1.1 Biography
CV (April 2019) in German [pdf]
Athanasios Karafillidis, Dr. phil., Dipl.-Soz.Wiss., studied social sciences at the University of Wuppertal with a focus on the sociology of work and organization (Professor Klaus Türk). From November 2002 until August 2007 assistant of Professor Dirk Baecker at the chair of sociology, faculty of fundamental studies, Witten/Herdecke University. From April to June 2005 he visited Bielefeld University and worked with Harrison C. White and Tobias Werron on identity and control, disciplines, and networks. Assistant at the Institute for Sociology, RWTH Aachen University from 2007 until May 2015, particularly doing research and teaching in the fields of technology and organization. Since June 2015 he holds a research position at Helmut-Schmidt-University in Hamburg working on hybrids of humans and machines.
Extra-scientific experience: AIQ - Arbeit Innovation Qualifikation e.V., Dortmund (1999); Institut für Beratung und Training in Unternehmen, IBT GmbH, Schwelm (2000-2002); Projects at Witten/Herdecke University (see "courses"); Management Zentrum Witten , Berlin (2004-2012); Freelancer: sociological organization theory (seminars and workshops) for managers, leaders, and consultants.
1.2 Research
1.2.1 Habilitation
The habilitation project is focused specifically on boundaries and their intimate relation to networks. It builds on a relaunched, operational notion of society and develops a formal model of boundaries and networks. It is applied to organizational boundaries and rediscovered in sociological ideas of organizational design.
1.2.2 Preoccupation
Developing basics for a societal theory of organization and looking for tangible mechanisms which decouple and embed organizations and society. Due to aiming for a societal theory of organization the sociologies of associations (Verbände), communication media, collective action, institutions, and social movements receive special attention.
1.2.3 Theory
Research interests comprise sociological theory, cognitive sociology, networks, management, systems, boundaries, the sociology of organization, and socio-technical arrangements (robotics in particular).
Theoretical work focuses on the possibilities of a sociological form theory based on the calculus of indications of George Spencer Brown in connection to its dense interplay with the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann and his theory of society in particular.
The intention is a development and deployment of sociological formalisms which can guide further research on mechanisms cocerning the interplay or co-production of perception and communication. This also involves a preoccupation with network theory as presented by Harrison C. White and an examination of its form theoretical capacity.
1.2.4 Specific Research Interests
Networks and Boundaries.
Management and Situations.
Recruiting, clientelization, and discipline as key mechanisms of a typically organizational yoking of communication with causality.
The social determination of sleep and the hotel as one of its organizational embodiments.
Modeling traffic behavior as a form of management of the distinction between communication and perception.
Employers' associations as networks of disciplines.
Historical and empirical accounts of the co-evolution of cities and organizations.
1.3 Contact
Contact via eMail: atha@karafillidis.com