From: lriffo-AT-liverpool.ac.uk
Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2003 00:31:12 +0100
Subject: BHA: Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit


Dear all

I need help on the differences between the concepts of structures and
mechanisms in critical realism. I'm having some difficulties to deal
with their differences.

Its clear for me that events are the outcome of the functioning of
mechanisms possesed by structures.

I've read the definitions in Sayer (Methods...) and Danemark et al
(Explaining Society..) and its clear for me that the concept of
structure refers to "a set of internally related objects". I dont have
problems with that. However, sometimes it seems to me that there is no
clear line between them.

For example.

Danemark et al take an example of a sociological study by Roman, 1994,
about gender segregation in the labour market to illustrate
conceptualizations in the research process from a critical realist
framework.

They mention (in figure 4) that there are "structures" of working life
that gives rise to "mechanism" like "male dominance in number" that
under certain conditions resulting in difficulties for women (events).

Nevertheless, for me "male dominance in number" could be seen as an
event.This is my kind of confussion.

I would appreciate a formal definition that could explain particularly
the differences between structure and mechanism.

Sorry if I'm not enough clear in my question.


Thanks to all

Luis Riffo






































     --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---