Abstract
In the 1960s and early 1970s a series of new types of theories all dealing with the genesis and evolution of complex order were brought forward in many scientific disciplines. Although the terms used to describe these theories differed, such as synergetics, autopoiesis, or dissipative structure theory, characteristic for all of them is their interest in the phenomenon of self-organization. In the 1970s when the diverse concepts of self-organization held within the various disciplines fused into a global paradigm of self-organization during the phase of transdisciplinary networking1, some self-organization researchers claimed that this paved the way for a »revolution of the scientific world-view«.2 At this time also, what is termed the »new social movements« came into being in the social and political area, whose self-understanding and political concern in society likewise focused on the notion of self-organization. This specific coincidence is interesting to the extent that it might be possible to detect a reciprocal relationship between the two lines of development.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes and References
On the historical genesis of the self-organization concept, see W. Krohn, G. Köppers, R. Paslack, »Selbstorganisation - Zur Genese und Entwicklung einer wissenschaftlichen Revolution« in SJ. Schmidt (ed.), Der Diskurs des Radikalen Konstruktivismus,Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1987, p. 441 ff., particularly from p. 446 onwards.
As discussed in H. Haken, Synergetics - An Introduction, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer, 1977; or in I. Prigogine, Vom Sein zum Werden, Munich: Piper, 1979; and for a somewhat more tentative account, see M. Eigen and R. Winkler, Das Spiel - Naturgesetze steuern den Zufall, Munich: Piper, 1975.
See, with regard to the successful penetration of the quantum theory, the now already classical study from P. Forman, »Weimar Culture: Causality and Quantum Theory, 1918–1927; Adaptation by German Physicians and Mathematicians to a Hostile Intellectual Environment«, in Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences 3 (1971), 1 ff; also T.S. Kuhn, The Copernican Revolution, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1957.
The interviews in question, as yet unpublished, were carried out in the context of a research project on the history of self-organization (to which the author also contributed) at the Center for Science Studies, University of Bielefeld.
For an account of the adherence to the inner-scientific tradition in the earlier works of v. Foerster, Prigogine, Eigen, Haken and Holing on self-organization, see: Krohn et al., op. cit.,1987, note 1, 448 ff.
Thus, for example, Eigen stated: »This coincidence of two events in different areas is indeed notable…«, op. cit., note 4.
For example, M. Haken: »It could be that they (the »founding fathers«; R. P.) suddenly discovered a certain reference which catalytically had a further effect…«, op. cit.,note 4. It is obvious that such »memories« have limited statement value in view of the virtually unavoidable inclusion of self-stylizations and smoothing-out of the historical process.
Especially interesting here is M. Ferguson, Die sanfte Verschwörung, Basel: Sphinx 1982; see also F. Capra, Wendezeit. Bausteine für ein neues Weltbild, Bern, Munich, Vienna: Scherz, 1983.
Particularly I. Prigogine and I. Stengers, Order out of Chaos. Man’s new Dialogue with Nature,London: Heinemann, 1980.
See F. Neidhardt, »Einige Ideen zu einer allgemeinen Theorie sozialer Bewegungen«, in W. Hradil (ed.), Sozialstntkturen im Umbruch. Karl Bolte zum 60.Geburtstag, Opladen: Leske and Budrich, 1985, p. 193.
At least when based on the criteria of the Luhmannian systems theory; see, for example, N. Luhmann, Soziale Systeme, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1984.
K. Japp, »Selbsterzeugung oder Fremdverschulden - Thesen zum Rationalismus in den Theorien sozialer Bewegungen«, Soziale Welt, 35 (1984), 326.
See W. Krohn, G. Köppers, Die Selbstorganisation der Wissenschaft,Report 33, University of Bielefeld, 1987; here the process of interactive group-building is reconstructed in the case of research groups.
See J. Huber’s study on the Berlin self-help model: Die neuen Helfer,Munich, Zurich: Piper, 1987, especially p. 76 ff.
Of significance here is the type of »postmaterialistic« value ethic first put forward by R. Inglehart in The Silent Revolution: Changing Values and Styles Among Western Publics, Princeton: University Press, 1977.
The comparisons drawn by J. Huber between the »Berlin Model« of self-help groups on the one hand, and the »Elberfeld Model« of 1850, resp. the history of the development of the workers’ social aid on the other hand are instructive here; in Huber, op. cit.,1987, note 14.
At any rate, this is how J. Raschke sees it: Soziale Bewegungen - Ein historischsystematischer Grundriß, Frankfurt am Main, New York: Campus, 1985, for example, p. 387 ff.
See K-W. Brand (ed.), Neue Soziale Bewegungen in Westeuropa und in den USA - Ein internationaler Vergleich, Frankfurt am Main, New York: Campus, 1985.
Brand, op. cit.,1985, note 18, p. 314.
Brand, op. cit.,1985, note 18, p. 319.
H. Kitschelt, »Zur Dynamik neuer sozialer Bewegungen in den USA«, in Brand, op. cit.,1985, note 18, p. 248–305.
C. Leggewie, »Propheten ohne Macht. Die neuen sozialen Bewegungen in Frankreich zwischen Resignation und Fremdbestimmung«, in Brand, op. cit., 1985, note 18, p. 83–139.
D. Murphy, »Von Aldermaston nach Greenham Common. Politischer Protest und neue soziale Bewegungen in Großbritannien«, in Brand, op. cit., note 18, 1985, p. 83–139.
See W. Nelles, »Neue soziale Bewegungen und alte Politik«, in P. Grottian and W. Nelles (eds.), Großstadt und neue soziale Bewegungen, Basel: Birkhäuser, 1983, p. 83 ff.
See Brand, op. cit., 1985, note 18.
Brand, op. cit., 1985, note 18, p. 333.
K.-J. Scherer, F. Vilmar, Ökosozialismus? - Rot-grüne Bündnispolitik,Berlin: Verlag Europäische Perspektiven, 1985, p.48 ff.; or from the same (eds.), Ein alternatives Sozialismuskonzept: Perspektiven des Okosozialismus,Berlin: Stattbuch-Verlag, 1984 p. 21 ff.
For example A. Gorz, Abschied vom Proletariat, Reinbek (Hamburg): Rowohlt, 1983; or J. Huber, Die Regenbogen-Gesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 1985.
See, in particular, Th. Ebert, Gewaltfreier Aufstand. Alternative zum Bürgerkrieg, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 1980.
See, for example, the reader edited by G. Böhme, E. Schramm, Soziale Naturwissenschaft, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 1985; or G. Michelsen, H. Siebert, Ökologie lernen, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 1985.
Particularly of influence here were the works of F. Vester, most especially Unsere Welt - ein vernetztes System, Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1978.
See L. Trepl, Geschichte der Ökologie, Frankfurt am Main: Athenäum, 1987, p. 22. See also M. MarenGrisebach, Philosophie der Grünen, Munich, Vienna: Olzog, 1982.
F. Vester, Neuland des Denkens, Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1980.
W.-D. Hasenclever, C. Hasenclever, Grüne Zeiten. Politik für eine lebenswerte Zukunft,Munich: Kösel, 1982, p. 144 f.
J.E. Lovelock, Gaia - A new look at life on Earth, Oxford: University Press, 1979.
In particular, E. Jantsch, Die Selbstorganisation des Universums, Munich, Vienna: Hanser, 1979.
G. Bateson, Steps to an Ecology of Mind, Los Angeles: Chandler Publishing, 1972.
One only has to read the critical assessments of »New Age« in the journal Wechselwirkung, August 1985.
Very informative here are the interviews carried out with the West German »Green Party« (for examplee, the P. Kelly, L. Beckmann, and R. Bahro interviews) reported in Ch. Spretnak’s book Die Grünen, Munich: Goldmann, 1985.
See, for example, the report based on the experiences of an avantgarde of the American countermovement, W.I. Thompson, under the heading »Gaia-Politik« in the taz,December 6th, 1986, p. 15 ff.
Criticism ignited mainly due to the partly naive or partly blasé attitude of many of the »New Age« supporters toward the question of political power, the reasons for which are mainly ideologically based.
This tendency is in evidence in, for instance, A. Touraine, The Voice and Eye. An Analysis of Social Movements, Cambridge: University Press, 1981.
M. Maruyama, »The Second Cybernetics: Deviation-Amplifying Mutual Causal Processes«, American Scientist 51 (1963), 164–179.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1990 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Paslack, R. (1990). Self-Organization and New Social Movements. In: Krohn, W., Küppers, G., Nowotny, H. (eds) Selforganization. Sociology of the Sciences, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2975-8_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2975-8_16
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4073-2
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-2975-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive