Human agents and social structures

doi:10.7765/9780719095191

The structure/agency debate has been among the central issues in discussions of social theory. It has been widely assumed that the key theoretical task is to find a link between social structures and acting human beings to reconcile the macro with the micro, society and the individual. This book considers a general movement in which the collective concepts established by the early pioneers of modern sociological thought have been reconsidered in the light of both theoretical critique and empirical results. It argues that the contemporary sociological preoccupation with structure and agency has had disastrous effects on the understanding of Karl Marx's ideas. Through a critical evaluation of 'structuration theory' as a purported synthesis of 'structure and agency', the book also argues that the whole idea of a structure-and-agency 'problem' mythologises the fracture lines that do run through relatively recent sociological thought. Michel Foucault's ideas were used to both shore up existing positions in sociology and to instantiate (or solve) the 'new' structure-agency 'problem'. Foucault allowed sociologists to conduct 'business as usual' between the demise of structuralism and the contemporary consensus around Pierre Bourdieu-Anthony Giddens-Jurgen Habermas and the structure-agency dualisms. Habermas is one of the most prominent figures in contemporary social theory.

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Contents

Front Matter
pp i-iv
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Contents
pp v-vi
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Notes on contributors
pp vii-viii
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Part I - General issues
pp 1-2
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1 - Introduction: The opposition of structure and agency
pp 3-16
- By Peter J. Martin, Alex Dennis
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2 - The structure problem in the context of structure and agency controversies
pp 17-33
- By Wes Sharrock, Graham Button
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3 - On the retreat from collective concepts in sociology
pp 34-51
- By Peter J. Martin
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4 - Structure and agency as the products of dynamic social processes: Marx and modern social theory
pp 52-68
- By Alex Dennis
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Part II - Recent social theorists
pp 69-70
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5 - The two Habermases
pp 71-85
- By Anthony King
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6 - Pierre Bourdieu: From the model of reality to the reality of the model
pp 86-99
- By Richard Jenkins
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7 - The production and reproduction of social order: Is structuration a solution?
pp 100-116
- By Wes Sharrock
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8 - On the reception of Foucault
pp 117-130
- By Allison Cavanagh, Alex Dennis
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Part III - After the debate
pp 131-132
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9 - Beyond social structure
pp 133-151
- By Richard Jenkins
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10 - Two kinds of social theory: The myth and reality of social existence
pp 152-165
- By Anthony King
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Bibliography
pp 166-179
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Index
pp 180-183
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Human agents and social structures

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Contents

Front Matter
pp i-iv

Contents
pp v-vi

Notes on contributors
pp vii-viii

Part I - General issues
pp 1-2

1 - Introduction: The opposition of structure and agency
pp 3-16

2 - The structure problem in the context of structure and agency controversies
pp 17-33

3 - On the retreat from collective concepts in sociology
pp 34-51

4 - Structure and agency as the products of dynamic social processes: Marx and modern social theory
pp 52-68

Part II - Recent social theorists
pp 69-70

5 - The two Habermases
pp 71-85

6 - Pierre Bourdieu: From the model of reality to the reality of the model
pp 86-99

7 - The production and reproduction of social order: Is structuration a solution?
pp 100-116

8 - On the reception of Foucault
pp 117-130

Part III - After the debate
pp 131-132

9 - Beyond social structure
pp 133-151

10 - Two kinds of social theory: The myth and reality of social existence
pp 152-165

Bibliography
pp 166-179

Index
pp 180-183

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Human agents and social structures

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