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Sociological level: structuration theory & actor-network theory

Q: Where lays the heart of the argument of Structuration theory ?

The heart of the argument of Structuration Theory lies the duality of (social) structure and (human)agency.

9 important questions on Sociological level: structuration theory & actor-network theory

Why is the structuration theory of Giddens so important?

The structuration theory of giddens tried to reconsult 2 different cools of thought in social science:

- (post-)positivism structuralism
- social constructivism/idealism

Which cool of thought of Gidden's is the most intuitive one?

(Post-)positivism/structuralism is the most intuitive one

What do scientists try to understand with (Post-)positivism/structuralism?

A causal error, which is the idea of (Post-)positivism/structuralism. There is a social reality out there that exists out of separate entities and that these ends entities influence one another.

How do technological determinists perceive the social reality that existst out of seperate entities that are influenced by one another?

For technological determinists, this is a out of control process or entity.

What does the cool of thought Social constructivism/idealism focus on?

- less intuitive

- it argues that social reality only exists through our perceptions.

- so it is not necessarily the case that we are able to define a social reality out here
existing of separate elements that influence one another.

- an idealist would say: it is our perception of what the relationships are determining the relationship. There’s nothing there really or at least we cannot know what is there we can only know what we perceive.

- you cannot easily talk about some entities that exists outside of our thoughts.

Why is it impossible to draw relationship between existing entities?

you assume that the entities are different from anyone and you can certainly not ask any causal questions as a structuralist would it makes not sense anymore if you are a social constructivist.

Where lays the heart of the argument of Structuration theory?

The heart of the argument of Structuration Theory lies the duality of (social) structure and (human)agency.

What happens if we lose our power of transformational capacity?

we lose our essential capability of doing things and this, if we look at reactance, if you lose transformational capacity this would up your reactance because it is a very basic human thing that you have agency and need agency. So the capability of doing things.

it is NOT the same as having intentions of doing things. This will be later discussed.

Agency is not situational but...

people having the capability of doing things in general. This capability might be effective by things in the environment: you might be capable to more or less to extent.

- Intrinsically you always have a capability of doing things, because this is what makes you
human –-> having agency.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Language Technology & Society

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