State trajectories and social transaction costs : Reflections on differentation and social order
(2005)Sociology
- Abstract
- The paper addresses the classical sociological problem concerning the dual process of social integration and differentiation, and puts it in relation to the contemporary discourse of social capital. A number of analytical problems related to social capital are considered with specific reference to the theoretical development which turned the concept into an explaining variable of social integration. It is argued that the discourse of social capital represents a tendency in social science to employ unitary theories of societies based around a limited set of causal determinants; in this case, social capital refers to civic norms that contribute to social integration. Instead, I particularly emphasise the state's capacity to function as an... (More)
- The paper addresses the classical sociological problem concerning the dual process of social integration and differentiation, and puts it in relation to the contemporary discourse of social capital. A number of analytical problems related to social capital are considered with specific reference to the theoretical development which turned the concept into an explaining variable of social integration. It is argued that the discourse of social capital represents a tendency in social science to employ unitary theories of societies based around a limited set of causal determinants; in this case, social capital refers to civic norms that contribute to social integration. Instead, I particularly emphasise the state's capacity to function as an integral part of society. As the capacity of any given state to achieve social integration within its realm is determined by a number of factors related to its distinctive trajectory, any theory on the issue has to be open to multi-causal explanations. I therefore propose an alternative conceptual tool for analyses of social integration in a given polity. The term social transaction cost designate the metaphorical costs of mergers and the forming of alliances and coalitions that favour the aggregation of interests and outlooks among and between groups, organisations and actors within a given polity. Finally I give a few examples of how the concept may be used for analyses of social integration in relation to a number of state trajectories with varying outcomes. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/1333536
- author
- Frödin, Olle
- supervisor
- organization
- year
- 2005
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- social integrering, social differentiering, socialt kapital, Sociology, Sociologi
- language
- English
- id
- 1333536
- date added to LUP
- 2005-03-11 00:00:00
- date last changed
- 2011-05-12 15:48:37
@misc{1333536,
abstract = {{The paper addresses the classical sociological problem concerning the dual process of social integration and differentiation, and puts it in relation to the contemporary discourse of social capital. A number of analytical problems related to social capital are considered with specific reference to the theoretical development which turned the concept into an explaining variable of social integration. It is argued that the discourse of social capital represents a tendency in social science to employ unitary theories of societies based around a limited set of causal determinants; in this case, social capital refers to civic norms that contribute to social integration. Instead, I particularly emphasise the state's capacity to function as an integral part of society. As the capacity of any given state to achieve social integration within its realm is determined by a number of factors related to its distinctive trajectory, any theory on the issue has to be open to multi-causal explanations. I therefore propose an alternative conceptual tool for analyses of social integration in a given polity. The term social transaction cost designate the metaphorical costs of mergers and the forming of alliances and coalitions that favour the aggregation of interests and outlooks among and between groups, organisations and actors within a given polity. Finally I give a few examples of how the concept may be used for analyses of social integration in relation to a number of state trajectories with varying outcomes.}},
author = {{Frödin, Olle}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{State trajectories and social transaction costs : Reflections on differentation and social order}},
year = {{2005}},
}