Outline of a Theory of Practice.
About: This article is published in Contemporary Sociology.The article was published on 1980-03-01. It has received 14683 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Practice theory.
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TL;DR: Sahlins as mentioned in this paper described how "natives" think about Captain Cook, for example, in a book called "How 'natives' Think: about Cook, and how they think about themselves" (Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1995).
Abstract: Marshall Sahlins. How 'natives' think: about Captain Cook, for example (Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1995. x, 318pp., maps, table, plates, figures, bibliography, index. $40.95. ISBN 0 226 73368 8.
125 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the UK housing stock will play an important role in achieving the 2050 national carbon reduction targets and upgrading the energy performance of the existing housing stock is a significant challenge.
Abstract: The UK housing stock will play an important role in achieving the 2050 national carbon reduction targets. Upgrading the energy performance of the existing housing stock is a significant challenge b ...
125 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a critical history of the concept of "structured deposition" is presented, from its origins in the early 1980s through to the present day, looking at how it has been moulded and transformed.
Abstract: This paper presents a critical history of the concept of ‘structured deposition’. It examines the long-term development of this idea in archaeology, from its origins in the early 1980s through to the present day, looking at how it has been moulded and transformed. On the basis of this historical account, a number of problems are identified with the way that ‘structured deposition’ has generally been conceptualized and applied. It is suggested that the range of deposits described under a single banner as being ‘structured’ is unhelpfully broad, and that archaeologists have been too willing to view material culture patterning as intentionally produced – the result of symbolic or ritual action. It is also argued that the material signatures of ‘everyday’ practice have been undertheorized and all too often ignored. Ultimately, it is suggested that if we are ever to understand fully the archaeological signatures of past practice, it is vital to consider the ‘everyday’ as well as the ‘ritual’ processes which lie behind the patterns we uncover in the ground.
125 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors define the nature of a convention and its properties, and then describe the evolutionary dynamics of conventions, and show that conventions exist in competition with other conventions and evolve over time.
Abstract: To describe human action as purely the product of rational calculation leaves unanswered the question of how human beings can act in the absence of any structure for calculating the likely outcome of their actions. If the answer is that they cannot, how can any such structure be stable and comprehensive enough to enable action without becoming either inert or deterministic?In this paper, we seek to understand how free will and social context can interact to produce both structure and action. This is accomplished through the development of a framework based on the notion ofconvention. Organizations, in this view, are grounded in "effort conventions" of what constitutes "normal" effort at work, that structure the action of those who work within the organization, and in turn reinforce these structures. We show how humans can calculate within a context of socially constructed beliefs, and how these beliefs can evolve, provided that they remain essentially nonjustified and beyond the reach of rational calculation. It is this mix of rational calculation and nonrational beliefs that form the core of our model.We begin by defining the nature of a convention and its properties. We then describe the evolutionary dynamics of conventions, and show that conventions exist in competition with other conventions and evolve over time. Our model of convention is then linked to other notions, advanced in the managerial literature, which point to a kind of 'deep structure' that lies at the heart of organizations. We conclude by outlining how this notion can shed new light on the analysis of organizations.
125 citations
TL;DR: The energy cultures framework was developed in 2009 to support interdisciplinary investigation into energy behavior in New Zealand as discussed by the authors, and it has been used to identify clusters of energy cultures, in examining energy cultures at different scales and in different sectors, and to inform policy development.
Abstract: The energy cultures framework was developed in 2009 to support interdisciplinary investigation into energy behaviour in New Zealand. In this paper, we discuss the framework in light of 5 years of empirical application and conceptual development. The concept of culture is helpful in seeking to better understand energy behaviour because it conveys how behaviours are embedded within the physical and social contexts of everyday life, and how they are both repetitive and heterogeneous. The framework suggests that the energy culture of a given subject (e.g. an individual, a household, a business, a sector) can be studied by examining the interrelationships between their norms, practices and material culture, and how these, in turn, are shaped by external influences. We discuss the key theoretical influences of the framework, and how the core concepts of the framework have evolved as we have applied them in different research situations. We then illustrate how we have applied the framework to a range of topics and sectors, and how it has been used to support interdisciplinary research, in identifying clusters of energy cultures, in examining energy cultures at different scales and in different sectors, and to inform policy development.
125 citations