Ritual and university education: Systemic coexistence after COVID-19

Abstract

This paper explores the realm of university education after COVID-19, in which there is a perceived need to manage the ‘old’ and the ‘new’. The paper brings two different systems approaches to that end: the systems theory of autopoiesis and the systems identity technology of profilicity. In their own way, both explain the phenomena of ‘blindness’ to social situations, potentially enabling meaningful conversations to occur. However, they require a broader, common ground so that they could also coexist with each other. This could lead us to consider the inclusion of rituals in education. Two perspectives about ritual are brought forth to start developing such common ground. With these, the paper proposes a number of questions and implications to further develop systemic coexistence.