Denken in Netzwerken

The book offers an introduction to Karl-Heinz Ladeur's sociological theory of law. Further developing Luhmann's systems theory, this approach asks how law can cope with uncertainty in a radically fragmented and pluralised society. It rejects any attempts to reconstruct lost unity and hierarchy and rather tries to develop collision rules that allow for resolving conflicts without eliminating differences. Ladeur's »ecological« approach to law, which is more responsive to its social environment, sheds new light on the theory and practice of constitutional rights and media law in Germany. At the same time, Ladeur's concept of a »network of networks« of heterarchical private relationships and public institutions which observe, influence and reflect each other opens up a new perspective in the debate on law and globalization.