Theory of Culture
Margaret Archer versus Classical Sociology
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4735946 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lilli Zeuner (0000-0001-5263-5575, Danish National Institute of Social Research, Copenhagen, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2001 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 92-116 |
| Publication date | 2001-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cultural Dynamics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0921-3740 • E-ISSN: 1461-7048 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/092137400101300105 |
| OpenAlex | W1985239007 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 29 |
The intention of this article is to show some of the contradictions which arise when Margaret Archer, in her theory of culture and agency, utilizes Durkheim's and Weber's analyses of culture as examples of cultural morphogenesis. Additionally, the intention is to explore which principles for the development of a sociological theory of culture can be deduced from these classical texts. By confronting Archer's theory with the analyses of Durkheim and Weber, it can be shown that, while Archer perceives the individual as a rational actor pursuing material interests, thetwo classical sociologists see the individual as an object of cultivation. Furthermore, while Archer perceives the relation between structure and culture as an exchange relationship, in which legitimacy is exchanged for resources, the two classical sociologists see society as the source of cultural development. The conclusion is that, if one wishes to utilize Durkheim's and Weber's analyses of culture, one has to read these texts on their own premises. A rereading of their analyses enables the development of four basic tenets of a sociological theory of culture: (1) culture is a subject-object relationship; (2) mechanisms exist, whereby objective culture is transferred to the subject; (3) as a consequence of its content, culture can influence society; (4) as a consequence of its organization, society can influence culture
Culture theory · Epistemology · Legitimacy · Political science · Politics · Social science · Sociological theory · Sociology · Structure and agency · Anthropology · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Critical Realism in Sociology · Law · Philosophy · Social and Cultural Dynamics
The religion of India
The evolution of educational thought
The religion of China
Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes
Explorations in Social Change.
Sociology and modern systems theory.
The State in Capitalist Society
New rules of sociological method
Moral Education
Social Origins of Educational Systems
Objective Knowledge
Methodology of Social Sciences
The Myth of Cultural Integration
Realist Social Theory
Globalization
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
Contemporary Europe
Contemporary Europe
Contemporary Europe
Contemporary Europe
Social and Cultural Dynamics
Culture and agency
The Myth of Cultural Integration
The Evolution of Educational Thought
From Max Weber
Central Problems in Social Theory
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |