PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

The paper argues, referring to systems theory, that the problem of our functionally differentiated society is not lack of integration, but rather an excess of integration. When there are difficulties in one area of society, all others are forced to make serious adjustments. In dealing with threats that come from the environment, the opportunities for rationality in society lie in the maintenance and exploitation of differences, not in their elimination. This hypothesis is discussed dealing with integration on three levels: 1) the consequences of the emergency on the relationships between different fields (or functional subsystems) of society: systemic integration; 2) the effects of the pandemic on the conditions of inclusion and exclusion of individuals in society: social integration; 3) the spread of the emergency in all regions of the world and the consequences for globalization: geographical integration.