Social and Political Theory from Polity Press Published David Beethara, Max Weber and the Theory of Modern Politics. Richard Bernstein, ed., Habermas and Modernity Richard Bernstein, Philosophical Profiles John Burnheim, Is Democracy Possible? Harold Garfinkel, Studies in Ethnomelhodology Anthony Giddens, The Nation-State and Violence (Vol. 2 of A Contemporary Critique of Historical Materialism) John Heritage, Gaifinkeland Ethnomethodology J. N. Isbister, Freud: An Introduction to his Life and Work Mariin Jay. Marxism and Totality Hans Joas, G. H. Mead: A Contemporary Re-examination of his Thought Harvey J. Kaye, The British Marxist Historians Thomas McCarthy, The Critical Theory of Jürgen Habermas Claus Offe. Disorganized Capitalism Carole Pateman, The Problem of Political Obligation Mark Poster, Foucault, Marxism and History Julia Swindells, Victorian Writing and Working Women John B. 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'//) l.uhoiir: flu- Xiib/rrfive Side <>/ C 'apital The Constitution of Society Outline of the Theory of Structuration Anthony Giddens Polity PreSS FSZEK Központi Könyvtä ©Anthony Giddens, 1984 First published 1984 by Polity Press, Cambridge, in association with Basil Blackwell, Oxford. Reprinted 1985. First paperback edition 1986. Editorial Office: Polity Press, Dales Brewery, Gwydir Street, Cambridge, CB1 2U, UK Basil Blackwell Ltd, 108. Cowley Road. Oxford, OX4 IJF, UK All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for (he purposes of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise be circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Giddens, Anthony The Constitution of Society I. Sociology I. Title 301'.01 HM24 ISBN 0-7456-0006-9 ISBN 0-7456-0007-7pb Typsci l>y Pioneer. East Sussex Printed in ( ireul Briiinn Contents Preface ix Abbreviations • xi Introduction xüi 1 Elements of the Theory of S( rue titration 1 The Agent, Agency 5 Agency and Power 14 Structure, Structuration 16 The Duality of Structure 25 Forms of Institution 28 Time, the Body, Encounters 34 2 Consciousness, Self and Social Encounters 41 Reflexivity, Discursive and Practical Consciousness 41 The Unconscious, Time, Memory 45 Erikson: Anxiety and Trust 51 Roulinization and Motivation 60 Presence, Co-Presence and Social Integration 64 Goffman: Encounters and Routines 68 Seriality 73 Talk, Reflexivity 78 Positioning 83 Critical Notes: Freud on Slips of the Tongue 93 3 Time, Space and Regionalizarion 110 Time-Geography 110 Critical Comments 116 Modes of Regionalization 119 Front Regions. Back Regions J 22 Disclosure and Self 126 Regionalizarion as Generic 130 Time, Space, Context [32 Against 'Micro' and 'Macro': Social and System Integration 139 Critical Notes: Foucault on Timing and Spacing 145 4 Structure, System, Social Reproduction 162 Societies, Social Systems 163 Structure and Constraint: Durkheim and Others 169 Three Senses of "Constraint' 174 Constraint and Reificarion 179 The Concept of Structural Principles 180 Structures, Structural Properties 185 Contradiction 193 Making History 199 Critical Notes: 'Structural Sociology' and Methodological Individualism 207 Blau: a Version of Structural Sociology 207 An Alternative? Methodological Individualism 213 5 Change, Evolution and Power 227 Evolutionism and Social Theory 228 Adaptation 233 Evolution and History 236 Analysing Social Change 244 Change and Power 256 Critical Notes: Parsons on Evolution 263 6 Structuration Theory, Empirical Research and Social Critique 281 A Reiteration of Basic Concepts 281 The Analysis of Strategic Conduct 288 Unintended Consequences: Against Functionalism 293 The Duality of Structure 297 The Problem of Structural Constraint 304 Contradiction and the Empirical Study of Conflict 310 Institutional Stability and Change 319 Drawing Together the Threads: Structuration Theory 327 nnd Forms of Research Mutual Knowledge versus Common Sense 334 Generalizations in Social Science 343 The Practical Connotations of Social Science 348 Critical Notes: Social Science. History and Geography 355 Glossary 373 Bibliography 379 Index 392 Preface For some while, and in a number of previous publications, I have been seeking to establish ao approach to social science which departs in a substantial fashion from existing traditions of social thought. This volume provides a summation of those previous writings, setting them out in what I hope is a developed and coherent manner. The vague term 'approach' to social science actually conveys very well what I take to be the methodological implications of structuration theory. In social science, for reasons expanded upon in considerable detail in what follows, conceptual schemes that order and inform processes of inquiry into social life are in large part what 'theory' is and what it is for. I do not mean by this, of course, that it is not the aim of social theory to illuminate, interpret and explain substantive features of human conduct. I mean that the task of establishing and validating generalizations — I shall not say 'laws' — is only one among various other priorities or aims of social theory. The task of constructing sets of stably established generalizations, which is Iperhaps) (he lynchpin of the endeavours of the natural sciences, is not an ambition of much relevance to social science. Or so I propose. Many people have been good enough to look through and comment upon earlier drafts of the book or have otherwise contributed very directly to its final form. I would like to thank I he following persons in particular: Mrs D. M. Barry, John Forrester, Diego Gambetla, Helen Gibson, Derek Gregory, David Held, Sam Hollick, Geoffrey Ingham, Robert K. Merton, Mark Poster, W. G. Runciman, Quentin Skinner, John B. Thompson ;ind Jonathan Zeillin. A.G. January 1984