Realist social theory : the morphogenetic approach
TL;DR: The Morphogenetic Cycle: the basis of the morphogenetic approach 7. Structural and cultural conditioning 8. The morphogenesis of agency 9. Social elaboration.
Abstract: Building on her seminal contribution to social theory in Culture and Agency, in this 1995 book Margaret Archer develops her morphogenetic approach, applying it to the problem of structure and agency. Since structure and agency constitute different levels of stratified social reality, each possesses distinctive emergent properties which are real and causally efficacious but irreducible to one another. The problem, therefore, is shown to be how to link the two rather than conflate them, as has been common theoretical practice. Realist Social Theory: The Morphogenetic Approach not only rejects methodological individualism and holism, but argues that the debate between them has been replaced by a new one, between elisionary theorising and emergentist theories based on a realist ontology of the social world. The morphogenetic approach is the sociological complement of transcendental realism, and together they provide a basis for non-conflationary theorizing which is also of direct utility to the practising social analyst.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed a framework for recovery strategy development for COVID-19, which engages salient stakeholders in the process of recognizing challenges, rationalizing changes needed and refashioning ways of working.
33 citations
TL;DR: Using insights from the'socioeconomics of labour markets' and building upon critical realist meta-theory, the authors offers the first sketch of a socioeconomic model of labor markets as an alternative to the orthodox model.
Abstract: Using insights from the 'socio-economics of labour markets' and building upon critical realist meta-theory, this paper offers the first sketch of a socio-economic model of labour markets as an alternative to the orthodox model. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Cambridge Political Economy Society. All rights reserved.
33 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, historical institutionalism has been used in communication history, policy, and law, especially in the areas of communication history and communication policy and law; the authors argue that the field of communications is a fruitful one for the development of historical institutionalisms, and that historical institutionalist is a useful approach for communication scholars.
Abstract: New institutionalism is a collection of institutionalist theories, including historical institutionalism, sociological institutionalism, and rational choice institutionalism. This article focuses on historical institutionalism in communication studies. First, we note that historical institutionalism—a dominant approach in political science—has appeared in relatively few studies of media and communications. Second, we describe the historical institutionalist approach. Third, we describe the historical institutionalist method in detail, breaking it down into 6 steps and demonstrating its usefulness, especially in the areas of communication history and communication policy and law. In the final section, we further develop our contention that the field of communications is a fruitful one for the development of historical institutionalism, and that historical institutionalism is a useful approach for communication scholars, especially in the areas of communication history, policy, and law.
32 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the application of the morphogenetic approach to a longitudinal case study of information systems development and organisational change in British local government is reported and assessed, which confirms Archer's claims for the approach's value as an instrument for the production of nonconflationary practical social theory.
Abstract: With its emphasis on analytical dualism and its detailed account of the concepts and methods necessary for its application, Margaret Archer's morphogenetic approach seems to provide significant potential for empirical research Over a decade after its publication, however, the potential of the approach remains largely unrealised This paper seeks to begin to address this situation by reporting on and assessing the application of the morphogenetic approach to a longitudinal case study of information systems (IS) development and organisational change in British local government This assessment confirms Archer's claims for the approach's value as an instrument for the production of non-conflationary practical social theory In addition, certain features of the methodology moved the analysis of IS and organisational change beyond that of more mainstream approaches used for this type of research However, a range of issues are identified which demonstrate that the complexity and resulting resource int
32 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the treatment of ontology offered by critical realism and argue that the negativity of the definitions adopted is problematic for heterodox traditions attempting to build positive programmes.
Abstract: This paper examines the treatment of ontology offered by critical realism. It addresses much of the material elaborated upon in two editions of this journal. Three main groups of criticisms are made here of the critical realist treatment of open systems. It is argued that critical realism, particularly in the project in economics emanating from Cambridge, UK, tends to define systems in terms of events. This definition is shown to be problematic. The exemplar of a closed system provided by critical realism of the solar system is shown to be flawed in that it is not closed according to the closure conditions identified by critical realism. Second, the negativity of the definitions adopted is problematic for heterodox traditions attempting to build positive programmes. Furthermore, the dualism of the definitions is also inconsistent with Dow's approach, which has ramifications for the coherence of post Keynesianism. Third, the definitions tend to polarize open and closed systems and ignore the degre...
32 citations