ABSTRACT
Given the recent sociological turn in International Relations (IR) theory, usually labelled “constructivism,” it is hardly surprising that more seemingly remote theories are also joining the stage, such as Niklas Luhmann's systems theory. For there are good reasons for IR theoreticians to have a closer look. First, Luhmann's theorizing of self-reference and “reflexivity” crucial for constructivists (cf Guzzini 2000a), and others too — cuts across all his theory in an extent perhaps unparalleled by another social theory. His theory is based on operationally closed, self-referring, and yet cognitively open social systems. Second, and related, Luhmann insists on a distinct yet parallel treatment of psychic and social systems, and of different social systems, such as politics, economics, law and science, to the effect that his theory necessarily includes a parallel treatment of “action,” knowledge and of knowledge production. As a result, his theory allows us to observe in parallel, i.e. it runs an epistemology which is necessarily a sociology of knowledge, besides analyzing how science has become, and functions as, a social system.
