Recent tendencies in social theory indicate a greater interest for analytical schemes which are different from those that focus on rational action based on an "exchange paradigm". They also reject the conventional distinction between "individualism" and "holism". The article aims to analyse the contributions of two authors who are apparently incompatible with each other (Simmel e Luhmann) to this debate.
Social theories; Systemic theories; Georg Simmel; Niklas Luhmann; Classic theories; Contemporary theories