The Vision of Foundations of Social Theory

1992 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Coleman
Keyword(s):  
Social Construction ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Theory Of Action ◽  
Fundamental Change ◽  
Individual Actions ◽  
Trust Law

AbstractModern society has undergone a fundamental change to a society built around purposively established organizations. Social theory in this context can be a guide to social construction. Foundations of Social Theory is dedicated to this aim. Being oriented towards the design of social institutions it has to choose a voluntaristic, purposive theory of action and must make the behavior of social systems explainable in terms of the combination of individual actions. It has to deal with the emergence and maintenance of norms and rights, the concepts of authority, trust, law and legitimacy, the viability of organizations and the efficiency of social systems. But more important than the specific points is the vision of a new role for social theory in an increasingly constructed social environment. This vision is the motivation behind Foundations of Social Theory.

scholarly journals Societal Aspects of Vulnerability to Natural Hazards

2012 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 273-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swen Zehetmair
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Social Vulnerability ◽  
Social System ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Theoretical Concept ◽  
Niklas Luhmann ◽  
Social Phenomena

Abstract To date, social vulnerability research has focused primarily on the individual and household levels, and on social institutions relevant to these two benchmarks. In this paper, a widening of the perspective of social vulnerability to natural hazards is proposed to include socio-structural aspects. For a number of reasons, the sociological system theory, which is inextricably linked with the name of Niklas Luhmann, is an obvious choice for this undertaking. Firstly, Luhmann developed a consistent social theoretical definition of risk, which has significantly influenced risk and hazard research in social science. Furthermore, the system theory provides a theory of society that claims to be able to cover all social levels and to describe all social phenomena. The system theory assumes that in modern society social systems are formed of communications. Therefore, in this paper the view is taken that a system-theoretical inspired concept of social vulnerability must also assess communication. First, this paper describes empirical observations about the vulnerability of social systems. This is achieved on the one hand through a categorisation of four forms of social vulnerability. On the other hand, it is based on examples of vulnerability to flood risks in selected social systems. Finally, consideration is given to a system-theoretical concept of social vulnerability that sees the sensitivity of a social system in each of the respective system structures. Vulnerabilities can only be observed for a particular social system, because the configuration of system structures differs from system to system. These fundamental considerations have to be further explored infuture work on a consistent social theoretical concept of vulnerability.

Community: Overview

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Calvin L. Streeter
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Many ◽  
Conceptual Overview

One of the hallmarks of social work is its recognition that people grow and mature in a social context. Communities are one of the many social systems that touch people's lives and shape their individual and group identity. A conceptual overview of community is presented. Social systems, ecological systems, and power/conflict are presented as alternative frameworks for understanding how the social interaction between individuals, groups, and social institutions are patterned within the community. Virtual community is reviewed as a recent phenomenon that may have implications for community in modern society.

Hegel’s Pluralism as a Comedy of Action

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Yeomans
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Theory Of Action ◽  
Modern Life ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Awkward Position ◽  
Fundamental Difficulty ◽  
The One ◽  
Conceptual Pluralism

AbstractOur reception of Hegel’s theory of action faces a fundamental difficulty: on the one hand, that theory is quite clearly embedded in a social theory of modern life, but on the other hand most of the features of the society that gave that embedding its specific content have become almost inscrutably strange to us (e.g., the estates and the monarchy). Thus we find ourselves in the awkward position of stressing the theory’s sociality even as we scramble backwards to distance ourselves from the particular social institutions that gave conceptualized form to such sociality in Hegel’s own opinion. My attempt in this article is to make our position less awkward by giving us at least one social-ontological leg to stand on. Specifically, I want to defend a principled and conceptual pluralism as forming the heart of Hegel’s theory of action. If this view can be made out, then we will have a social-ontological structure that might be filled out in different ways in Hegel’s time and our own while simultaneously giving real teeth to the notion that Hegel’s theory of action is essentially social.

DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION AS A PREREQUISITE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS’ DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THE SUBJECTS OF ITS ACTION

2020 ◽  
pp. 7-24
Author(s):  
Volodymyr Ryabchenko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Human Capital Development ◽  
The Social ◽  
Conceptual Problems ◽  
Capital Development

There are following prerequisites outlined in this article: worldwide democratization trend; complexity of structures of social systems; growing needs in human capital development; autonomy of national higher education institutions; civilizational problem of Ukraine in national elite. Conceptual problems on a road to real democracy in higher education institutions were actualized and analyzed. Determined and characterized three models of higher education institutions activities based on the level of democratization needs of their social environment as: negative, neutral and favorable.

Personality and Social Contexts as Sources of Change and Continuity Across the Life Span

2018 ◽  
pp. 750-776
Author(s):  
Abigail J. Stewart ◽  
Kay Deaux
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Social Movement ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
The People ◽  
The Social ◽  
Movement Participation

This chapter provides a framework designed to address how individual persons respond to changes and continuities in social systems and historical circumstances at different life stages and in different generations. We include a focus on systematic differences among the people who experience these changes in the social environment—differences both in the particular situations they find themselves in and in their personalities. Using examples from research on divorce, immigration, social movement participation, and experiences of catastrophic events, we make a case for an integrated personality and social psychology that extends the analysis across time and works within socially and historically important contexts.

The comparative constitution of twinship: strategies and paradoxes

Twin Research ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
EA Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Social Construction ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Mode Of Reproduction ◽  
Twin Research ◽  
The Social

AbstractIn both traditional and modern societies, twinship, as an unusual mode of reproduction, involves difficulties for social systems in maintaining consistent classification systems. It is proposed that the most prevalent response to twinship involves various ‘strategies of normalisation’ to defuse and contain the potential disruption. This proposition is illustrated and analysed in relation to ethnographic maternal drawn mainly (but not exclusively) from African communities in the twentieth century. Following a discussion of twin infanticide as the most extreme of the normalising strategies, the article concludes by identifying a number of paradoxes in the social construction of twinship. Twin Research (2000) 3, 142–147.

Mass culture in modern society: a functional approach. Scientific and methodological materials on social philosophy

2020 ◽  
pp. 40-49
Author(s):  
Anna Vladimirovna Kostina
Keyword(s):  
Mass Culture ◽  
Information Society ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Social Philosophy ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Cultural Form ◽  
Functional Nature ◽  
Natural Decay ◽  
Post Industrial

At present, social philosophy is dominated by the view that the importance of mass culture is constantly decreasing, which soon is supposed to lead to the natural decay of this cultural form. The author refutes the arguments of those who are skeptical about the position of mass culture in the post-industrial and digital information society and shows that the functional nature of this type of culture allows it to successfully fulfill its role in modern social systems. The materials of the article can be useful in preparing courses in the framework of social philosophy.

Multiculturalism, Living Qur’an Islamic Objectives: Muhammadiyah’s Portrait In West Papua

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 508-512
Author(s):  
Muhammad Adnan Firdaus ◽  
Dudung Abdurahman ◽  
Yusuf Muri Salampessy ◽  
Ruslan Rasid
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Objectification Theory ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Economic Institutions ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
The West ◽  
Muslim Minority ◽  
West Papua ◽  
Health Institutions

Abstract The topic of Multiculturalism Living Quran Muhammadiyah Papua and Application of Islamic Objectification Theory Kuntowijoyo intends to highlight the application of Da'wah bil regards Persyarikatan Muhammadiyah West Papua. Where is the application of da'wah bil hal Muhammadiyah West Papua by pioneering educational institutions from kindergarten to college, religious institutions such as mosques, pesantren, taklim assemblies, missionary corps and so on. Social institutions such as orphanages. Economic institutions such as Baitul Maal wa Attamwil (BMT). Philanthropic institutions such as Lazis Muhammadiyah. Health institutions such as clinics, and others. In the opinion of the author, once again, is the application of da'wah bil hal. Where the da'wah bil thing is the Muhammadiyah pattern in general and the West Papua Muhammadiyah pattern, according to the author, is the application of Kuntowijoyo's social theory of objectification of Islam. Plus, because of the existence of Muhammadiyah West Papua in the Muslim Minority zone, this is also an application of the application of da'wah bil things that is unique in the frame of multi-culturalism and mainstreaming religious moderation.  Keyword: Multiculturalism, Living Qur'an, Muhammadiyah West Papua, Islamic Objectification .

scholarly journals SOSIOLOGI SPIRITUALITAS & KESALEHAN SOSIAL

Spiritualita ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukron Romadhon
Keyword(s):  
Economic System ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Religious Rituals ◽  
The People ◽  
The World ◽  
New Religion

Spirituality and a new religious awakening, are seen by religious elites as a stage of religious directness in carrying out religious traditions and rituals. New civilizations can instead be a threat to conventional religious traditions and rituals. Without the willingness of religious elites to criticize and re-interpret conventional ritual traditions and patterns, the functions of the world's major religions could fade. The world's major religions are increasingly alienated from the objective world and awareness of the lives of the people and their people. It seems that there will be a new form of religion or a new religion that is completely different from the tradition of religious rituals that have been carried out by the major religions of the world. While the religious elite is still attached to classical religious interpretations. But on the other hand, the emergence of modern society, encouraging the argument of secularization is part of modernization. The values underlying socio-political and economic relations also appear to be beginning to enter an irregular stage, when viewed conventionally, the spiritulitas of global civilization, rather than lies in the format of values, traditional systems and structures or modern rationality. New civilizations in social systems and Science and Technology (SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) began to be directed at a more intuitive spirituality stage. Then came the act of social piety that proved impartiality over the duafa wal mustad'afin, workers and the poor who were oppressed by the economic system. The emergence of the term left theology only wants to explain about righteousness and belief based on the ability to perform acts of liberation of the proletariat. This action is not only done after the reality of the proletariat appears, but creates a social and economic system that has impartiality towards the proletariat.Keywords: Spirituality, Secularization, Social Piety

scholarly journals Ethnisierung als Ressource und Praxis

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (120) ◽  
pp. 399-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Scherr
Keyword(s):  
Social Class ◽  
Social Construction ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Contemporary Society ◽  
Collective Identities

Forms of doing ethnicity question an understanding of modern society as a society of free and equal individuals as well as the idea, that membership of social class determines social identities. What kind of a challenge the obversation of processes of ethnicitation represents in regard of the theories of contemporary society should discuss more precisely. In front of this background it is supposed to see ethnicitation as an indeterminate collective name for intern heterogene social practices of social construction of collective identities. It is argued, that even so processes of ethnicitation often indicate conflicts between majorities and minorities and the structural and manifested discrimination of the latter, it can not be sufficiently and exclusively explained in this way.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document