tradition and to compete in thefree world market.

This tutorial is intended to help its participants to understand better the basics ofinnovation, innovative society, innovative business, innovation of management, andinnovation management. This should help them and other persons around them to mastertheir own destiny under globalized conditions of life and work more holistically andtherefore more successfully. Empirical researchers have found that only one single percentof patented inventions become innovations, and that only about seven percent ofincremental inventions become innovations. Thus, the risk level is 92% if one tries toinnovate and 100%, if one tries to live on the old routine for too long. Therefore the pointof innovation management is to diminish this high level of risk, and the aim of this tutorialis to open the door to basics of innovation management.

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SOCIOCYBERNETIC METHODOLOGY AND METHODS FOR EMPIRICALSYSTEMS RESEARCH

by Chaime Marcuello Servós

University of ZaragozaDpto. Sociología, Escuela Univ. Estudios SocialesViolante de Hungría, 23E-50009 Zaragoza, SpainE-mail: [email protected], Fax: +34 976 76 1920

Sociocybernetics will be presented as part of the paradigm of systems and cybernetics. Inparticular it will be shown how it can be used as a practically feasible theoreticalframework for the social sciences and especially for the systems analysis of communities,regions, and countries. Starting point for such an empirically oriented application is theconcept of problem-functionalism. From this, two generic components of a conceptualmodel for systems analysis can be developed. One is a coherent set of qualitative variablesrepresenting a societal system and - with adaptations - also other social systems. The otherone is a normative system of basic values along with a corresponding value hierarchy. Thelatter can be used both to analyze empirical value systems and to guide the design andtesting of development strategies. Altogether, this provides a practically tested and viablemethodology for the analysis of social development at different levels and for theelaboration, assessment, and evaluation of development strategies.

The tutorial will explain in which way such a theoretical framework can be used to developa sequence of more and more specific and detailed models, from rather general conceptualmodels to qualitative and quantitative computer models, if the available data permits to goso far. It will also show how empirical data collection is related to such conceptual modelsor computer models, and in which way the traditional "methods of empirical research",which are usually taught in the social sciences, enter the picture and can be integral parts ofsociocybernetic methodology. These methods of empirical research range from observationto group discussions, structured and unstructured interviews, and questionnaires.

The tutorial will cover the full research cycle from the epistemological bases and thedevelopment of research questions and projects to modelling, development of empiricalindicators, choice of methods of data collection, the linking of empirical data andindicators to the different kinds of models, and the interpretation of data and simulationresults.

All of this will be done in a way such as to provide a practical guideline of "how to doresearch" on a particular issue of the social sciences.

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PRE-CONGRESS TUTORIALS ON SOCIOCYBERNETICS