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The Over- or the Undersocialized Conception of Man? Practice Theory and the Problem of Intersubjectivity

University of Helsinki, antti.gronow{at}helsinki.fi

In recent years practice theory has challenged the leading position of social constructionism within action and social theory. This challenge has mainly come from realist thinkers in practice theory. One such thinker is Margaret Archer, who has argued that pre-social practices constitute selfhood independent of social factors. While welcoming critiques of constructionism, I maintain that realist practice theory gives an undersocialized picture of selfhood at the expense of intersubjectivity, which is a founding feature of proper agency and selfhood. The private realm of selfhood nevertheless exists, and it can be theorized as consisting of internal conversations. These conversations are a mediating factor between action and social structures. However, in the maintenance of structures the role of reflexive deliberation is subordinate to habitual dispositions because the former is usually present in situations of crisis, whereas habitual action is the normal state of affairs.

Key Words: Archer • habits • internal conversation • Mead • practice theory • pragmatism • self-consciousness

Sociology, Vol. 42, No. 2, 243-259 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0038038507087352


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