Abstract

GONNET, Juan Pablo. The double contingency as a key to redefine the concept of social order. Estud. sociol [online]. 2018, vol.36, n.106, pp.47-72. ISSN 2448-6442.  https://doi.org/10.24201/es.2018v36n106.1513.

The double contingency represents a key concept in Niklas Luhmann’s theory of social systems by giving rise to a new treatment of the problem of social order. From its consideration, it is possible to explain social order without blocking the contingency of both individual action and social structures. However, something that has remained out of discussion is precisely what concept of “order” is implied in the author’s proposal. In principle, we identify a frequently assumed conception of order in social theory, which is related to the limitation (or conditioning) of individual action/communication/selection. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that the double contingency would also allow us to problematize and redefine this conception.

Keywords : social action; coordination; double contingency; expectative; social systems; social order.

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