ABSTRACT
Should one identify the two main sociological contributions of Luhmann, the most obvious candidates would be his conception of social systems as autopoietic, operationally closed systems of communication, on the one hand, and his diagnosis of modern society as being functionally differentiated, on the other. In the present chapter I wish to explore in more detail the consequences of functional differentiation. I will begin by examining Luhmann’s assertion that functional differentiation leads to a de-centring of society. This discussion will contain an outlook to some of the normative underpinnings of the theory of functional differentiations, and it will show that Luhmann does not lament the de-centring that functional differentiation entails. Quite the opposite, he is convinced that the accomplishments of modern society have been achieved, not in spite of this de-centring of society, but rather because of it. At the same time, the lack of a centre also produces a number of challenges. This will be illustrated through Luhmann’s analyses of risks and ecological dangers. These parts of Luhmann’s work depict modern society as almost incapable of addressing grand societal challenges: since there is no centre of society, there is no system that can credibly assume responsibility for dealing with society’s grand problems and direct the other systems accordingly.
