Jan Overwijk discusses critical systems theory, sociologies of closure and openness, and cybernetic capitalism.
Shownotes
Jan Overwijk at the Frankfurt University Institute for Social Research:
https://www.ifs.uni-frankfurt.de/personendetails/jan-overwijk.html
Jan at the University of Humanistic Studies Utrecht:
Overwijk, J. (2025). Cybernetic Capitalism. A Critical Theory of the Incommunicable. Fordham University Press.
https://www.fordhampress.com/9781531508937/cybernetic-capitalism/
on the website of the distributor outside of North America you can order the book with a 30% discount with the code “FFF24”:
https://www.combinedacademic.co.uk/9781531508937/cybernetic-capitalism/
on Niklas Luhmann:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niklas_Luhmann
Baraldi, C., Corsi, G., & Esposito, E. (2021). Unlocking Luhmann. A Keyword Introduction to Systems Theory. transcript.
https://www.transcript-verlag.de/978-3-8376-5674-9/unlocking-luhmann/
Fischer-Lescano, A. (2011). Critical Systems Theory. Philosophy & Social Criticism, 38(1), 3–23.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0191453711421600
Möller, K., & Siri, J. (2023). Niklas Luhmann and Critical Systems Theory. In: R. Rogowski (Ed.), The Anthem Companion to Niklas Luhmann (pp. 141–154).
on Critical Theory:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_theory
on Cybernetics:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetics
Future Histories explanation video on cybernetics (in German):
https://youtu.be/QBKC9mM8-so?si=64v0OgBKV3xjXvLl
on Humberto Matuarana:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humberto_Maturana
on Francisco Varela:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Varela
Maturana, H. R., & Varela, F. J. (1992). Tree of Knowledge: The Biological Roots of Human Understanding. Shambhala.
https://uranos.ch/research/references/Maturana1988/maturana-h-1987-tree-of-knowledge-bkmrk.pdf
on Ferdinand de Saussure:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_de_Saussure
on Post-Structuralism:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-structuralism
on the differentiation of society into subsystems:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differentiation_(sociology)
on Jaques Derrida:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Derrida
Bob Jessop on Luhmann and the concept of “ecological dominance”:
Jessop, B. (2010). From Hegemony to Crisis? The Continuing Ecological Dominance of Neoliberalism. In: K. Birch & V. Mykhnenko (Eds.). Rise and Fall of Neoliberalism: The Collapse of an Economic Order? (pp. 171–187). Zed Books.
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