Luhmann at 100: Legacies, Limits, and New Directions

On the centenary of Niklas Luhmann’s birth, this session reconsiders the intellectual legacy of his social systems theory for contemporary sociology. Luhmann developed a distinctive theoretical framework encompassing functional differentiation, communication, observation, organization, world society, and inclusion and exclusion. Yet digitalization, the contemporary polycrisis, persistent inequality, individualization, and regional diversity raise renewed questions about both the analytical power and the limits of this framework.

We invite papers that move beyond merely introducing Luhmann’s theory or applying established concepts to contemporary cases. Contributions should: (1) address a clearly defined concept or theoretical problem in Luhmann’s work; (2) demonstrate both its continuing analytical potential and its internal or empirical limitations; and (3) propose a new direction through conceptual reinterpretation, reconstruction from within systems theory, dialogue with other theoretical traditions, or empirically grounded revision. By bringing legacy, limits, and reconstruction into a single analytical discussion, the session asks what Luhmann’s intellectual heritage can still contribute to sociology in the twenty-first century.