A grand theory and a small social scientific community

Niklas Luhmann in Slovenia

Frane Adam

Ivan Bernik

Borut Rončević

pp. 61-80

in: Studies in East European Thought 57 (1), 2005.

Abstract

We analyse the reception of Niklas Luhmann's social metatheory in Slovenian social. The first part outlines the intellectual climate that prevailed in the decade before the post-socialist transition. The decline of the previously dominant Marxist ideology created space for other social theories. Luhmann's ideas were the most prominent among social macro theories in the initial phase. The second part describes variations in the reception of his ideas. The initial affirmative approach was upgraded by a number of more selective and critical approaches. The third part shows that, although his ideas are no longer quite so prominent, his work is both well recognized and firmly embedded in Slovenian social thought.

Cited authors

Luhmann Niklas