Structure and agency

About: Structure and agency is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1265 publications have been published within this topic receiving 63660 citations.

Promoting Individual and Social Changes: A Hybrid Model of Social Work with Groups

Abstract: Taking as a starting point two influential, yet different approaches in group work, that is, the self-directed group work and mutual aid models, this article examines a possible alternative for conducting social work with groups. Drawing from structuration theory, which makes a strong dialectical relation between agency and structure possible, this article highlights how our alternative model could lead to a greater integration of the micro- and macrodimensions in group-work practice. The Discussion section proposes three key principles for group work, namely, a belief in people’s strengths and capacities, a focus on critical thinking, and a concern for the development of a democratic culture in groups. These principles are conveyed through the group worker’s roles as consciousness raiser and process facilitator and provide a flexible and participatory process that can be used with a broad range of service-user groups. The article concludes with a discussion on the strengths and limitations of the model.

Navigating an Uncertain Labor Market in the UK: The Role of Structure and Agency in the Transition from School to Work:

Abstract: This article reviews the evidence on young people in the UK making the transition from school to work in a changing socioeconomic climate. The review draws largely on evidence from national representative panels and follows the lives of different age cohorts. I show that there has been a trend toward increasingly uncertain and precarious employment opportunities for young people since the 1970s, as well as persisting inequalities in educational and occupational attainment. The joint role of social structure and human agency in shaping youth transitions is discussed. I argue that current UK policies have forgotten about half of the population of young people who do not go to university, by not providing viable pathways and leaving more and more young people excluded from good jobs and employment prospects. Recommendations are made for policies aimed at supporting the vulnerable and at provision of career options for those not engaged in higher education.

Interpreting planners' talk about change: An exploratory study.

Abstract: Talk by planners about major changes (‘reform’) in a particular planning regime is the focus of this article. Change in planning in the United Kingdom has been a recurrent theme in planning practice and research. However, there is little looking at practitioners both in the public and the private sectors in relation to change. Also, theory development has been limited and the interpretive link between institutional change, organisational change and planners’ situated agency could be strengthened. This article aims to add new dimensions to the current debate by looking at planners in both the public and the private sectors in Wales; by adopting a more open-ended approach requiring planners to generate ideas and display a perspective on planning; and by linking theories of institutional and organisational change with the model of actors’ agency developed by Bevir and Rhodes to form an interpretive frame. With reflections stemming from an exploratory case in Wales, the article seeks also to contribute to debates on planning in the United Kingdom and beyond, reaching to new-institutionalist theory and interpretive ontologies

Family theorizing for social justice: A critical praxis

Abstract: Although families are subject to multiple social stratifications and systemic injustices, family science was built upon foundational ideas that theorized a unitary, normative structure of family life. Increasing social and political awareness has brought a new urgency to theorize about and study how families actually live, with a need for critical theories to explain and understand the multiplicity and reality of family experiences. We examine new theoretical possibilities among a selection of seven family theories, including four foundational theories in the family science canon (symbolic interactionist theory, functionalist theory, life course theory, and family stress and resilience theory), and three critical theories that are rising in potential and prominence (intersectional feminist theory, critical race theory, and queer theory). We address the ways in which new forms of critical family theorizing—including the redemption of older foundational theories—are needed to account for macro-level issues of antiracism and social justice, thereby offering innovative possibilities for generating explanations about diverse family structures, processes, and contexts. Critical praxis—turning theory into action—can fuel transformative social justice work, including antiracist activism that makes a difference in the lives of the families we study and with whom we live.