論文 - 森川　剛光

Meaning-Making and Sociocultural Change from the Perspective of Niklas Luhmann’s Sociological Theory: A Case Study of the Semantics of Love in Japan

Christian Morgner, Takemitsu Morikawa

Sociologia Internationalis （Duncker und Humboldt）  58 （ 2 ） 233 - 254 2025年04月

研究論文（学術雑誌）, 共著, 最終著者, 査読有り,  ISSN  1865-5580

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The article outlines an approach to meaning-making and sociocultural change based on the work of Niklas Luhmann. Cultural sociology has placed great emphasis on the role of meaning but has not yet engaged with the issue of long-term historical change as initially proposed by Max Weber, and a number of recent publications lament this lack of a theoretical framework. The present study addresses that deficit by engaging with a neglected element of the work of Niklas Luhmann: his writings on meaning and culture. This in-depth analysis of Luhmann’s use of the term ‘meaning-making’ in his sociology of knowledge and culture includes a theoretical summary of this work and its application to the semantic of love in Japan. The paper’s theoretical and empirical illustrations contribute to the wider debate on long-term sociocultural change as a research topic in cultural sociology.

Autoritarismus und PeripherieModerne: Bermekungen über die Verfassungskrise Japans

Takemitssu Morikawa

FIW Working Paper 19 2023年

研究論文（研究会，シンポジウム資料等）, 単著, 査読有り

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Angesichts der Verfassungskrise, die die Durchsetzung des Sicherheitsgesetzpakets durch die japanische Regierung 2015 auslöste, versucht das vorliegende Working Paper, strukturtheoretische Gründe für diese Krise aufzuzeigen und dafür die Struktur der peripheren Moderne im Sinne Marcelo Neves’ in Japan zu identifizieren. Sein Begriff der peripheren Moderne ist durch zwei Bestimmungen gekennzeichnet: 1) die mangelnde Rechtsautonomie und 2) die duale Inklusionsstruktur für den Zugang zur Gesellschaft. Beide Aspekte sind in der japanischen Gesellschaft evident. In dem Paper wird zuerst die schwache Rechtsautonomie in der japanischen Gesellschaft diskutiert, die zum Teil auf das „traditionelle“ Rechtsverständnis zurückzuführen ist, und die Überordnung der Politik über das Recht. Darin enthalten ist die unzulängliche Implementierung des Rechtscodes, der die politischen Entscheidungen vor Einwirkungen verschiedener partikularer Interessen und vor Einflüssen aus ihrer Umwelt schützen soll. Dann wird am Beispiel der Inklusionsstruktur von drei Subsystemen – Wirtschaftssystem, Rechtssystem und politisches System – die duale Inklusionsstruktur der japanischen Gesellschaft erläutert.

The Effects of Centre/Periphery-Differentiation and the Semantics of Civilisation, With an Example of Devolutional changes in Love Semantics in Late 19th and Early 20th Century Japan

森川　剛光

Soziale Systeme （Walter de Gruyter）  23 （ 1-2 ） 191 - 214 2021年06月

研究論文（学術雑誌）, 単著, 査読有り,  ISSN  0948-423X

　概要を見る

In this paper, the author discusses the concept of differentiation between the center and periphery and its structural effects within larger society. The author goes on to illustrate how the process of globalization – and increasingly intensified contact with the functionally differentiated “center”– does not always promote functional differentiation in every local society outside of it but can instead destroy the evolutionary potential existing therein. To this purpose, the author focuses on the changes of love semantics in late-19 th - and early-20 th -century Japan. Caused by the dominance of civilization semantics that corresponded to the relationship between the center and periphery at the structural level, love semantics were re-moralized, losing their power to create an autonomous sphere for intimate relationships free from societal authorities and powers such as morals and politics.

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マルチパラダイムの終焉？ー社会学アカデミー分離独立問題からみるグローバル化のドイツ社会学への影響

森川　剛光

社会学史研究 （星雲社）   （ 42 ） 7 - 29 2020年07月

研究論文（研究会，シンポジウム資料等）, 単著

„Cultural Lag“ im Zeitalter der Digitalisierung: Im Spannungsfeld zwischen soziokultureller Evolutionstheorie und Theorie der Moderne

森川　剛光

soziologie heute  （ 69 ） 6 - 9 2020年02月

研究論文（学術雑誌）, 単著,  ISSN  2070-4674

Human rights as indicator for the differentiation of centre, semiperiphery and periphery in the world society. A Contribution to World Society Studies

森川 剛光

Em Tese 15 （ 2 ） 137 - 162 2018年12月

研究論文（学術雑誌）, 単著, 査読有り,  ISSN  1806-5023

　概要を見る

In this paper, the categories of centre, periphery, and semiperiphery are revised for the studies of world society. The centre of world society has primary functional differentiation, whilst other forms of differentiation, such as segmentary differentiation and stratification, remain dominant in the periphery. The semiperiphery may be defined as an arena in which functional differentiation struggles for hegemony against other forms of differentiation. Firstly, the centre is defined by its cognitive closeness as well as its power of definition and interpretation against the periphery, whilst the periphery can only accept the interpretations, definitions, and decisions performed at the centre. The emergence of national identity as a cultural identity outside of the centre is not understandable without relation to the centre. However, semiperipheral and peripheral cultural identities prevent some nations from further modernising toward functional differentiation. Secondly, the centre of modern world society is defined by the implementation of functional differentiation, whilst an important indicator of the border between the centre and periphery is the status of human rights. Thus, we can say that all regions are exposed to the structural effects of world society, especially that of the world economy, but all functional systems have not been implemented equally throughout the world. Whilst in the centre, access to social resources is guaranteed by individual human rights (fundamental rights), the population in the semiperiphery and periphery requires membership in particular organisations or social ties to obtain the benefits of the modern world and world economy. Thirdly, while the periphery of world society is seen in ‘failed states’, this paper proposes that authoritarian regimes are semiperiphery. Societies in the semiperiphery are characterised by the dominance of political and economic systems over other functional systems. The modern systems theory calls such a society an organisation society.

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Iki. Interaktionssemantik in Japan

森川 剛光

sociologia internationalis （Dunker und Humblot）  49 （ 2 ） 273 - 296 2011年

研究論文（学術雑誌）, 単著, 査読有り,  ISSN  0038-0164

Platonic Bias in der Sozialtheorie. Über den Begriff des Handelns bei Hannah Arendt und eine philosophische Kritik an der soziologischen Praxistheorie

森川 剛光

Archiv für Rechts- und Sozialphilosophie （Franz Steiner Verlag）  96 （ 4 ） 498 - 515 2010年

研究論文（学術雑誌）, 単著, 査読有り,  ISSN  0001-2343

理念型の再解釈

森川 剛光

三田学会雑誌 93 （ 1 ） 189 - 217 2000年

研究論文（学術雑誌）, 単著, 査読有り

Die neuere Max Weber Forschung in Japan

森川 剛光

Veröffentlichungen des Japanisch-Deutschen Zentrums Berlin 40   54 - 62 1999年

研究論文（大学，研究機関等紀要）, 単著

社会科学方法論における初期ゴットルとマックス・ヴェーバー

森川 剛光

三田学会雑誌 90 （ 4 ） 829 - 848 1997年

研究論文（学術雑誌）, 単著, 査読有り