Individual and society Flashcards
Society by Eriksen
“The relationship between culture and society can be described in the following way. Culture refers to the acquired, cognitive and symbolic aspects of existence, whereas
society refers to the social organisation of human life, patterns of interaction and power relationships.”
Society by Raymond Williams
“Society is now clear in two main senses: as our most general term for the body of institutions and relationships within which a relatively large group of people live; and as our most abstract term for the condition in which such institutions and relations
hips are formed”
Agency
Eriksen: “behaviour refers to observable events involving humans or animals, whereas action (or agency), the way the concept is used here, implies that actors can reflect on what they do. It calls attention to the intentional (willed, reflexive) aspect of human existence.”
Structure
Institutions in a society that functions to limit individuals opportunities and ability to practise self-autonomy (limits agency). Specific groups are commonly targeted by these institutions, usually influenced by social and cultural factors such as class, ethnicity, gender.
Duality of Structure
Anthony Giddens: “By the duality of structure, I mean that the structural properties of social systems are both the medium and the outcome of the practices that constitute those systems”
Wheel of culture
The interrelation between material context (Objects) → Ideas (Imagination) → Behaviour (Social relations)
The Individual
A Western, ethnocentric concept. Assumes that an individual is (or should be)
1) Autonomous
2) Authentic, Unique
3) Coherent and cohesive
4) Bounded
The Dividual
Marilyn Strathern: Many cultures have a notion of self closer to a “dividual” - they still have an awareness of self, but have more of a “I am because we are” ubuntu legendary mentality
Group & Grid
By Mary Douglas
Group dimension:
→ high/low degree of social cohesion
→ high on group dimension: individual subject to strong group pressure
Grid dimension:
→ high/low degree of shared cultural knowledge
→ high on grid dimension, Eriksen: “people are rigidly classified at the societal level,
which leaves little space for individual idiosyncrasies”
Status
Eriksen: “… socially defined aspect of a person which defines a social relationship and en-
tails certain rights and duties in relation toothers”
A person is composed of and defined by the sum of all their statuses - such as uncle, priest, brother, soccer player, chief and so on
Ascribed status
Occurs when an individual takes part of a role and its rights and duties by default. Eg being born the future king of a state, being a sister, a father etc.
Usually Gemeinschaft or status society
Achieved status
Rights and duties acquired by the actors themselves - such as getting a profession or after undergoing a rite of passage.
Gesellschaft or contract society: achieved status prominent
Roles
Eriksen: “… the dynamic aspect of the status, that is, a person’s actual behavior, within
the limitations set by the status definition”
Violating the expected behaviours dedicated to a role will be sanctioned
Impression Managament
Concept by Erving Goffman, divided into
Front stage: How you behave when you feel abit intimated by other people
Back stage: You are yourself, chilling
Critiqued for emphasising the individual’s rationality/authenticity, neglecting social aspect
The Self
Charles Horton Cooley: “‘Self’ develops through nonstop reflection on what we think others think about us”
The self is formed through interaction with others and through reflection on what happens in, and as a result of, interactions with others
