Jeffrey Alexander, known for his work in sociological theory, breaks new ground in Action and Its Environments. His emphasis here is directly empirical and normative. He builds models, develops classifications, makes definitions, and offers explanations. He also develops an historical and comparative perspective on modernity that allows political and moral issues to be considered in a fresh way. The book aims to bring action theory and structure theory back together by focussing on three central questions. First, how can the normative and material properties of social structures be interlinked? Second, can the conventional, creative and strategic dimensions of individual action be related to social structures? Third, what are conditions and limits of modern social and cultural differentiation? In answering these questions Alexander portrays the complex relationship between social movements, public opinion formation, social solidarity, and social change. A new model of the structure and dynamics of cultural systems is presented as well. Alexander succeeds in applying this emerging model to a fascinating variety of empirical topics. He takes up issues of ethnic and national conflict, truth and distortion in the news media, the Watergate crisis, the moral responsibilities of universities, and the nature of war. Although this book stakes out new ground, in Action and Its Environments Alexander exhibits the same combination of insight and forceful argument that have won his earlier work high acclaim.
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Preface Acknowledgments IntroductionPart I: The Problem Stated One: Social-Structural Analysis: Presuppositions, Ideologies, Empirical DebatesPart II: Structure, Action, and Differentiation Two: Durkheim's Problem and Differentiation Theory Today Three: Core Solidarity, Ethnic Outgroup, and Social Differentiation Four: The Mass News Media in Systemic, Historical, and Comparative Perspective Five: Three Models of Culture and Social Relations: Toward an Analysis of Watergate Six: The University and MoralityPart III: The Micro-Macro Link Seven: Social Differentiation and Collective Behavior (with Paul Colomy) Eight: The Individualist Dilemma in Phenomenology and Interactionism Nine: From Reduction to Linkage: The Long View of the Micro-Macro Debate (with Bernhard Giesen)Part IV: The Problem Restated Ten: Action and Its EnvironmentsIndex
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Jeffrey Alexander, known for his work in sociological theory, breaks new ground in Action and Its Environments. The book aims to bring action theory and structure theory back together by focussing on three central questions. First, how can the normative and material properties of social structures be interlinked? Second, can the conventional, creative and strategic dimensions of individual action be related to social structures? Third, what are conditions and limits of modern social and cultural differentiation?In answering these questions Alexander portrays the complex relationship between social movements, public opinion formation, social solidarity, and social change. A new model of the structure and dynamics of cultural systems is presented as well.
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780231062084
Publisert
1988-05-20
Utgiver
Vendor
Columbia University Press
Høyde
229 mm
Bredde
152 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
342

Biographical note

Jeffrey C. Alexander is Professor of Sociology at the University of California at Los Angeles.