Structuration

Book Details

• Author: John Parker

• Brand: Rawat Publications

• Binding: Paperback

• ISBN: 9788131610398

• Release Date: 01-01-2019

About the Book

Structuration is a key concept in social theory, central to understanding the relationship between human agency and social structures. This book offers an introduction to this central debate, which has divided social theorists for years. Social theorists generally agree that social reality is produced by creative human agents who operate within pre-existing structural contexts. However, they disagree on how structure and agency relate to each other.

John Parker explores these different views by contrasting the duality (identity) framework of theorists like Bourdieu and Giddens with the dualism (non-identity) defended by post-structurationists such as Archer and Mouzelis. The book argues that while Giddens’ structuration theory may be outdated, post-structurationists offer positive suggestions for understanding the interplay between structure and agency in relation to actual historical cases.

The book is divided into three parts: the first discusses the context and imagination behind structuration theory, the second focuses on the contributions of Bourdieu and Giddens, and the third explores the post-structurationist responses of Archer and Mouzelis, as well as the recovery of history and structure in social theory. By providing a clear and accessible guide to the subject, this book is a valuable resource for students and researchers across the social sciences.

Contents:

• Part One: Contexts

  • Introduction

  • The Structurationist Imagination and the Making of History

  • Recovering Human Agency

• Part Two: The ‘Structurations’

  • Bourdieu: Structuration through Power

  • Giddens: Structuration through Knowledgeable Persons

• Part Three: Beyond the Structurations: Back to Reality

  • Archer: ‘Structuration’ and the Defence of ‘Analytical Dualism’

  • Mouzelis: The Restructuring of ‘Structuration’ Theory

  • The Recovery of History and Structure

  • Structuration and Historical Sociology

This book provides a foundation for understanding the important theoretical debates on structuration and offers insights into how social structures and agency are intertwined. It is essential reading for anyone engaged in the study of social theory and its application to real-world issues.