By Chaime Marcuello-Servós on behalf of the RC51 Board
Bernd R. Hornung
April 24, 1952 – January 30, 2026
A brilliant thinker, a generous colleague,
a great human being,
and a devoted steward of Sociocybernetics
With profound sorrow, yet also with deep gratitude for an extraordinary life dedicated to knowledge
and service to others, we bid farewell to Dr. Bernd R. Hornung, distinguished sociocybernetician,
sociologist, researcher, and thinker who left us on January 30, 2026.
Born in St. Georgen, in the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany, Bernd was a true citizen of the world. His intellectual curiosity led him from the lecture halls of Munich and Paris to the communities of Peru, from the academic salons of Bielefeld—where he had the privilege of studying under Niklas Luhmann— to international cooperation projects in Africa and Central Asia.
Bernd’s most enduring contribution lies in his tireless dedication to the advancement of Sociocybernetics. As first President (1998-2006) of the Research Committee 51 on Sociocybernetics of the International Sociological Association (RC51-ISA), and subsequently as an active member, he played a key role in shaping this field where sociology, systems theory, and cybernetics converge and go beyond. His leadership during his tenure on the ISA Executive Committee (2002-2006) helped consolidate Sociocybernetics as a theoretical and methodological framework for understanding complex social systems. He remained deeply committed to RC51 until his final days, actively participating in the team preparing a forthcoming volume for the Brill Research Perspectives in Sociocybernetics (BRPSC) series, entitled Sociocybernetics and the Web of Life —a contribution to his unwavering dedication to advancing the field he so loved.
His doctoral dissertation, Foundations of a Problem-Functionalist Systems Theory of Societal Development – Theory Construction in the Social Sciences with Qualitative Computer-Assisted Methods, supervised by Niklas Luhmann, laid important theoretical foundations that would inform his subsequent work. Bernd’s scholarly contributions bridged philosophical epistemology, information theory, and practical applications, demonstrating how systems thinking could address real-world challenges in health care, international development, and information society governance.
As Senior Researcher at Marburg University and Data Protection Officer of Marburg University Hospital, Bernd masterfully integrated theory and practice. His work encompassed data protection and ITsecurity in healthcare, international development and information society studies, sociological theory and systems science, and innovative explorations of art and aesthetics from an information-theoretical perspective. At the Eduard-Pestel-Institute for Applied Systems Research in Hannover, he developed computer-based systems for policymaking and pioneered the modelling and simulation of sociotechnical systems.
His international impact was particularly significant in the RC51 community. He served as senior scientist and convener in the European EUROCARDS Concerted Action for smart-card systems in healthcare and led NATO-sponsored projects with the Uzbek Academy of Sciences in Tashkent addressing IT, healthcare, and the ecological crisis of the Aral Basin. As a consultant for WHO and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation/Asian Development Bank, he brought systems thinking to management information systems in developing nations. Following three years of practical fieldwork in Africa with the UN, he applied these methodologies to health care systems and information technology assessment.
An accomplished polyglot—fluent in German, English, French, and Spanish—Bernd generously shared his wisdom as guest lecturer in Lima, Prague, México and Zaragoza, leaving an indelible mark on students and colleagues worldwide. His work on art and aesthetics under an information-theoretical perspective demonstrated his rare ability to unite scientific rigor with humanistic inquiry, revealing deep connections between cybernetic principles and aesthetic experience.
Bernd embodied an example of a sociocybernetician dedicated to expanding knowledge and improving everyday life: a rigorous thinker who never lost sight of the human dimension of his work, a sociocybernetician who combined theoretical depth with practical application, a scientist committed to making the world better through knowledge. His sociocybernetical vision—that understanding complex feedback loops and systemic relationships is essential for addressing humanity’s greatest challenges—remains more relevant than ever.
His legacy lives on in his academic contributions, in the systems he helped develop, in the minds he inspired, and in the hearts of those of us who were fortunate enough to know him. Our Sociocybernetic community, especially RC51, has lost one of its most dedicated members, and the world has lost a great and exceptional human being.
Rest in peace, dear Bernd. Your tireless pursuit of knowledge and your dedication to serving others will continue to light the way for those who carry on the work you embraced with such passion.
Zaragoza, beginning of February 2026
