Coleman's House-Of-Cards Theory Of Structures

image: Henri Bonaventure Monnier, Crowded Restaurant 1860 image: James Coleman, Foundations of Social Theory, p. 245 James Col...

image: Henri Bonaventure Monnier, Crowded Restaurant 1860

image: James Coleman, Foundations of Social Theory, p. 245

James Coleman offers a skeptical seat on the enquiry of the reality of social structures inward his landmark book, Foundations of Social Theory (1990). Coleman advocates for a sentiment of enquiry in addition to theory inward sociology that emphasizes the actions of situated purposive individuals, in addition to he deliberately avoids the thought of persistent social structures inside which actors brand choices. His focus is on the relations alongside actors in addition to the higher-level patterns that arise from these relations.

The social surround tin transportation away last viewed equally consisting of 2 parts. One is the “natural” social environment, growing autonomously equally simple social relations prepare in addition to expand the structure. H5N1 minute part is what may last described equally the built, or constructed, social environment, organizations composed of complex social relations. The constructed social surround does non grow naturally through the interests of actors who are parties to relations. Each relation must last constructed past times an outsider, in addition to each relation is feasible exclusively through its connections to other relations that are business office of the same organization…. The construction is similar a draw of piece of work solid of cards, with extensive interdependence alongside the dissimilar relations of which it is composed. (43-44)

This is a fascinating formulation. Essentially Coleman is offering a sketch of how nosotros mightiness conceive of a social ontology that suffices without reference to structures equally independent entities. We are advised to think of social structures in addition to norms equally no to a greater extent than than coordinated in addition to mutually reinforcing patterns of private behavior. The emphasis is on private demeanour inside the context of the actions of others. As he puts the indicate afterward inward the book, “The simple instrumentalist is the wellspring of action, no affair how complex are the structures through which activity takes place” (503). Essentially at that spot is no house for structures inward Coleman’s boat (link).

Coleman takes a similar approach to the topic of social norms, 1 of the engines through which social structures are to a greater extent than oftentimes than non thought to wield influence on action:

Much sociological theory takes social norms equally given in addition to proceeds to evidence private demeanour or the demeanour of social systems when norms exist. Yet to produce this without raising at about indicate the enquiry of why in addition to how norms come upward into beingness is to forsake the to a greater extent than of import sociological occupation inward club to address the less important. (241)

Coleman offers an instance of the house-of-cards interdependence inward enquiry hither inward his tidings of problems arising inside bureaucracies equally a effect of the terms of oversight in addition to policing:

Many kinds of demeanour inward bureaucracies derive from this key defect: stealing from an employer, loafing on the job, featherbedding (in which 2 persons produce the function of one), padding of expense accounts, usage of organizational resources for personal ends, in addition to waste. (79)

These kinds of demeanour volition swamp the organization, unless at that spot are other actors inside the organisation who volition undertake the costly activity of observing in addition to punishing bad behavior. This mightiness come upward nigh because of a formal incentive -- people are paid to last auditors. Or it mightiness come upward nigh from internalized only informal motives acting inward other persons -- envy, a feel of fairness, or loyalty to the organization.

The best representative I tin transportation away think of inward this context is the category of conventional practices of behavior. Let's say that a written report finds that Americans over-tip inward pocket-size local restaurants. Here is a possible explanation. There is no dominion or enforcement machinery that punishes misfortunate tippers. But because the eating theatre is local, the customer knows he or she volition last returning; in addition to because it is small, he or she knows that today's demeanour volition last noted in addition to remembered. Further, the server recognizes the dynamic in addition to reinforces it past times providing pocket-size non-obligatory extras to the customer -- a gratis dessert on a birthday, a skillful tabular array for a exceptional occasion, a larger pour from the vino bottle. This is an instance of social demeanour that fits Coleman's description of a "house of cards" designing of interdependency betwixt customer in addition to server. If the server stops playing his or her role, the customer is less inclined to over-tip the adjacent time; in addition to if the supererogatory tip is non forthcoming, the server is less probable to last generous with service at the adjacent visit. The designing is stable in addition to it tin transportation away last explained fully inward Coleman-like terms. Each political party has an involvement inward continuing the practice, in addition to the designing is reinforced. (David Lewis does a cracking undertaking of showing how conventions emerge from intentional demeanour at the private level; Convention: H5N1 Philosophical Study.)

Anyone who accepts that social entities in addition to forces remainder upon microfoundations must concur that something similar Coleman's recursive story of self-reinforcing patterns of demeanour must last correct. But this does non imply that higher-level social structures produce non own stable causal properties nonetheless. The "house-of-cards" designing of interdependency betwixt auditor in addition to worker, or betwixt server in addition to client, helps to explicate how the stable patterns of the organisation are maintained; only it does non homecoming superfluous the thought that the construction itself has causal properties or powers. The microfoundations thesis does non entail reductionism (link). (I offered a similar declaration inward reply to John Levi Martin's parallel arguments inward a previous post; link.)