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Approach not only rejects methodological individualism and holism, but argues that the debate between them has been replaced by a new one, between elisionary theorising and emergentist theories based on a realist ontology of the social world.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: This paper examined how Dutch and British final-year students approach the labour market right before they graduate and found that the interplay between agency and structure is mediated by an intersubjective framework shared by other students.
Abstract: Traditionally theorists who have written about agency and structure have eschewed empirical research. This article uses the findings of an empirical study into graduate employability to inform the sociological debate on how they relate to each other. The study examined how Dutch and British final-year students approach the labour market right before they graduate. The study revealed that the labour market and education structures are mirrored in how students understand and act within the labour market. It also showed that the interplay between agency and structure is mediated by an intersubjective framework shared by other students. The article argues that previous theoretical views on employability have failed to understand this and suggests how to improve our understanding of agency and structure.
75 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the ontological foundations of the multi-level perspective (MLP) and its ability to explain socio-technical transitions and how they come about have been criticised, since structure and agency are understood as inseparable and different degrees of structural constraint and freedom of actors are ignored.
74 citations
Book•
28 Nov 2007
TL;DR: Patomaki as discussed by the authors provides an innovative study of future wars, crises and transformations of the global political economy and argues that a holistic understanding and explanation of history is necessary and demonstrates that a systematic causal analysis of structures and processes is required.
Abstract: This book provides an innovative study of future wars, crises and transformations of the global political economy. It brings together economic theory, political economy, peace and conflict research, philosophy and historical analogy to explore alternatives for the future. Patomaki develops a bold, original and thought provoking political economy analysis of the late 20th century neo-liberalisation and globalisation and their real effects, which he describes as a 21st century version imperialism. In order for us to understand global security and to anticipate the potential threats and crises, he argues that a holistic understanding and explanation of history is necessary and demonstrates that a systematic causal analysis of structures and processes is required. Putting this theory into practice, Patomaki constructs a comparative explanatory model which traces the rise of imperialism in the late 19th century and culminated in the First World War. He argues that even a partial return to the 19th century ideals and practices is very likely to be highly counterproductive in the 21st century world and could become a recipe for a major global catastrophe.
This book will be of interest to students and scholars of international relations, globalization studies, politics, economics and security studies.
74 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that while some realists are in principle committed to a dialectical relationship between structure and agency, there is some dissonance between this commitment and the concepts of agency that they develop.
Abstract: While the human agent must have the capacity for reflexivity, intentionality and consciousness, the same agent must also be affected by the social world in which she lives: herein lies the essence of the structure and agency dialectic. This paper argues that while some realists are in principle committed to a dialectical relationship between structure and agency, there is some dissonance between this commitment and the concepts of agency that they develop. I highlight the exclusion of the unconscious and habit from realist notions of agency and argue that this oversight serves to unbalance the dialectic between structure and agency thereby leading to the over-empowerment of agency. The concepts of agency developed by Margaret Archer, Anthony Giddens and Pierre Bourdieu are discussed in this paper. Archer's concept of agency is argued to focus exclusively on reflexivity whilst neglecting to include the unconscious and habit. Giddens is shown to develop a much improved concept of agency, which includes the unconscious, however, his rejection of the independent causal powers of structure and agency problematises his commitment to the dialectic. A much improved approach to theorising agency, developed within a critical realist framework, is offered drawing on Bourdieu's concept of habitus. The paper concludes with a discussion of gender, and considers how the unconscious and habit can help to better understand the myriad ways in which gender functions in society.
74 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a critique of the new interpretive approach to studying British politics as pioneered in the recent work of Rod Rhodes and Mark Bevir is provided, and the case for an alternative postpositivist approach to political analysis grounded in critical realist social theory is developed.
Abstract: This article provides a critique of the new interpretive approach to studying British politics as pioneered in the recent work of Rod Rhodes and Mark Bevir. Furthermore, it develops the case for an alternative ‘postpositivist’ approach to political analysis grounded in critical realist social theory. Both the philosophical assumptions and practical–analytical vocabulary of the new interpretive approach are examined. The approach is evaluated at both a theoretical level as well as in analysis of the case studies of Thatcherism and New Labour. Drawing on critical realist insights, it is proposed that Rhodes and Bevir offer an ultimately unsatisfactory account of the relationship between agents and context. Finally, it is argued that critical realism can be used to generate a practical–analytical vocabulary with advantages over the more established positivist, poststructuralist and interpretivist approaches to political science.
74 citations
Cites background from "Realist social theory : the morphog..."
...Here I draw on the work of Porpora (1998) Archer (1995, 1996, 1998) , Collier (1994)....
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...Whilst agents have properties such as intentionality and rationality, structure may have properties such as ‘relative endurance, natural necessity and the possession of causal powers’ ( Archer 1995: 167)....
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