Donati P. Relational Theory of Society: Social Life from a Perspective of Critical Realism. Moscow: Moscow Publishing PSTGU, 2019. Reviewed by D.V. Maltseva

Author(s):  
Daria Maltseva ◽  
Stan Rzeczy ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 67-94
Author(s):  
Aleksander Manterys

This article is an analysis of three original variants of relational sociology. Jan A. Fuhse’s conception, which is part of the tradition of social network research, situates network analyses in the context of connections between culture and symbolic forms and styles. Fuhse’s idea involves a communicative base of relations, and he perceives institutions as spheres of communication that reduce uncertainty and activate roles in the process of communication. François Dépelteau’s approach, which is inspired by Dewey’s pragmatism, recognizes transaction fields as configurations of relations forming interdependency between people. The practices of actors entering transactions within social fields are important, and this makes it possible for an impression of continuity, order, and complexity to be created. Pierpaolo Donati’s relational realism is an attempt to describe the relational dimensions of human actions, while at the same time it is a consistent “relationization” of key social categories, and is also useful in understanding after-modernity. This article emphasizes the fruitfulness of new attempts to demarcate sociological genealogies and to read the classics of relational sociology. The author discusses the creation of new puzzles for sociological theory, the necessity of analysing the ontologies of social life, the phenomena of emergency and agency, and the use of relational theory in regard to categories of the common good and social capital. He encourages multidimensional and multilevel analyses of social reality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 205395172110477
Author(s):  
Petter Törnberg ◽  
Justus Uitermark

The proliferation of digital data has been the impetus for the emergence of a new discipline for the study of social life: ‘computational social science’. Much research in this field is founded on the premise that society is a complex system with emergent structures that can be modeled or reconstructed through digital data. This paper suggests that computational social science serves practical and legitimizing functions for digital capitalism in much the same way that neoclassical economics does for neoliberalism. In recognition of this homology, this paper develops a critique of the complexity perspective of computational social science and argues for a heterodox computational social science founded on the meta-theory of critical realism that is critical, methodological pluralist, interpretative and explanative. This implies diverting computational social science’ computational methods and digital data so as to not be aimed at identifying invariant laws of social life, or optimizing state and corporate practices, but to instead be used as part of broader research strategies to identify contingent patterns, develop conjunctural explanations, and propose qualitatively different ways of organizing social life.


Author(s):  
Р.Я. Фидарова ◽  
И.А. Кайтова

Критический реализм художественный метод, с помощью которого осетинская литература отражает жизнь в формах самой жизни, в образах, создаваемых посредством специфических приемов типизации различных явлений и фактов действительности. Именно он дает возможность литературе стать важнейшим средством познания мира и человека, раскрыть порой противоречивую сущность жизни, процессуально показать взаимодействие героя и действительности, влияние социально-исторических обстоятельств на формирование личности человека. Одной из важнейших функций осетинского искусства критического реализма является художественное исследование социальной действительности в поступательном ходе ее развития, т.е. изучение и анализ не только уже существующих в обществе форм взаимоотношений людей между собой, но и процесс вызревания также и новых типов людей, характеров и обстоятельств. В целом это существенно меняет характер и сущность осетинской литературы. Критический реализм в осетинской литературе воплощает принципы жизненно-правдивого изображения действительности, целью которых является глубокое, последовательное и осмысленное познание человека и окружающего его мира во всей их противоречивой сути. Как форма общественного сознания, осетинская литература критического реализма отражает сущность объективного мира осетин, но не пассивно и зеркально. Осмысление гносеологических основ ленинской теории отражения приводит к пониманию важности и необходимости постановки вопроса о философских основах критического реализма в осетинской литературе. В целом это дает возможность исследования сложной диалектики ее отношения к действительности. Критический реализм ставит и решает в осетинской литературе сложные философские проблемы, исследуя структуру буржуазного общества на стыке XIX и ХХ вв., т.е. на стыке эпох: своеобразие и сущность труда, собственности, морали, семьи, человека, народа, классов, специфики системы общественного управления, эволюции общественного и индивидуального сознания, духовности осетинского общества и т.д. Таким образом, критический реализм дает возможность глубоко и многоаспектно проанализировать анатомию осетинского общества и в целом общественного бытия осетин. Благодаря критическому реализму осетинская литература сформировала универсально-целостный философский взгляд на общественную жизнь, на взаимосвязи общества и человека накопила большой художественно-эстетический опыт осмысления проблем общества и человека. Critical realism is an artistic method by which Ossetian literature reflects life in the forms of life itself in images created through specific techniques of typifying various phenomena and facts of reality. It is this very method which makes it possible for literature to become the most important means of understanding the world and a man, to reveal the sometimes contradictory essence of life, to procedurally show the interaction of the hero and reality, the influence of socio-historical circumstances on the formation of ones personality. One of the most important functions of the Ossetian art of critical realism is an artistic study of social reality in the progressive course of its development, i.e. the study and analysis of not only forms of relationships between people among themselves existing in the society, but also of the process of maturing of completely new types of people, characters and circumstances. In general, this significantly changes the nature and essence of the Ossetian literature. Critical realism in the Ossetian literature embodies the principles of a life-truthful depiction of the reality, the purpose of which is deep, consistent and meaningful knowledge of a person and the world around him in all their contradictory essence. As a form of public consciousness, the Ossetian literature of critical realism reflects the essence of the objective world of the Ossetians, but not passively and speculatively. Understanding the epistemological foundations of the Leninist theory of reflection leads to an understanding of the importance and necessity of raising the question of the philosophical foundations of critical realism in the Ossetian literature. In general, this makes it possible to study the complex dialectics of its relationship to reality. Critical realism poses and solves complex philosophical problems in the Ossetian literature, exploring the structure of bourgeois society at the turn of the XIXth and XXth centuries, i.e. at the intersection of eras, the uniqueness and essence of labor, property, morality, family, man, people, classes, the specifics of the system of public administration, the evolution of social and individual consciousness, the spirituality of Ossetian society, etc. Critical realism makes it possible to deeply and multifacetedly analyze the anatomy of Ossetian society and the general social life of Ossetians. So, thanks to critical realism, Ossetian literature has formed a universally-integrated philosophical view of the social life, of the relationship between society and man accumulated a great artistic and aesthetic experience in understanding the problems of the society and a man.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2020 SPEC) ◽  
pp. 69-88
Author(s):  
Dušan Janák

This paper develops the sociological conception of subjectivity, which recognizes the key role of cultural and linguistic meanings in social life. J. Šubrt’s concept of “duplex” could help to overcome the theoretical dilemma between individualism (subjectivism) and holism (objectivism) in sociology. This concept is inspired by the critical realism of I. A. Bláha and takes into account perspectives from the philosophy of language, phenomenology, the classical sociology of G. H. Mead, and the contemporary critical realism of M. Archer. The focus of the duplex concept is the interactive and procedural nature of meanings (mental representations). The argument in favour of the interactive and pluralistic conception of the subject of social events derives from this attribute of meaning.


Stan Rzeczy ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 191-214
Author(s):  
Irena Szlachcicowa

Relational sociology rejects substantialism and focuses its attention on the complexity and dynamics of all forms of social life and the subjective nature of action. Relational thinking is an alternative attitude to both functional structuralism and strongly individualistic-oriented theories. Relationality emphasizes the processual and emergent nature of reality. Actions— individual and collective—appear as successive stages of a specific process of events, and result from the configuration of relations and social interactions constituting a particular situation. Different conceptions of identity have been developed within relationally oriented sociology. The aim of the article is to summarize the narrative and realistic approaches, and to present how much they differ in their ontological assumptions. The constructionist concept of narrative identity presented by Margaret R. Somers, and Kenneth J. Gergen’s project of a “relational self,” illustrate the narrative approach. Pierpaolo Donati’s concept of the relational subject and the theory of agency developed by Margaret S. Archer exemplify the position of critical realism.


Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Andriessen ◽  
Dolores Angela Castelli Dransart ◽  
Julie Cerel ◽  
Myfanwy Maple

Abstract. Background: Suicide can have a lasting impact on the social life as well as the physical and mental health of the bereaved. Targeted research is needed to better understand the nature of suicide bereavement and the effectiveness of support. Aims: To take stock of ongoing studies, and to inquire about future research priorities regarding suicide bereavement and postvention. Method: In March 2015, an online survey was widely disseminated in the suicidology community. Results: The questionnaire was accessed 77 times, and 22 records were included in the analysis. The respondents provided valuable information regarding current research projects and recommendations for the future. Limitations: Bearing in mind the modest number of replies, all from respondents in Westernized countries, it is not known how representative the findings are. Conclusion: The survey generated three strategies for future postvention research: increase intercultural collaboration, increase theory-driven research, and build bonds between research and practice. Future surveys should include experiences with obtaining research grants and ethical approval for postvention studies.


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