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Based in the philosophy of critical realism, this book employs a
range of Margaret Archer’s theoretical concepts to investigate
temporal and spatial aspects of Norwegian education. Stemming from
Archer’s engagement as visiting professor from 2017 to 2019 in
the Department of Education at UiT The Arctic University of Norway,
the book explores a new area for critical realist theorizing by
asking how different spatial contexts affect the workings of the
system. The various chapters employ diverse sets of Archer’s
theoretical concepts; from morphogenetic cycles and the emergence
of educational systems at the macro level, to the exercise of
reflexivity among individual school leaders and students at the
micro level. In contrast to the focus on educational homogeneity
and similarity among Nordic and Scandinavian countries, and
promotion of the conception of the ‘Nordic Model’, this book
draws attention to differences between these nations as well as
regional differences within Norway. As such, it will appeal to
scholars with interests in education, sociology, critical realism,
educational sciences and pedagogy, education history and political
science as well those with a specific interest in the Nordic
region.
Rational Choice Theory is flourishing in sociology and is increasingly influential in other disciplines. Contributors to this volume are convinced that it provides an inadequate conceptualization of all aspects of decision making: of the individuals who make the decisions, of the process by which decisions get made and of the context within which decisions get made. The ciritique focuses on the four assumptions which are the bedrock of rational choice: rationality: the theory's definition of rationality is incomplete, and cannot satisfactorily incorporate norms and emotions individualism: rational choice is based upon atomistic, individual decision makers and cannot account for decisions made by ;couples', 'groups' or other forms of collective action process: the assumption of fixed, well-ordered preferences and 'perfect information' makes the theory inadequate for situations of change and uncertainty aggregation: as methodological individualists, rational choice theorists can only view structure and culture as aggregates and cannot incorporate structural or cultural influences as emergent properties which have an effect upon decision making. The critique is grounded in discussion of a wide range of social issues, including race, marriage, health and education.
Based in the philosophy of critical realism, this book employs a
range of Margaret Archer's theoretical concepts to investigate
temporal and spatial aspects of Norwegian education. Stemming from
Archer's engagement as visiting professor from 2017 to 2019 in the
Department of Education at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the
book explores a new area for critical realist theorizing by asking
how different spatial contexts affect the workings of the system.
The various chapters employ diverse sets of Archer's theoretical
concepts; from morphogenetic cycles and the emergence of
educational systems at the macro level, to the exercise of
reflexivity among individual school leaders and students at the
micro level. In contrast to the focus on educational homogeneity
and similarity among Nordic and Scandinavian countries, and
promotion of the conception of the 'Nordic Model', this book draws
attention to differences between these nations as well as regional
differences within Norway. As such, it will appeal to scholars with
interests in education, sociology, critical realism, educational
sciences and pedagogy, education history and political science as
well those with a specific interest in the Nordic region.
This book asks whether there exists an essence exclusive to human
beings despite their continuous enhancement - a nature that can
serve to distinguish humans from artificially intelligent robots,
now and in the foreseeable future. Considering what might qualify
as such an essence, this volume demonstrates that the abstract
question of 'essentialism' underpins a range of social issues that
are too often considered in isolation and usually justify
'robophobia', rather than 'robophilia', in terms of morality,
social relations and legal rights. Any defence of human
exceptionalism requires clarity about what property(ies) ground it
and an explanation of why these cannot be envisaged as being
acquired (eventually) by AI robots. As such, an examination of the
conceptual clarity of human essentialism and the role it plays in
our thinking about dignity, citizenship, civil rights and moral
worth is undertaken in this volume. What is Essential to Being
Human? will appeal to scholars of social theory and philosophy with
interests in human nature, ethics and artificial intelligence.
Sociology and Catholic Social Teaching: Contemporary Theory and
Research contains essays by key scholars in the territory where
Catholic social thought and secular sociology meet, and offers a
much needed alternative to the relativism and individualism that so
often characterize social scientific analysis today. Contributors
to this volume argue that Catholic social teaching, as articulated
so powerfully today in recent papal encyclicals and major
summations such as the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the
Church, offers a powerful moral framework for addressing today s
pressing social problems. This is especially true since many of its
tenets find solid support in social scientific research on the
nature of the person and the workings of culture and social
institutions. Sponsored by the Society of Catholic Social
Scientists, and including work by sociologists from both the
Society and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, this volume
is offered in the spirit of Pope John Paul II s exhortation to draw
from contemporary social science whatever can help the Church
better understand contemporary social issues and trends and thus
better serve humanity. Specific articles address such topics as the
Church as a virtual nation in the international arena; changing
cultural norms regarding deviance; the historical and contemporary
relationship between Catholicism and mainstream academic sociology;
empirical support for a natural law perspective on family
relations; the social psychology of happiness and moral behavior
among emerging adults; the sociology of knowledge from a
distinctively Catholic perspective; and how the principles of
subsidiarity and solidarity can be used to analyze and evaluate the
functioning of institutions like the family, education and the
state. Each author also offers some autobiographical reflections on
how they relate sociology and their life of Faith. This anthology
will interest scholars in both sociology and Catholic social
thought, as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students in
these areas."
Christian ethics has addressed moral agency and culture from the
start, and Christian social ethics increasingly acknowledges the
power of social structures. However, neither has made sufficient
use of the discipline that specializes in understanding structures
and culture: sociology. In Moral Agency within Social Structures
and Culture, editor and contributor Daniel K. Finn proposes a
field-changing critical realist sociology that puts Christian
ethics into conversation with modern discourses on human agency and
social transformation. Catholic social teaching mischaracterizes
social evil as being little more than the sum of individual
choices, remedied through individual conversion. Liberation
theology points to the power of social structures but without
specifying how structures affect moral agency. Critical realist
sociology provides a solution to both shortcomings. This collection
shows how sociological insights can deepen and extend Catholic
social thought by enabling ethicists to analyze more precisely how
structures and culture impact human decisions. The book
demonstrates how this sociological framework has applications for
the study of the ecological crisis, economic life, and virtue
ethics. Moral Agency within Social Structures and Culture is a
valuable tool for Christian ethicists who seek systemic change in
accord with the Gospel.
Atheism as a belief does not have to present intellectual
credentials within academia. Yet to hold beliefs means giving
reasons for doing so, ones which may be found wanting. Instead,
atheism is the automatic default setting within the academic world.
Conversely, religious belief confronts a double standard. Religious
believers are not permitted to make truth claims but are instead
forced to present their beliefs as part of one language game
amongst many. Religious truth claims are expected to satisfy
empiricist criteria of evidence but when they fail, as they must,
religious belief becomes subject to the hermeneutics of suspicion.
This book explores religious experience as a justifiable reason for
religious belief. It uniquely demonstrates that the three pillars
of critical realism --ontological intransitivity, epistemic
relativity and judgemental rationality -- can be applied to
religion as to any other beliefs or theories.
The three authors are critical realists byphilosophical position.
They seek to establish a level playing field between religion and
secular ideas, which has not existed in the academic world for some
generations, in order for reasoned debate to be conducted.
Atheism as a belief does not have to present intellectual
credentials within academia. Yet to hold beliefs means giving
reasons for doing so, ones which may be found wanting. Instead,
atheism is the automatic default setting within the academic world.
Conversely, religious belief confronts a double standard. Religious
believers are not permitted to make truth claims but are instead
forced to present their beliefs as part of one language game
amongst many. Religious truth claims are expected to satisfy
empiricist criteria of evidence but when they fail, as they must,
religious belief becomes subject to the hermeneutics of suspicion.
This book explores religious experience as a justifiable reason for
religious belief. It uniquely demonstrates that the three pillars
of critical realism - ontological intransitivity, epistemic
relativity and judgemental rationality - can be applied to religion
as to any other beliefs or theories.
The three authors are critical realists by philosophical position.
They seek to establish a level playing field between religion and
secular ideas, which has not existed in the academic world for some
generations, in order for reasoned debate to be conducted.
This title reflects the general theme of the 2010 IACR annual
conference that was held in Padova, Italy, the aim of which was to
provide a fresh view on some cultural and structural changes
involving Western societies after the world economic crisis of
2008, from the point of view of Critical Realism. Global society is
often regarded as disrupting identities and blurring boundaries,
one which entails giving up ideas of structure and fixity.
Globalization supposedly introduces a "liquid" era of fluidity
where everything is possible, and anything goes. Nevertheless, its
current dynamics are developing into a harder reality: wars,
economic crisis, the haunting risk of pandemics, the ever worsening
food supply crisis, and the environmental challenge. These social
facts call for a dramatic shift in the optimistic cosmopolitan mood
and the thought that we can build and rebuild ourselves and our
world as we please, at least for the most developed countries. The
challenges we face produce new forms of social life and individual
experience. They also require us to develop new frameworks to
analyze emergent contexts, institutional complexes and
morphogenetic fields, and new ways to understand human agency and
the meaning of emancipation. The book broadly falls into three
parts: The first, "Social Ontology and a New Historical Formation",
deals with mainly social ontological issues, insofar as they are
connected to social scientific and public issues in the emerging
society of the XXI century. The second, "Being human and the
adventure of agency", is concerned with the way human beings adapts
to the "new world" of "our times", and comes up with innovative
models of agency and socialization. The third, "The
constitutionalization of the new world", explores critical realist
perspectives, as compared to system-theoretical ones, on the issue
of global order and justice. In all of this, the challenge is to
engage with this "new world" in a meaningful way, a task for which
a realist mind set is badly needed. Critical realism provides a
strong theoretical framework that can meet the challenge, and the
book explores its contribution to making sense of, and coming to
terms with, this historical formation.
This title reflects the general theme of the 2010 IACR annual
conference that was held in Padova, Italy, the aim of which was to
provide a fresh view on some cultural and structural changes
involving Western societies after the world economic crisis of
2008, from the point of view of Critical Realism. Global society is
often regarded as disrupting identities and blurring boundaries,
one which entails giving up ideas of structure and fixity.
Globalization supposedly introduces a "liquid" era of fluidity
where everything is possible, and anything goes. Nevertheless, its
current dynamics are developing into a harder reality: wars,
economic crisis, the haunting risk of pandemics, the ever worsening
food supply crisis, and the environmental challenge. These social
facts call for a dramatic shift in the optimistic cosmopolitan mood
and the thought that we can build and rebuild ourselves and our
world as we please, at least for the most developed countries. The
challenges we face produce new forms of social life and individual
experience. They also require us to develop new frameworks to
analyze emergent contexts, institutional complexes and
morphogenetic fields, and new ways to understand human agency and
the meaning of emancipation. The book broadly falls into three
parts: The first, "Social Ontology and a New Historical Formation",
deals with mainly social ontological issues, insofar as they are
connected to social scientific and public issues in the emerging
society of the XXI century. The second, "Being human and the
adventure of agency", is concerned with the way human beings adapts
to the "new world" of "our times", and comes up with innovative
models of agency and socialization. The third, "The
constitutionalization of the new world", explores critical realist
perspectives, as compared to system-theoretical ones, on the issue
of global order and justice. In all of this, the challenge is to
engage with this "new world" in a meaningful way, a task for which
a realist mind set is badly needed. Critical realism provides a
strong theoretical framework that can meet the challenge, and the
book explores its contribution to making sense of, and coming to
terms with, this historical formation.
Christian ethics has addressed moral agency and culture from the
start, and Christian social ethics increasingly acknowledges the
power of social structures. However, neither has made sufficient
use of the discipline that specializes in understanding structures
and culture: sociology. In Moral Agency within Social Structures
and Culture, editor and contributor Daniel K. Finn proposes a
field-changing critical realist sociology that puts Christian
ethics into conversation with modern discourses on human agency and
social transformation. Catholic social teaching mischaracterizes
social evil as being little more than the sum of individual
choices, remedied through individual conversion. Liberation
theology points to the power of social structures but without
specifying how structures affect moral agency. Critical realist
sociology provides a solution to both shortcomings. This collection
shows how sociological insights can deepen and extend Catholic
social thought by enabling ethicists to analyze more precisely how
structures and culture impact human decisions. The book
demonstrates how this sociological framework has applications for
the study of the ecological crisis, economic life, and virtue
ethics. Moral Agency within Social Structures and Culture is a
valuable tool for Christian ethicists who seek systemic change in
accord with the Gospel.
" Reflexivity" is defined as the regular exercise of the mental
ability, shared by all normal people, to consider themselves in
relation to their (social) contexts and vice versa. In addition to
this sociological interest, it allows us to hold idle or trivial
internal conversations. Focussing fully on this phenomenon, this
book discusses the three main questions associated with this
subject in detail. Where does the ability to be "reflexive" comes
from? What part do our internal reflexive deliberations play in
designing the courses of action we take: subordinate to habitual
action or not? Is "reflexivity" a homogeneous practice for all
people and invariant over history? In addressing these questions,
contributors engage critically with the most relevant studies by
luminaries such as G.H Mead, C.S. Pierce, Habermas, Luhmann, Beck,
Giddens and Bourdieu. Most contributors are leading Pragmatists or
Critical Realists, associated with the "Reflexivity Forum" an
informal, international and inter-disciplinary group. This
combination of reference to influential writers of the past, and
the best of modern theory has produced a fascinating book that is
essential reading for all students with a serious interest in
social theory or critical realism.
This volume explores the development and consequences of
morphogenesis on normative regulation. It starts out by describing
the great normative transformations from morphostasis, as the
precondition of a harmonious relationship between legal validity
and normative consensus in society, to morphogenesis, which tends
to strongly undermine existing laws, norms, rules, rights and
obligations because of the new variety it introduces. Next, it
studies the decline of normative consensus resulting from the
changes in the social contexts that made previous forms of
normativity, based upon 'habits, 'habitus' and 'routine action',
unhelpfully misleading because they no longer constituted relevant
guidelines to action. It shows how this led to the 'Reflexive
Imperative' with subjects having to work out their own purposeful
actions in relation to their objective social circumstances and
their personal concerns, if they were to be active rather than
passive agents. Finally, the book analyses what makes for chance in
normativity, and what will underwrite future social regulation. It
discusses whether it is possible to establish a new corpus of laws,
norms and rules, given that intense morphogenesis denies the
durability of any new stable context.
This volume examines how generative mechanisms emerge in the social
order and their consequences. It does so in the light of finding
answers to the general question posed in this book series: Will
Late Modernity be replaced by a social formation that could be
called Morphogenic Society? This volume clarifies what a
‘generative mechanism’ is, to achieve a better understanding of
their social origins, and to delineate in what way such mechanisms
exert effects within a current social formation, either stabilizing
it or leading to changes potentially replacing it . The book
explores questions about conjuncture, convergence and
countervailing effects of morphogenetic mechanisms in order to
assess their impact. Simultaneously, it looks at how products of
positive feedback intertwine with the results of (morphostatic)
negative feedback. This process also requires clarification,
especially about the conditions under which morphostasis prevails
over morphogenesis and vice versa. It raises the issue as to
whether their co-existence can be other than short-lived. The
volume addresses whether or not there also is a process of
‘morpho-necrosis’, i.e. the ultimate demise of certain
morphostatic mechanisms, such that they cannot ‘recover’. The
book concludes that not only are generative mechanisms required to
explain associations between variables involved in the replacement
of Late Modernity by Morphogenic Society, but they are also robust
enough to account for cases and times when such variables show no
significant correlations.
This volume examines the reasons for intensified social change
after 1980; a peaceful process of a magnitude that is historically
unprecedented. It examines the kinds of novelty that have come
about through morphogenesis and the elements of stability that
remain because of morphostasis. It is argued that this pattern
cannot be explained simply by ‘acceleration’. Instead, we must
specify the generative mechanism(s) involved that underlie and
unify ordinary people’s experiences of different disjunctions in
their lives. The book discusses the umbrella concept of ‘social
morphogenesis’ and the possibility of transition to a
‘Morphogenic Society’. It examines possible ‘generative
mechanisms’ accounting for the effects of ‘social
morphogenesis’ in transforming previous and much more stable
practices. Finally, it seeks to answer the question of what is
required in order to justify the claim that Morphogenic society can
supersede modernity.
This volume explores the development and consequences of
morphogenesis on normative regulation. It starts out by describing
the great normative transformations from morphostasis, as the
precondition of a harmonious relationship between legal validity
and normative consensus in society, to morphogenesis, which tends
to strongly undermine existing laws, norms, rules, rights and
obligations because of the new variety it introduces. Next, it
studies the decline of normative consensus resulting from the
changes in the social contexts that made previous forms of
normativity, based upon 'habits, 'habitus' and 'routine action',
unhelpfully misleading because they no longer constituted relevant
guidelines to action. It shows how this led to the 'Reflexive
Imperative' with subjects having to work out their own purposeful
actions in relation to their objective social circumstances and
their personal concerns, if they were to be active rather than
passive agents. Finally, the book analyses what makes for chance in
normativity, and what will underwrite future social regulation. It
discusses whether it is possible to establish a new corpus of laws,
norms and rules, given that intense morphogenesis denies the
durability of any new stable context.
The rate of social change has speeded up in the last three decades,
but how do we explain this? This volume ventures what the
generative mechanism is that produces such rapid change and
discusses how this differs from late Modernity. Contributors
examine if an intensification of morphogenesis (positive feedback
that results in a change in social form) and a corresponding
reduction in morphostasis (negative feedback that restores or
reproduces the form of the social order) best captures the process
involved. This volume resists proclaiming a new social formation as
so many books written by empiricists have done by extrapolating
from empirical data. Until we can convincingly demonstrate that a
new generative mechanism is at work, it is premature to argue what
accounts for the global changes that are taking place and where
they will lead. More concisely we seek to answer the question
whether or not current social change can be regarded as social
morphogenesis. Only then, in the next volumes will the same team of
authors be able to remove the question mark.
The rate of social change has speeded up in the last three
decades, but how do we explain this? This volume ventures what the
generative mechanism is that produces such rapid change and
discusses how this differs from late Modernity. Contributors
examine if an intensification of morphogenesis (positive feedback
that results in a change in social form) and a corresponding
reduction in morphostasis (negative feedback that restores or
reproduces the form of the social order) best captures the process
involved. This volume resists proclaiming a new social formation as
so many books written by empiricists have done by extrapolating
from empirical data. Until we can convincingly demonstrate that a
new generative mechanism is at work, it is premature to argue what
accounts for the global changes that are taking place and where
they will lead. More concisely we seek to answer the question
whether or not current social change can be regarded as social
morphogenesis. Only then, in the next volumes will the same team of
authors be able to remove the question mark."
" Reflexivity" is defined as the regular exercise of the mental
ability, shared by all normal people, to consider themselves in
relation to their (social) contexts and vice versa. In addition to
this sociological interest, it allows us to hold idle or trivial
internal conversations. Focussing fully on this phenomenon, this
book discusses the three main questions associated with this
subject in detail. Where does the ability to be "reflexive" comes
from? What part do our internal reflexive deliberations play in
designing the courses of action we take: subordinate to habitual
action or not? Is "reflexivity" a homogeneous practice for all
people and invariant over history? In addressing these questions,
contributors engage critically with the most relevant studies by
luminaries such as G.H Mead, C.S. Pierce, Habermas, Luhmann, Beck,
Giddens and Bourdieu. Most contributors are leading Pragmatists or
Critical Realists, associated with the "Reflexivity Forum" an
informal, international and inter-disciplinary group. This
combination of reference to influential writers of the past, and
the best of modern theory has produced a fascinating book that is
essential reading for all students with a serious interest in
social theory or critical realism.
This open access book examines recent advances in how artificial
intelligence (AI) and robotics have elicited widespread debate over
their benefits and drawbacks for humanity. The emergent
technologies have for instance implications within medicine and
health care, employment, transport, manufacturing, agriculture, and
armed conflict. While there has been considerable attention devoted
to robotics/AI applications in each of these domains, a fuller
picture of their connections and the possible consequences for our
shared humanity seems needed. This volume covers multidisciplinary
research, examines current research frontiers in AI/robotics and
likely impacts on societal well-being, human - robot relationships,
as well as the opportunities and risks for sustainable development
and peace. The attendant ethical and religious dimensions of these
technologies are addressed and implications for regulatory policies
on the use and future development of AI/robotics technologies are
elaborated.
This volume examines the reasons for intensified social change
after 1980; a peaceful process of a magnitude that is historically
unprecedented. It examines the kinds of novelty that have come
about through morphogenesis and the elements of stability that
remain because of morphostasis. It is argued that this pattern
cannot be explained simply by acceleration . Instead, we must
specify the generative mechanism(s) involved that underlie and
unify ordinary people s experiences of different disjunctions in
their lives. The book discusses the umbrella concept of social
morphogenesis and the possibility of transition to a Morphogenic
Society . It examines possible generative mechanisms accounting for
the effects of social morphogenesis in transforming previous and
much more stable practices. Finally, it seeks to answer the
question of what is required in order to justify the claim that
Morphogenic society can supersede modernity."
This volume examines how generative mechanisms emerge in the social
order and their consequences. It does so in the light of finding
answers to the general question posed in this book series: Will
Late Modernity be replaced by a social formation that could be
called Morphogenic Society? This volume clarifies what a
'generative mechanism' is, to achieve a better understanding of
their social origins, and to delineate in what way such mechanisms
exert effects within a current social formation, either stabilizing
it or leading to changes potentially replacing it . The book
explores questions about conjuncture, convergence and
countervailing effects of morphogenetic mechanisms in order to
assess their impact. Simultaneously, it looks at how products of
positive feedback intertwine with the results of (morphostatic)
negative feedback. This process also requires clarification,
especially about the conditions under which morphostasis prevails
over morphogenesis and vice versa. It raises the issue as to
whether their co-existence can be other than short-lived. The
volume addresses whether or not there also is a process of
'morpho-necrosis', i.e. the ultimate demise of certain morphostatic
mechanisms, such that they cannot 'recover'. The book concludes
that not only are generative mechanisms required to explain
associations between variables involved in the replacement of Late
Modernity by Morphogenic Society, but they are also robust enough
to account for cases and times when such variables show no
significant correlations.
This book completes Margaret Archer's trilogy investigating the
role of reflexivity in mediating between structure and agency. What
do young people want from life? Using analysis of family
experiences and life histories, her argument respects the
properties and powers of both structures and agents and presents
the 'internal conversation' as the site of their interplay. In
unpacking what 'social conditioning' means, Archer demonstrates the
usefulness of 'relational realism'. She advances a new theory of
relational socialisation, appropriate to the 'mixed messages'
conveyed in families that are rarely normatively consensual and
thus cannot provide clear guidelines for action. Life-histories are
analysed to explain the making and breaking of the various modes of
reflexivity. Different modalities have been dominant from early
societies to the present and the author argues that modernity is
slowly ceding place to a 'morphogenetic society' as
meta-reflexivity now begins to predominate, at least amongst
educated young people.
The human subject is under threat from postmodernist thinking that has declared the "Death of God" and the "Death of Man." This book is a revindication of the concept of humanity, rejecting contemporary social theory that seeks to diminish human properties and powers. Archer argues that being human depends on an interaction with the real world in which practice takes primacy over language in the emergence of human self-consciousness, thought, emotionality and personal identity--all of which are prior to, and more basic than, our acquisition of a social identity.
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