The article is an introduction to a special section in TCS on the work of Niklas Luhmann. The first part of the article provides a general introduction to Luhmann's work with an emphasis on the basic elements of Luhmann's general systems theory, in particular Luhmann's notions of autopoiesis and meaning, and the traditions on which it is based. The second part of the text is a presentation of the articles in the special section.
Luhmann, Niklas (1992) Beobachtungen der Moderne. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
10.
Luhmann, Niklas (1993) Risk - A Sociological Theory. New York: De Gruyter.
11.
Luhmann, Niklas (1995) Social Systems. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
12.
Luhmann, Niklas (1996) Die Realität der Massenmedien. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
13.
Luhmann, Niklas (1997a) Die Gesellschaft der Gesellschaft. Frankfurt a.M: Surhkamp.
14.
Luhmann, Niklas (1997b) Die neuzeitlichen Wissenschaften und die Phänomenologie, 2nd edn.Vienna: Picus.
15.
Luhmann, Niklas (1998) Observations on Modernity. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
16.
Luhmann, Niklas (1999) `The Concept of Society', in A. Elliott (ed.) Contemporary Social Theory. Oxford: Blackwell.
17.
Maturana, Humberto R. (1975) `The Organizations of the Living: A Theory of the Living Organization', International Journal of Man-Machine Studies7: 313-332.
18.
Mingers, John (1995) Self-Producing Systems. New York: Plenum Press.
19.
Spencer-Brown, George (1979) Laws of Form. New York: E.P. Dutton.
