The imaginary identity of discourses. On the function of 'procedural justice'

The group value model by Lind and Tyler has had a major impact on procedura l justice research. After critically examining the model, a case of citizen participation in administrative procedure on generically modified organism s is examined. The data indicate, that an alternative theoretical explanati on would be helpful to understand the observed conflict. The authors propos e that the idea of procedural justice be reformulated at a more general lev el. The theory of autopoietic systems provides the background for an attemp t to depict procedural justice as a mode for the self-description of social systems.