Suchergebnisse

In this article, we argue that Niklas Luhmann has a lot to offer present-day planning theory. Until now, planning theory has been engaged with Luhmann's work only minimally. Convinced of its potential, we want to show how Luhmann's systems theory offers fresh insight into both limits and possibilities of planning in contemporary society. We argue that Luhmann's understanding of society as functionally differentiated into self-referentially closed subsystems (politics, economy, law, science, etc.) creates space for a complex and subtle analysis of planning practice. In particular, we look at the role of planning within an autopoietic account of society, and its ability to steer other social subsystems. Planning is seen as the form of steering aiming to coordinate processes of spatial organization, therefore an activity dealing with steering problems. We illustrate key concepts of the systems theory in brief analyses of planning situations and interpret these situations using the systems theoretical framework. The analyses center around the questions of planning's steering capacity and the role of the planner, thus creating linkages with mainstream discussions in planning theory.

In this article we discuss how 'the expressive revolution' (Parsons) influences the boundary between the private and the public sphere. First, we give a historical-sociological overview of the belief in authenticity, This belief dates back to romanticism, but was generally spread only during the post-war period. Attention is given to the 'psychological culture' that discusses individuality in terms of self-expression and self-esteem. This is described as part of the ongoing rationalisation of everyday interaction and inner life, thereby making use of research on the significance of courses that are somehow dealing with the quality of life. Next, the belief in authenticity is connected with the process of privatisation of identity. Finally, by taking the case of feminism, we indicate how expressivism leads to an erosion of the traditional concept of the public sphere.

In this article, we draw on interviews with pupils aged 11–13 years, to analyse children's aspirations, expectations of the future, and reasonings about social inequality in the context of an early tracking education system. We highlight the conflicting yet creative ways in which children make sense of inequality in relation to life chances. Although our child-respondents prefer structural explanations for inequality, they strategically draw on repertoires of individual social mobility to express their faith in personal agency and meritocracy. In doing so, these children use narratives of upwards mobility that have arisen in very different socio-economic and political contexts to make sense of inequality in their own locality.

This article presents an analysis of the process of commensuration in the field of pension policy. It looks at the consequences of reducing disparate and variable characteristics of pension systems to a limited set of standardized policy indicators. Although techniques of scoring complex systems through common indicators are applied today in fields as diverse as scientific research, human resources management and international development, this article is the first to examine the process of commensuration in the field of pensions. The empirical analysis looks at three cases where international institutions use standardized pension indicators to score and rank the performance of national pension systems. The first case examines the use of replacement rates in the international benchmarking of pension systems. We then focus on how rankings diverge considerably depending upon which function of the pension system is under assessment. Finally, we discuss how the public–private mix of a pension system affects the ranking of pension adequacy due to the way in which second and third pillar pensions are measured. The cases illustrate some of the problems associated with scoring and ranking the outcomes of unique and complex pension systems by means of internationally standardized indicators.

La présente contribution vise à synthétiser les principaux acquis de la recherche multidisciplinaire « Outils européens et politique sociale belge » (« ETOS.be ») menée dans le cadre du programme « Société et avenir » de la Politique scientifique fédérale, et présentés dans un livre paru en juin 2011. Cette recherche portait sur l'européanisation des politiques sociales au cours de la période 1989-2009. Cet article est focalisé sur le droit européen classique (directives et règlements), les méthodes ouvertes de coordination (MOC) et les instruments financiers (notamment le Fonds social européen, FSE). L'analyse est menée au travers de deux grandes thématiques relevant de l'action actuelle de l'UE en matière sociale : l'emploi et les conditions de travail d'une part, et l'inclusion sociale d'autre part.

This article analyses the effects of the European Social Fund (ESF) on domestic activation policies in the three Belgian regions: Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels. We argue that over the last decade the ESF has had a catalytic impact, first on the innovation of activation instruments, second on the governance of employment policies and third on policy framing. We explain how three different mechanisms (leverage, conditionality and learning) generate these effects and how they can account for a differential influence in different regions. We conclude by summarizing our research findings and framework, suggesting its usefulness for analyzing other domestic settings and European policy instruments.

La présente contribution vise à synthétiser les principaux acquis de la recherche multidisciplinaire « Outils européens et politique sociale belge » (« ETOS.be ») menée dans le cadre du programme « Société et avenir » de la Politique scientifique fédérale, et présentés dans un livre paru en juin 2011. Cette recherche portait sur l'européanisation des politiques sociales au cours de la période 1989-2009. Cet article est focalisé sur le droit européen classique (directives et règlements), les méthodes ouvertes de coordination (MOC) et les instruments financiers (notamment le Fonds social européen, FSE). L'analyse est menée au travers de deux grandes thématiques relevant de l'action actuelle de l'UE en matière sociale : l'emploi et les conditions de travail d'une part, et l'inclusion sociale d'autre part.

"This contribution argues that the growing movements for source-, data- and knowledge-sharing (Open Access, Open Source, Open Courseware, etc.) are of crucial importance for 'global civil society'. We claim that these movements are giving new content to the concepts of the public sphere, civil society and the digital divide. By enabling individuals and civil society organizations to become participants in global information-sharing communities, the Open Access and Open Source movements contribute to the emergence of a networked and knowledgebased global civil society. In a first step, the article argues that classical concept of civil society is less and less convincing and not adapted to the features of modern world society. In a second step the article proposes different ways to rethink the notions of 'civil society' and the 'public' to fit the reality of a world society where knowledge is increasingly a resource for creating self-governing associations and networks. We argue that the Open Access and Creative Commons movement have contributed to the proliferation of non-localised, global 'epistemic communities' and have created new definitions of information and ownership. By enabling small and resource-poor organizations and countries to tap into the global knowledge pool and to become part of global networks these movements have also provided a new context to rethink the 'digital divide'." (author's abstract)

This edited collection provides a comparative international perspective on superdiversity in cities, with explicit attention given to social inequality and social exclusion on a neighbourhood level. Focusing on the active and creative ways in which residents come together, the book uncovers the ways in which national and local contexts shape living in diversity.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to deepen the understanding of adaptive governance, which is advocated for as a manner to deal with dramatic changes in society and/or environment. To re-think the possible contributions of organizations and organization theory, to adaptive governance. Design/methodology/approach: Based on social systems theory this study makes a distinction between "governance organizations" and "governance communities." Organizations are conceptualized as the decision machines which organize and (co-)steer governance. Communities are seen as the social environments against which the governance system orients its operations. This study considers the adaptive mechanisms of organizations and reflect on the roles of organizations to enhance adaptive governance in communities and societies. Findings: Diverse types of organizations can link or couple in different ways to communities in their social environment. Such links can enhance the coordinative capacity of the governance system and can also spur innovation to enable adaptation. Yet, linking with communities can also slow down responses to change and complexify the processes of deliberation in governance. Not all adaptive mechanisms available to organizations can be used in communicating with communities or can be institutionalized, but the continuous innovation in the field of organizations can inspire continuous testing of small-scale adaptive mechanisms at higher levels. Society can thus enhance its adaptive capacity by managing the role of organizations. Originality/value: The harnessing of insights in organization theory and systems theory for improving understanding of adaptive governance. The finding that both experiment and coordination at societal level are needed, toward adaptive governance, and that organizations can contribute to both.