Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Structuration Theory and Life
World and Systems
- Giddens (1976) proposed
this theory as an
alternative to overcome
the issues concerning
structural and social
action theories.
- This is based on a number of assumptions:
- People are knowledgeable about
the social world, sociology is NOT
a natural science and there are no
laws of social life, people are NOT
puppets of external forces and
have motivations, people
create/reproduce existing social
practises everyday and social
structure consists of rules and
resources.
- Structure and action are socially
connected which is called the 'duality of
structure'.
- Rules and Resources
- Rules exist in different forms and
resources can be material i.e. wealth or
non-material e.g. social status
- How people respond
- rules and resources do NOT exist externally to
people. However, they exist internally. Giddens
redefined social structure as a set of rules and
resources which people draw on
- However, this underestimates
external social concepts such as
patriarchy and alienation.
- Habermas (1987) analysed the work of Marx,
Durkheim, Weber and Mead in order to create
a theory of communicative action. This is
based on the achievement of shared
understanding.
- This can be factuall, normative or subjective
- Validity of the Claims
- Exist in the 'Life World'/ through cultural
knowledge via living in a certain society and
acquiring shared assumptions.
- He is critical of Modern Societal
institutions e.g. government and the
legal system.
- However this is a
complex debate and one
that neglects the role of
emotions in certain
actions.