The role of politics in knowledge society

The functions of politics today should experience modification. Only by encompassing the following three tasks, the political system could be able to overcome its current crisis and abolish systemic risks and internal doubts of effective governance.

1) Politics should reconfigurate its role in a way that it understands itself as a mediator between the various governance actors and functional systems, without being able, though, to be the “conductor”. After a first attempt to understand the functional logics of environmental systems, political action could try to form a balance between the autonomy of and the interrelations between these systems. By mediating the illustrated disorder, along with the anarchy of symbols in knowledge society, politics might encounter a new and more effective sphere of intervention and thus once again develop a special function to fulfill.

2) In a global competition for talent, resources, and locations, competences that secure the survival therein should be politically promoted. These globally demanded competences are...

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Table of Contents

• Basic Information on Symbolic Systems
• The Role of Politics
• Discussion

Objectives and Key Themes

This text explores the implications of an Atopian knowledge society for the role of politics and its governing possibilities. It focuses on the impact of symbolic systems within this context, specifically highlighting the implications of symbolic anarchy for political action.

• The distinction between the symbolic world and the real world
• The characteristics and dynamics of symbolic systems in a knowledge society
• The influence of symbolic systems on social systems and everyday actions
• The challenges and opportunities of politics in a knowledge society characterized by symbolic anarchy
• The importance of understanding the operational logic of functional systems for effective governance

Chapter Summaries

• Basic Information on Symbolic Systems

  This section introduces the concept of symbolic systems and their relationship to the real world. It describes the non-linear development of symbolic systems, emphasizing their complexity and the possibility of sudden collapse. Examples from the financial system and scientific research illustrate the potential for symbolic anarchy in a knowledge society.

• The Role of Politics

  This chapter explores the challenges faced by politics in a knowledge society characterized by symbolic anarchy. It argues that politics must accept and adapt to disorder, emphasizing the need for political action to navigate the contingencies of symbolic systems. The text further analyzes the impact of globalization and expertise on traditional political systems and their legitimacy. It proposes a reconfiguration of political functions to address the changing governance landscape.

• Discussion

  This section provides insights into the discussion that followed the oral presentation. It highlights key questions raised by the audience and the instructor's responses regarding the concept of symbolic systems and their implications for political action. The discussion also touched upon the need for strategic thinking in politics and the challenges of balancing political control with the autonomy of functional systems.

Keywords

This text focuses on the intersection of symbolic systems, knowledge society, and the role of politics. Key concepts include symbolic anarchy, Atopia, governance regimes, functional systems, expertise, strategic politics, and the need for a reconfigured understanding of political functions within a complex and interconnected world.

Details

• Hochschule: Universität Bielefeld (Fakultät für Soziologie)
• Veranstaltung: Governance Theory
• Note: 1,3
• Autor: Patrick Sumpf (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2006
• Seiten: 5
• Katalognummer: V92928
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638072717
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: Governance Theory