File spoon-archives/bhaskar.archive/bhaskar_2000/bhaskar.0004, message 34


Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 22:42:33 +0100
From: Karl Maton <karl.maton-AT-dtn.ntl.com>
Subject: Re: BHA: Bourdieu and CR


Please do, Roy.  

Roy Wilson wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
>     The proposed link between Bourdieu and CR might be strengthened by the
> following:
> 
> Fararo, T, J. & Butts, C. (1999). Advances in generative structuralism:
> Structured agency and multilevel dynamics. Journal of Mathematical Sociology,
> Vol. (24)1, pp. 1-65.
> 
> The authors give a formal interpretion of Gidden's notion of "duality of
> structure" and Boudieu's concept of habitus. Bhaskar has himself acknowledged
> broad similarities between his Transformational Model of Social Action and
> Structuration Theory (while Acher has highlighted the differences between Realist
> Social Theory as she conceives it and Structuration Theory). In particular,
> Fararo gives considerable attention to the emergent reality of social relations
> and "duality of structure". I can say more about this paper and prior work if
> anyone is interested. Assuming no one is, can anyone suggest a different list
> (like ARCHER)?
> 
> Roy Wilson
> designrw-AT-bellatlantic.net
> 
> ERIK WEISSENGRUBER wrote:
> 
> > I have been mulling over strategies to get CR accepted as a new kind of
> > interdisciplinary "common sense," and the postings of the last few weeks
> > have been quite stimulating
> >
> > A recent author wrote ...
> >
> > >the bulk of the social scientific community simply can't be bothered
> > >to get to grips with RTS. This would involve getting to grips with the
> > >philosophy of science and their knowledge of that seem reluctant to go
> > >beyond Lakatos, Popper and Kuhn with the odd reference to Feyerabend thrown
> > >in.
> >
> > A key part of Pierre Bourdieu's project seems to be informing the
> > formulation of social scientific questions with epistemological questions,
> > particularly in the philosophy of science.
> >
> > Bourdieu (at least in "The Craft of Sociology") discusses the work of the
> > sociologist as a kind of practice, an intervention in the real that (under
> > ideal conditions) creates a dynamic interplay between theoretical
> > constructs and empirical observation, a practice that has effects (good or
> > bad/desirable or undesirable) in the entire field of social practices.
> >
> > Despite Bourdieu's avowed anti-ontological stance, he seems to be close to
> > a lot of CR ideas about the social sciences, the historical situatedness of
> > knowledge construction and the intransitive aspects of the real that
> > condition it etc.
> >
> > So Bourdieu's innovations in reflexive sociology might be one tangent for
> > the introduction of CR ideas to the social sciences.
> >
> > NOTE: Bourdieu does this amazing dissection of the
> > postivisist/intutitionist debate, asserting that both extremes actuall call
> > for and enforce the presuppositions of one another.
> >
> > Moreover, he tackles the individual/collectivist dyad by suggesting that
> > both persons and large groups are observable entities -- but that the real
> > difficulty for sociology lies in finding the hidden RELATIONS between these
> > types of observable/measurable entities.
> >
> > Bourdieu would see relations existing on the same ontological plane as the
> > observed entities (if he were pushed into an ontological corner), whereas
> > the CR tradition would look at the causal mechanisms that, because they are
> > more fundamental, permit observable entities to come into being, yet there
> > seems to be a great similarity between the two traditions
> >
> > END OF SERMON
> > If a French sociologist in the 60's and contemporary CR seem to be
> > operating on the same wavelength, perhaps we can begin to look at other
> > fields of knowlegdge that are experiencing a reformulation of their
> > fundamental assumptions, and suggest that CR is a way of addresing many of
> > these.
> >
> >  Anyway (must be read with a very postmodern ironic tone), "we" all know
> > >what positivism is anyway and any approach to social inquiry that wants to
> > >play with science (however defined) can only be a form of smuggled in
> > >positivism (end irony).
> > >
> > >So CR is really a (begin irony) form of positivism and  since we are all so
> > >far beyond that science stuff and well into our various form of relativism
> > >we can neglect all that stuff and embrace our indeterminacy (end irony). Of
> > >course, this all takes place within an institutional context which has
> > >constructed these categories, and as such there is a lot of various forms of
> > >"capital" bundled up with the categories (science vs hermeneutics for
> > >example) and CR's attempt to disrupt them is always liable to fall on deaf
> > >ears. But, of course, it is not all deaf ears and there are some prepared to
> > >make the journey (i.e. the list and others). However, given the current
> > >structural constraints of PhD submission rates (certainly in a UK context
> > >where if you don't submit within the 4 year framework you get de-registered)
> > >it is always going to be a very brave supervisor that sends his/her student
> > >wanting to study X through a CR framework, scurrying off to study the
> > >philosophy of science.
> > >
> > >Beyond all that, and totally contradicting myself, I'm not that worried
> > >about it. The last thing I think CR should be doing is developing anything
> > >like a "school of thought" al la postmodernism. I see a lot of research
> > >informed by CR without necessarily wearing its CRness emblazoned on its
> > >sleeve. I'm probably with Heikki on this and (begin irony) we of the cult
> > >(end irony), probably just need to get on and put it into practice. If
> > >others reject a piece of research because they have skimmed the bibliography
> > >and seen that (begin irony) the obscurantist fool Bhaskar is cited (end
> > >irony), then what can you do? I certainly will lose no sleep about it.
> > >
> > >I did come across an article that addressed the issue of Bhaskar's neglect
> > >and I'll try and hunt out the reference if I can find it.
> > >
> > >Cheers,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >=================================> > >Dr. Colin Wight
> > >Department of International Politics
> > >University of Wales, Aberystwyth
> > >Tel: 01970 621769
> > >http://www.aber.ac.uk/~cow
> > >==================================> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >     --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> > >
> > >
> > Professor Erik Weissengruber
> > University of Waterloo
> > Department of Drama and Speech Communication
> > ML 226
> > eweissen-AT-watarts.uwaterloo.ca
> > (519) 888-4567 ex. 2855
> >
> >      --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

-- 
With best wishes,

Karl 

Karl Maton
School of Education, University of Cambridge

Correspondence address:
108 Avenue Road Extension, Leicester LE2 3EH
Tel: 0116 220 1066
Email: karl.maton-AT-dtn.ntl.com
Email: karl-AT-criticalrealism.com

I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart’s affections and
the truth of the imagination
Keats


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